Joséphine Vigouroux
Bilingualism offers clear advantages in terms of opportunities and the development of communication skills, but learning a foreign language from an early age also promotes cognitive and socio-emotional development. The benefits of bilingualism don't stop there, as bilingualism is also linked to increased metalinguistic awareness: understanding how a language works and its components (Bourgogne, 2013). This can facilitate the learning of multiple languages later on and help children better understand their native language.
The key to successful second language acquisition lies in consistent, high-quality teaching tailored to the age of the students. At école M, the choice has been made to give children constant exposure to both languages, with a French-speaking and an English-speaking teacher present in the classroom all day. This gives both languages equal importance and allows them to coexist 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 especially in the daily life of the classroom (such as snacks, lunch, and park visits). These meaningful experiences help children develop a broad and rich vocabulary in the second language through repetition and in a real-world context. There are also opportunities for children to experience English immersion, where they will be alone with an English-speaking teacher or in a classroom where both English-speaking teachers are present. These English-led sessions encourage children to express themselves in English and gain confidence, as well as new vocabulary and grammatical knowledge.
Every day, a wide range of activities are offered to children, both educational and fun. Often, the same activity (for example, an obstacle course in gymnastics or a game) will be presented in both languages at different times. This can help the child better understand the activities and develop new vocabulary in the second language. Children, like adults, need learning to be enjoyable, engaging, and multisensory to be successful. This is certainly the case for language acquisition (Baker, 2007). Songs, stories, and games are among the most powerful tools we can use to teach English as an additional language, and this is the approach we use daily at école M.
A first step towards becoming bilingual is developing oral comprehension. If children have never been exposed to English in their family environment, it may initially take some time for them to start speaking this new language. The most important thing is for them to develop an understanding of English in familiar situations, within a meaningful and fun context. Once they are more comfortable, they will begin to learn new vocabulary (for example, colors, animals, and classroom objects) through structured activities and other vocabulary integrated into their daily lives (for example, school routines, meals, naps). They may start repeating and independently using learned phrases (for example: ""Good morning"" or ""Yes, please"") or short sentences (""Help me, please"" or ""Can I get a drink?""). Once their knowledge and understanding of English become more fluent, they can then begin to explore building their own sentences to express themselves.
Many parents worry about not being able to help their child learn another language if they don't 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 can be helpful to expose them to English outside of school, or even to learn with them! Remember that for learning to occur, children need to have the desire to develop this new language, and playful, fun activities are the ideal opportunity for this.
Written by Naomi Savory, English-speaking teacher at école M
Sources:
Bourgogne, A. 2013 Be Bilingual: Practical Ideas for Multilingual Families
Baker, C. 2007 A Parents’ and Teachers’ Guide to Bilingualism
