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Bilingualism has obvious advantages in terms of opportunities and development of communication skills, but learning a foreign language from an early age also promotes cognitive and socio-emotional development. The benefits of bilingualism do not end there, as bilingualism is also linked to increased metalinguistic awareness: the understanding of how a language works and its components (Bourgogne, 2013). This can facilitate the learning of several languages later on and help children to better understand their mother tongue.

1. How does bilingualism work atécole M ?

The key to successful second language learning is consistent, quality teaching, adapted to the age of the students. Atécole M, the choice has been made to give the children constant exposure to both languages, with a French and English teacher in the classroom all day. This gives both languages equal importance and allows them to co-exist and develop in tandem. Thus, English is not taught as a subject, but is used daily in the teaching of academic subjects, in practical activities and, most importantly, in the daily life of the class (such as snacks, lunch and visits to the park). These meaningful experiences help children to develop a large and rich vocabulary in the second language through repetition and in a real context. There are also opportunities for children to have an English immersion experience, where they will be alone with an English-speaking teacher or in a class where both English-speaking teachers are present. These guided English sessions encourage the children to express themselves in English and to gain confidence and new vocabulary and grammar.

Every day, a wide range of activities are offered to the children, both educational and fun. Often the same activity (e.g. a gymnastic obstacle course or a game) will be presented in both languages at different times. This can help the child to understand the activities better and to develop new vocabulary in the second language. Children, like adults, need to learn to be enjoyable, engaging and multi-sensory in order to succeed. This is certainly the case for language acquisition (Baker, 2007). Songs, stories and games are some of the most powerful tools we can use to teach English as an additional language and this is the approach we use daily atécole M.

2. Will my child become bilingual?

A first step to becoming bilingual is to have aural comprehension. If children have never been exposed to English in their home environment, it may take some time for them to start speaking the new language. The most important thing is that they develop an understanding of English in familiar situations in a meaningful and fun context. Once they are more comfortable, they will begin to learn new vocabulary (e.g. colours, animals and classroom objects) through taught activities and other vocabulary from the inclusion of English in their daily lives (e.g. school routines, meals, naps). They can begin to repeat and use independently learned phrases (e.g. "Good morning" or "Yes, please") or short sentences ("Help me, please" or "Can I get a drink?"). Once their knowledge and understanding of English becomes more fluent, they can then begin to explore the possibility of constructing their own sentences to express themselves. 

3. What can I do to support my child?

Many parents worry that they will not be able to help their child learn another language if they do not understand it themselves, but this is not strictly necessary. It is important to motivate and encourage your child to learn a new language by showing them its value. It may be helpful to introduce them to English outside the school environment, or even to learn with them! Remember that in order to learn, children need to have a desire to develop the new language and that fun activities are the ideal opportunity for this.

Written by Naomi Savory, English teacher at theécole M

Sources :

Bourgogne, A. 2013 Be Bilingual: Practical Ideas for Multilingual Families

Baker, C. 2007 A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism