As parents, we all want our children to succeed in school and thrive in their learning environment. If your child is growing up in a bilingual household, you might wonder whether their home language—also called their mother tongue—plays a role in their success at school. Research shows that it absolutely does! In fact, maintaining your child’s home language can help them do better both academically and socially.
Here’s why your child’s home language is so important for their education, and how you, as parents, can support them.
Bilingualism: More Than Just Speaking Two Languages
In today’s globalized world, it’s common for children to grow up speaking one language at home and another at school. Some parents worry that using two languages might confuse their child or slow down their learning of the school language, like English. But actually, being bilingual offers a big advantage!
Children who speak two languages gain a deeper understanding of how language works. They can easily switch between languages, which helps them develop problem-solving skills and think more creatively. This flexibility in thinking gives them a strong foundation for learning new things.
The Foundation Starts at Home: Why Mother Tongue Matters
Your child’s home language is the first language they learn. It’s the language you use when you share stories, explain ideas, and express love. This deep connection means that your child’s mother tongue is the foundation of their learning. When they have a strong grasp of their home language, it actually helps them do better when learning the language used at school.
Why? The skills your child develops in one language—whether it’s learning new words or understanding concepts—transfer to the other language. For example, if your child learns how to count or tell time in your home language, they don’t need to relearn these concepts in the school language. They already understand the ideas, and just need the new vocabulary.
Bilingual Education Benefits Both Languages
Some parents might worry that if their child spends time learning in their home language, it could take time away from learning English. But research has shown that this isn’t the case. In fact, children who continue to develop their mother tongue at home often perform better in school. When they are encouraged to keep using their home language, they build stronger literacy skills in both languages.
Think of it this way: When your child learns in their mother tongue, they are not only improving that language but also building skills that help them succeed in English.
The Risk of Losing the Home Language
However, there’s a challenge many bilingual families face: Children can quickly lose their ability to speak their home language once they start school. They might use English more with their friends or siblings and start speaking less of their mother tongue at home. This can happen faster than you might think—sometimes within just 2-3 years of starting school.
When children lose their mother tongue, they often feel disconnected from their home culture and even from their parents. It becomes harder to communicate with family members, and this can lead to feelings of isolation.
How You Can Help Maintain Your Child’s Home Language
The good news is that there are things you can do to help your child maintain and develop their home language while they’re learning English at school. Here are some tips:
- Create a strong language environment at home: Make it a priority to speak your home language regularly. Share stories, discuss everyday topics, and engage in conversations that help your child expand their vocabulary.
- Encourage reading and writing in your home language: If possible, provide books in your home language. You can also write letters, cards, or even short stories together to practice writing skills.
- Get involved in community activities: Look for opportunities where your child can use their mother tongue outside the home, such as community events, cultural celebrations, or playgroups.
- Celebrate bilingualism: Let your child know that being bilingual is a wonderful gift. Talk to them about the advantages of speaking two languages and how it connects them to their culture and identity.
Bilingualism: A Strength for the Future
Your child’s home language is not just a part of their heritage—it’s a strength that will help them throughout their lives. By maintaining their mother tongue, they’ll have access to more opportunities, from better job prospects to deeper cultural understanding. More importantly, it helps them stay connected to their identity and family roots.
By supporting your child’s bilingual development, both at home and in school, you’re giving them the best of both worlds—a strong educational foundation and a rich cultural experience.
Conclusion
As parents, you have a powerful role in nurturing your child’s bilingual abilities. By encouraging the use of your home language, you’re not only helping them succeed in school but also preserving an important part of their identity. Let’s celebrate the incredible benefits of bilingualism and give our children the best start on their educational journey.
As parents, we all want our children to succeed in school and later in their careers. If your child is growing up in a bilingual household, you might wonder whether their home language plays a role in their success at school. Research shows that it absolutely does (see the referenced article at the end)! In fact, maintaining your child’s home language can help them perform better both academically and socially.
