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Five Proven Approaches for Raising Bilingual Kids
Every child is born with the ability to become bilingual, but simply growing up in a bilingual environment does not guarantee it.
Many parents view bilingualism as a valuable skill for their children’s future. Whether it is to preserve cultural roots, stay connected with family, or gain cognitive and social advantages, they often start introducing multiple languages from an early age.
“All babies come into the world with a gift for languages. From the day they are born, they begin to learn the language that surrounds them. In this way, every baby is a citizen of the world with full and equal capacity to learn any of the planet’s six thousand languages.” King & Mackey (2007)
Children are born with the ability to become bilingual. However, even when they grow up in a bilingual environment, it does not necessarily mean they will become bilingual.
Raising bilingual children can be challenging and requires both intellectual and emotional effort. Factors like parents’ language skills, language exposure, social environment, community support, and the child’s motivation all play a role in shaping this journey.
