Learning More Than One Language

Tips for Raising a Multilingual Child

Here are many ways you can help your child learn and use more than one language.

• Start early. Use your languages with your child often and as early as possible. Most multilingual children—like children learning a single language—start using their first words by 1 year old, and two-word phrases (like “my ball”) by 2 years old. If those words come from different languages, that’s OK!
• Be supportive. Your child may be shy or uncertain about using their languages. Create daily chances to use their languages and celebrate the benefits of being multilingual.
• Value practice over perfection. Encourage your child to talk, even if they make mistakes. Using their languages helps them grow their skills, and mistakes are part of learning.
• Don’t worry about mixing languages. Sometimes children might blend words or grammar rules from different languages. It’s an expected part of learning and using more than one language at a time.

Benefits of Being Multilingual

A growing number of people in the United States use more than one language. Being multilingual has advantages and can help your child to:

• learn new words and languages
• sort and organize ideas
• understand math concepts
• solve problems creatively
• connect with people in different communities and cultures
• see other perspectives
• focus and shift attention
• become a valuable part of a diverse classroom, community, and workforce

Teaching Your Child Multiple Languages

Talk to your child in the language(s) you are most comfortable using. This will help your child produce sounds, learn new words, use full sentences, tell stories, and socialize. The more they hear and practice—in any language—the better their language skills will be.

Children may learn their languages in different ways:

• By setting: for example, using English at school and Urdu at home.
• By topic: for example, using English for homework and French for video games.
• By speaker: for example, one parent using American Sign Language and English, the other parent using Mandarin and English.

Having various language models, practicing the language in different settings, and talking about different topics helps your child:

• build strong multilingual communication skills
• keep close ties with family and community
• stay connected to their culture, which many people tie to their identity

How to Support Your Child’s Multilingual Learning

You can support multilingual learning in many ways.

• Books. Read multilingual or picture books together in your languages. Talk about the pictures, characters, and stories in more than one language.
• Music. Songs are a fun way to introduce and practice language. You can sing, move, and talk about the lyrics in your languages.
• TV and videos. Watch children’s shows in different languages. Some programs teach children about numbers, letters, colors, and simple words. Turn on subtitles for school-aged children to help them connect spoken and written words, which will help them learn to read.
• Language-learning programs. Explore options for camps, clubs, or dual-language schools. These programs give children the chance to use and grow their language skills with other children. They can also help your child learn to read and write in their languages.

If Your Multilingual Child Has Speech Or Language Challenges

Many children around the world grow up learning more than one language. Using multiple languages does not confuse children or cause speech or language delays. In fact, having a strong foundation in one language supports additional language learning!

If your child has a communication issue, it will show up in all the languages they use. If you’re concerned, talk to a speech-language pathologist (SLP). They can help you figure out if your child needs speech and language support.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Resources

Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement.

• Young Children Learning Multiple Languages: Parent FAQs
• Multilingual Tips for Families
• Families
• Resources for Families