Living minutes from the border makes English almost a necessity in Tecate. Even so, when a three-year-old starts hearing two languages, questions come up. These are the five most common.
Myth 1: they'll get confused
Mixing words from both languages in the same sentence is normal at first, and it isn't confusion: it's a resource. The child uses whichever word is closest to hand. Over time they separate the languages on their own.
Myth 2: it holds back Spanish
Learning a second language doesn't take vocabulary away from the first. Quite the opposite: thinking about how things are said in two languages strengthens awareness of language itself, which later helps with reading.
Myth 3: if I don't speak English, I can't help
You don't need to speak it. What helps is the attitude: taking an interest in what they learned, asking them to teach you the song and letting them correct your pronunciation. Children love to teach.
Myth 4: 1 hour a week is enough
A language is acquired through frequent exposure. That's why there's an English class every day in preschool: it's the difference between «an English class» and a language used daily.
Myth 5: they should learn to read in Spanish first
In childhood, English is learned by listening and speaking, not by reading. By the time reading and writing arrive, the child already has the ear and the vocabulary, so reading in English isn't deciphering unknown words.
Ideas for home
- Songs in the car on the way to school.
- A favorite cartoon in English, now and then.
- Bilingual stories before bed.
- Celebrating new words, without over-correcting.
