A Parents' & Teachers' Guide To Bilingualism: Third Edition

AcknowledgementsxiAn Introduction to the Second EditionxiiiIntroductionxvSection AFamily QuestionsA1What are the advantages of my child becoming bilingual?1A2Are some families better placed than others to produce bilingual children?5A3Is the mother more important than the father in the child's language development?8A4What happens if parents don't agree that their children should become bilingual?9A5If we raise our child to be bilingual, will it affect our marriage?10A6What happens if grandparents and the extended family disapprove of bilingualism?11A7I'm a one-parent family. How can I raise my child bilingually?13A8Neither of us speaks a second language. How can we help our child become bilingual?14A9My children get little practice in speaking one of their languages outside the family. What should I do?15A10When watching television, should my child be encouraged to listen to one language or both languages?16A11My children can speak two languages. How can I help them belong to two cultures?17A12How important is it that the child's two languages are practiced and supported outside the home?18A13What kind of community support is valuable for bilingualism?19A14My neighbors think we should integrate more which means using a different language from the home. Should we keep separate or integrate?19A15Can I learn a second language alongside my child?20A16We have just moved to a different country. Should we speak the host country's language in the home to help our children?21A17What should our language strategy be with an adopted child?22Section BLanguage Development QuestionsB1What are the most important factors in raising a bilingual child?26B2Do some children find it easier than others to become bilingual?27B3Is it easier to become bilingual as a young child?29B4How early do bilingual children recognize that they have two languages?30B5Is it better for my child to learn a language early to secure better storage in the brain?31B6Will my child become equally fluent in two languages?32B7Is it better to develop two languages together or one language later than the other?34B8How do I know my child's language development in each language is normal and acceptable?35B9Will learning a second language interfere with development in the first language?37B10Are there any benefits if my child has a less well developed second language?39B11What effect will bilingualism have on my child's intelligence?39B12I want my children to be successful. Should I concentrate on developing their first/majority language skills?43B13Should my child keep the two languages separate in different situations and with different people (e.g. visitors)?44B14Should my child use two languages with the same person?47B15Will my child's attitudes affect the learning of a second language?48B16Is it sensible to raise my child in three languages?49B17Do girls and boys differ in their progress towards bilingualism and biliteracy?50B18Are first-borns different to later-borns in developing bilingualism?51B19Does switching between languages have any value or purpose?52B20When will my bilingual child be able to interpret and translate from one language to another?53B21How much will experience of majority language mass media affect the development of bilingualism in my child?55B22Can music and drama help my child's bilingual development?57B23Will computers and Information Technology affect my child's bilingualism?58B24How important are employment prospects to preserve my child's languages into adulthood?58B25I need to change the language(s) I've used with my children. How will it affect them?59Section CQuestions About ProblemsC1What are the disadvantages of my child becoming bilingual?61C2My child mixes the two languages. What should I do?63C3My child refuses to use one of his/her languages. What should I do?64C4My teenage child is speaking the majority language more and more. What can I do?65C5Will my child learn two languages only half as well as a monolingual child?66C6Will my child's thinking be affected by being bilingual?66C7Does bilingualism have an effect on the functioning of the brain?68C8Will my bilingual children have a problem of identity with two different cultures?69C9Will bilingualism have any adverse effect on my child's personality?73C10Will bilingualism have any adverse effect on my child's friendships and social development?74C11The balance of my child's two languages seems to be shifting. How can I ensure one language doesn't disappear?75C12My child seems to have learning difficulties. Is this due to bilingualism?76C13My child seems to have an emotional/behavioral problem. Is this caused by bilingualism?78C14My child has a specific diagnosed problem (e.g. learning difficulty, language disorder, emotional problem). Should we change to speaking one language to the child rather than two languages? What language should I speak to my child?78C15My child stutters. Is this caused by bilingualism?81C16People make fun of our speaking a minority language. How should I react?83C17People around me are prejudiced and racist. Should we as a family switch to speaking only the majority language?84C18I'm a recent in-migrant to a country. Should I stop speaking my native language and switch to the first language of that country?85C19My second language is not perfect. Should I speak it to my child?86C20A local professional (e.g. a doctor, psychologist, speech therapist, teacher) advised me against bilingualism. Is this correct?87C21Do teenagers suffer or gain if their