Bilingual parenting is an increasing discussion among parents. Bilingualism is often praised: children could suddenly speak two languages fluently. Moreover, in this society it is becoming increasingly important to be able to speak both Dutch and English well. With increasing globalization, there is a good chance that English will eventually become more important than Dutch. According to research, a child with normal development is able to learn to speak two languages well. Bilingualism has many advantages for a child: it even seems to have a positive influence on a child’s intelligence! Is bilingual parenting really that great? The advantages and disadvantages are listed below.
Speaking two languages as your mother tongue
The most important advantage is of course that, if the education is successful, the child can speak two languages well. This can be especially an advantage if one of these two languages is English. English is becoming increasingly important in our society: companies are becoming international, university education is becoming international, people often go on holiday… English is an important language. Lessons at school are often not enough to learn this language well enough.
English education at primary and secondary schools is not enough
English lessons at primary and secondary schools are not enough to learn to speak the language fluently. In primary school, English lessons usually do not go beyond translating colors and ordering something to drink. Secondary education continues to build on this foundation. At the end of the third year of pre-university education, students can read simple books and have simple conversations. In the upper grades the focus is on text explanation. Students who have passed their final VWO exam are usually not yet able to hold conversations in English at a higher level, or write an error-free application letter.
Nowadays there are educational programs aimed at raising the level of English. Nowadays there are also bilingual schools in which English plays a greater role, and in some secondary schools a so-called ,Cambridge program, is organized at the VWO level. Here students can participate and if they successfully complete this program, they will have the opportunity to study at the University of Cambridge.
Bilingualism increases thinking capacity
Researchers have long been convinced that bilingual parenting is bad for a child’s brain development. Nowadays, many studies show that bilingualism is very good for a child’s brain development. According to research, the brains of bilingual people are better trained to concentrate and can cope better with distractions.
Bilingualism therefore increases thinking capacity. This greater thinking capacity makes the child better able to assess people around him .
Other research found that bilingualism changes and strengthens control networks in the brain, making both languages easier to process. These areas also ensure that a child can adapt better to changes. Because bilingualism increases your thinking ability, this can also delay the first symptoms of dementia. Bilingualism also benefits a child at an older age!
Cons
There are also disadvantages. For example, bilingual parenting can be a hassle. Many things must be taken into account. The languages must be separated in a clear, easy way during the child’s education. Moreover, the child must receive as much language exposure from one language as from the other. It is of course very important that the parents themselves have a good command of the languages.
There is no guarantee that bilingual education will be a success, and at that point it can cause major problems. This especially happens when the parents themselves have a poor command of one of the two languages . It is possible that the child learns both languages poorly, or learns one of the two languages poorly, because the child becomes confused with the languages.
The best interests of the child must be taken into account very carefully. If the child in the Netherlands learns Dutch poorly or not at all, this is a major problem. The main language is Dutch, most of the education in the Netherlands is in Dutch, important exams for a child such as the CITO test and final exams are in Dutch, and every Dutch person must be able to write a correct application letter. A child in the Netherlands must learn Dutch well no matter what.
Resume
Language skills are of great importance in our society. Bilingual parenting can ensure that a child has a good command of two languages. Moreover, bilingually raised children also have major advantages beyond language comprehension: research has shown that they are usually more intelligent. However, bilingual education can also fail, and that causes major problems. The result may be that the child does not master one or one of the two languages.
The most important factor that determines whether bilingualism will be a success is the quality of education. Find out in advance how the upbringing can best be tackled.