Are 3 languages too many for my toddlers ?

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Permalink Reply by Drea on March 25, 2009 at 12:48pm

No problem, please do!
I think it's probably important for people to be aware of the process so they don't flip like i did :)

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Permalink Reply by Julia Pimsleur on March 27, 2009 at 8:11am

Hi Tze
Three languages is not too many! Young minds are hard-wired to learn up to three languages at once without any difficult... I run a company that helps to teach foreign languages to young children (Little Pim) and recently blogged about parents' concerns about their children having speech delays if they learned two languages (or three) at once... http://www.littlepim.com/parents-want-to-know-can-learning-two-lang...
I hope you will let me know if this is helpful!
take care,
Julia

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Permalink Reply by tc on March 27, 2009 at 5:42pm

Very useful. thanks. Will put your answer/link on my blog so it can be read by other ppl if you don't mind ?


Julia Pimsleur said:

Hi Tze
Three languages is not too many! Young minds are hard-wired to learn up to three languages at once without any difficult... I run a company that helps to teach foreign languages to young children (Little Pim) and recently blogged about parents' concerns about their children having speech delays if they learned two languages (or three) at once... http://www.littlepim.com/parents-want-to-know-can-learning-two-lang...
I hope you will let me know if this is helpful!
take care,
Julia

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Permalink Reply by Dominique Goh on March 27, 2009 at 9:07pm

Hi Tze Ching
3 languages is certainly not too many languages. My boys have been introduced to 3 - English, Mandarin and Cantonese since birth and are able to converse and understand all 3 - They are 2 and 5yrs old now. I am at the moment going to introduce them to Japanese this year and slowly build up their understanding of various languages.

It is rather easy for us to mix with others of various cultures here in Singapore so it is a plus point.

I am in the midst of compiling a book on multilingual parenting.. am looking for contributors if you are interested drop me a e-mail )

Dominique
dominiquegoh(at)gmail(dot)com

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Permalink Reply by Jem on March 29, 2009 at 7:24am

Hi,
As a paedologist, I can offer;
1. Neuroscience supports & encourages repeated experiences during periods where a child is deemed to be sensitive toward learning; for example language. When a four month stares into the face of his carer as they speak s/he is hormonally driven to watch the formations, sounds, reinforcing this memory by placing a hand on your lips whilst you talk yes? Are we together? Hope so.
2. Order is essential in helping to learn language, it is such a huge mathematical concept ( Pascal ) the newborn is going through, this unappreciated stage; the building up of language. What delight babies must feel, these small humans, as they begin to feel the vibration of sound upon their tongues and in the roof of their mouths for the first time, what work to build up that explosive oft repeated first word.
3.Thus I would suggest that your child may easily absorb two or more languages, mostly all Kenyans are trilingual at least, by five; I have observed that different sections of the family or friends, spoke only ONE language to the child; " My Grandmother spoke Kikuyu", or " yes I was schooled there so learnt Maa ."
Assist scientifically by segregating the three languages appointing each other to a language. Writing should be assigned accordingly and given more room and time allowance all languages should be excellent by five, writing I suspect would need greater gradual segregation and encouragement.
A wonderful future gift you hold. Good Luck. Jem

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