tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13386535.post114354880263304691..comments2024-02-22T04:37:28.501-05:00Comments on Alphabet Garten German Books: Will two languages confuse my toddler?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03942574511285895644noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13386535.post-1143909330427991882006-04-01T11:35:00.000-05:002006-04-01T11:35:00.000-05:00I absolutely agree with Sarah. Small children have...I absolutely agree with Sarah. Small children have the ability to pick up two languages (or more) quite naturally. Of course, at first they are going to mix them up – and it might take a few years before they really know which words to use in which situation. The concept of different people speaking different languages is quite difficult to grasp - a colleague of mine learned German from her grandparents, and she told me that for a long time she didn’t get that her friends could not understand German while she could understand it just fine. But gradually they will learn – and being bilingual is such a great gift that I think the effort is truly worth it.<BR/><BR/>We are a bilingual household and speak both languages at home (although lately we are focusing more on German at home, since our son started daycare full-time). Our son is turning two years this month and so far is doing just fine. He does mix up his languages, but I’m not concerned about it. He quickly learns when he uses German words with English speakers (and vise versa) that they don’t understand him, and he has already started to get the concept that there are different ways of expressing the same thing (he actually translates sometimes). We also try to correct him, if he mixes up languages in the same sentence by repeating what he said in the correct language.<BR/><BR/>The important thing is to help your child gradually to tell the languages apart and how and when to use which words. I don’t think that you have to strictly separate the two languages - like making sure each language is only spoken to certain people or in certain environments (although I’m sure that helps). I think what you want to avoid is to completely mix up the languages, like use two languages in the same sentence or constantly switching back and forth. It’s also good to set a model for responding in the language that you are spoken to.<BR/><BR/>Good Luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com