Becoming Bilingual

By Amber Greviskes

More than 1 in 5 school-aged children speak a language other than English at home, according to Statista.com. And parents who once thought teaching their child two languages might hurt the child’s ability to learn their first language have been proven wrong. Children who learn two languages develop speaking skills as quickly as their peers, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. While children may initially have smaller vocabularies in both languages, the number of total words they know is the same as a monolingual child. And, of course, as children work with the languages, they learn both fluently.

“It is always a difficulty to learn a new and different language,” says Judy Chen who worked at the New York Chinese Cultural Center, which starts teaching Mandarin to children before their 4th birthday. “However, once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier and easier. For younger children, it is easier for them to retain new things they learn.”

Children who learn multiple languages benefit in many ways. Kristin and Jeff Graham became interested in language classes as a way to explore their Russian heritage. “It was an easy decision to pursue the learning of Russian language, music, and art, and we made it part of their growing experience,” Kristin says.

Mara and Stephan Weidman who sent their kids to the German International School of New York both believed that not only would it be nice for the kids to speak Dad’s native language, but their kids would benefit from the bilingual education. “It can only help their young brains learn better,” Mara says.

In fact, according to a recent National Institutes of Health study, children who grow up learning multiple languages are better at switching between tasks. The skills in understanding and speaking more than one language—like refocusing from a mentally demanding task such as writing an essay to a more artistic one such as painting—engage working memory, inhibition, and shifting. Other studies show increased neural activity in response to completely unfamiliar languages.

Another striking benefit? Bilingual kids could earn more money. A 2020 report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects that jobs for interpreters and translators will grow 20 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. And studies have shown that bilingual employees can earn 5-20 percent more money per hour than those who speak only one language.

“Whichever career our children choose, knowing another language can never be detrimental,” Chen says. “Many people believe Americans are ignorant to the outside world. By learning another language, which helps children learn about cultures, we can prove those who think Americans are ignorant wrong.”

Parents who are worried about the toll learning another language can take on children’s schedules shouldn’t fear. Many classes are offered weekly or several times per week. Classes are often more laidback than at traditional schools; children complete a variety of activities including singing songs, playing games, or making crafts to learn the language. Even if parents don’t understand the language, they can still help their children learn it, Chen says.

“Chinese is not the easiest language to learn, and a little motivation goes a long way,” she adds. “Parents can also take Chinese with the kids and learn with them. This way, they can both practice it together at home. Many of our parents regret not having learned Mandarin at a younger age and don’t want their kids to go through the same thing.” Although their children will pick up the new language first, parents shouldn’t be frustrated.

Parents don’t necessarily have to learn another language for their children’s language acquisition to be successful. There are many programs, like Muzzy BBC, and kids can read books like Bob the Builder in French (Bob le Bricoleur) or Little Red Riding Hood (Cappuccetto Rosso) in Italian. There are also toys, games, and flashcards in different languages. If your child is enrolled in language classes, ask their teacher for recommendations. Older children can find a pen pal to email, and there are many free language podcasts.