parents come from different language and cultural backgrounds (mixed language marriages)?87Section DReading and Writing QuestionsD1Should my child learn to read in one language first?89D2Will learning to read in a second language interfere with reading in the first language?91D3If the two languages have different scripts, will learning to read and write be a problem?92D4When should a child begin to read in a second language?93D5How should I help my child to read and write in both languages?93D6Which approach to teaching reading works best? The 'look and say', 'phonics', 'whole language' or what approach?97D7Should I buy books for my child to read that contain two languages or just one language?100D8How can I locate books for my child to read in each language?100D9Will my child find it hard to write in two different languages?100D10My child seems slow in learning to read. Is this due to bilingualism?101D11My child has problems with spelling. Is this due to bilingualism?101Section EEducation QuestionsBasic Education QuestionsE1How can a nursery school support children's bilingualism?103E2Should my child go to a bilingual school?104E3What should I look out for in choosing a school for my bilingual child?107E4Should my child be taught bilingually in the primary school but not in the secondary school?108E5Should older children not be placed in bilingual education?110E6Is there a 'critical age' when children shouldn't be moved to a school with a different language pattern in the curriculum?112E7My children can hold a conversation in a second language. Is that sufficient for them to be taught in that language at school?113E8My child is learning through a second language at school. Should we change our language pattern at home?114E9How easy or difficult will it be for my children to find a job if they are bilingual?115Types of Bilingual EducationE10What types of bilingual education exist?116E11What are Dual Language schools?117E12What are International schools?122E13What is the European Schools Movement?124E14What is Heritage Language Bilingual Education?127E15What is Transitional Bilingual Education?129E16What is 'immersion bilingual education'?130E17What are the main classroom features of successful immersion programs?135E18What language strategies are used in immersion classrooms?137E19What is a Withdrawal class for extra language support?140E20What kind of education should I give my child if we regularly move to different countries?142E21What are Saturday Schools and Voluntary Schools outside regular school hours, and how valuable are they in the development of a minority or second language?143Achievement and Underachievement QuestionsE22Will my child's performance in school be affected by being bilingual?144E23Are there positive effects of learning through the medium of two languages?146E24My child is learning through a new language. Will this affect attainment at school?146E25My child's school teaches through the minority language. Will this affect my child's development in the majority language?147E26Speakers of our home language are often poor and unemployed. Should we ensure our child is educated in the majority language to aid employment prospects?148E27My child seems to be underachieving at school. Is this because of bilingualism?149E28Should my child be placed in a Bilingual Special Education Program?152E29My child is suffering in school because other children tease him/her about speaking another language. What can I do?156Language in the ClassroomE30Will my child be able to learn a new language thoroughly in the school system?157E31How should two languages be distributed in a bilingual classroom?158E32Should Science and Mathematics be taught in an international language such as English?160E33My child's school doesn't support bilingualism and there is no bilingual school nearby. What should I do?161E34Which language should be used to test/assess/counsel a bilingual child? What should be the nature of such assessment?163E35Are teachers trained to help bilingual children?166Section FConcluding QuestionsF1The economy and politics of the world is changing. Is there a future for bilingualism?167F2Why is it important for minority languages to survive in the future?169F3Are monolinguals more common than bilinguals in the world?172F4Why are many politicians against bilingualism and bilingual education?172F5Is bilingualism a natural right of any individual?174F6Does my child have a right to bilingual education? (e.g. in law, a natural right)?175F7Language is an important part of our religion. Should my child learn a second language for this purpose?178F8I use a particular dialect/a Creole/a pidgin language in the home. Is your advice about raising a bilingual child different or similar?179F9I have a deaf child. Is your advice about raising a bilingual child different or similar?180F10People talk about diglossia. What does it mean?183F11Books on child care and child development warn me against bilingualism. How should I react?186F12How do I contact other parents in a similar situation?186F13Is the Internet going to affect my child's bilingualism?187F14How do I find out more information about bilingualism?189Epilogue192Glossary193Index217

\ BooknewsA question-and-answer book for parents and also teachers of bilingual children, dealing with family and educational concerns, language issues, achievement and underachievement, and common problems, and raising awareness of the challenges and rewards of bilingualism. Includes a glossary. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)\ \