Here’s why your child’s home language is so important for their education, and how you, as parents, can support them.
Bilingualism: More Than Just Speaking Two Languages
In today’s globalized world, it is very common for children to speak one language at home and another at school. Some parents worry that using two languages might confuse their child or slow down their learning of the school language (such as English). However, in reality, bilingualism offers significant advantages! (Details are explained in the text).
Children who speak two languages develop a deeper understanding of how language works. They can easily switch between languages, which helps them enhance problem-solving skills and stimulate creative thinking. This mental flexibility lays a solid foundation for learning new things.
Education Starts at Home: Why Mother Tongue Matters
Your child’s mother tongue is the first language they learn. It’s the language you use to share stories, explain concepts, and express love. This deep connection means that your child’s mother tongue is the foundation of their learning. When they have a strong command of their mother tongue, it actually helps them learn the language used at school.
Why is this? The skills your child develops in one language—whether it’s learning new vocabulary or understanding concepts—transfer to the other language. For example, if your child learns how to count or tell time in their mother tongue, they don’t need to relearn these concepts in the school language. They already understand the ideas and just need to acquire the new vocabulary.
Bilingual Education Benefits Both Languages
Some parents may worry that if their child spends time learning their home language, it could take away from their time learning English. However, research shows this is not the case. In fact, children who continue to develop their mother tongue at home often perform better in school. When they are encouraged to keep using their mother tongue, they tend to show stronger literacy skills in both languages.
Think about it: when your child learns in their mother tongue, they are not only improving that language but also building skills that help them succeed in English.
The Risk of Losing the Home Language
However, many bilingual families face a challenge: once children start school, they can quickly lose their ability to speak their home language. They may use English more with friends or siblings and speak their mother tongue less at home. Sometimes this happens faster than you might think—within just two to three years after starting school.
When children lose their mother tongue, they often feel disconnected from their home culture and even from their parents. Communication with family members becomes more difficult, which can lead to feelings of isolation.
How You Can Help Maintain Your Child’s Home Language
The good news is that there are many ways to help your child maintain and develop their home language while learning English at school. Here are some tips:
- Create a strong language environment at home: Regularly using your home language is crucial. Share stories, discuss daily topics, and engage in conversations that help your child expand their vocabulary.
- Encourage reading and writing in your home language: If possible, provide books in your home language. You can also write letters, cards, or even short stories together to practice writing skills.
- Get involved in community activities: Look for opportunities where your child can use their mother tongue outside the home, such as community events, cultural celebrations, or playgroups.
- Encourage bilingualism: Let your child know that being bilingual is a valuable gift. Talk to them about the advantages of speaking two languages and how it connects them to their culture and identity.
Bilingualism: A Strength for the Future
Your child’s mother tongue is not just part of their cultural heritage—it’s also a strength that will benefit them throughout their life. By maintaining their mother tongue, they will have more opportunities, from better job prospects to deeper cultural understanding. More importantly, it helps them stay connected to their identity and family roots.
By supporting your child’s bilingual development, both at home and at school, you are giving them the best of both worlds—a strong educational foundation and a rich cultural experience.
Bonus:
Another article, "Brain bases of morphological processing in Chinese‐English bilingual children", used a medical study comparing the neurological responses of bilingual and monolingual children (with 22 participants). It confirmed that bilingual learning promotes both neurological and cognitive abilities.
reference
Major one
Cummins, Jim. "Bilingual children’s mother tongue: Why is it important for education." (2001)
Relevant ones
Ip, Ka I., et al. "Brain bases of morphological processing in Chinese‐English bilingual children." Developmental Science20.5 (2017)
Catherine Young (2002). First Language First: Literacy Education for the Future in a Multilingual Philippine Society.
Jawad, Najat A. Muttalib M. "Bilingual education: Features & advantages." Journal of Language Teaching and Research12.5 (2021)
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