| | Rose
Fresh Boarder | |  | | multillingualism - 2010/09/17 12:25
Hi,we have two children my daughter is 5 1/2 and my son 3 1/2.I speak only German and father only arabic to them.At school they learn Arabic and English fifty to fifty.My husband and me speak a nother language together but never to the children but I realize that my daughter understands the most of it and likes sometimes to try to speak it even if the grammer is wrong she is doing it well.But I didnt want her to lern it.When I visited Silkes workshop some years ago I understood that Children can learn up to four languages with keeping the rules.So my daughter has three languages plus one that we didnt teach her but she learnd it passive just by hearing it from her parents speaking it to each other.We would like have her to learn a new language instead of the passive learnd language.So I tought if we start to speak only English (my husband and me)to each other so she would stop hearing the fourth language and it would become only three languages in my daughters life so we could maybe start the new language with her.My question is if it is possible at all or will it disrupt her.Or can she learn a fifth language but wouldnt it confuse her?Please help me if you have any knowledge about it I dont want to destroy anything built in their language.She speaks the three other languages well for her age.Thanks. Rose
Post edited by: Rose, at: 2010/09/17 12:29
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 | Silke
Admin | | | | Re:multillingualism - 2010/09/22 13:48
Dear Rose,
the main thing is to remember the principle of compartmentalization, i.e. to have a clear strategy for each language. There is no evidence that your child would not be able to grow up with 5 languages, particularly as one is only passive. Your current strategy is working well and you now need to find a way (and the time) to integrate another language without changing what is working. One way would be to visit language courses and make a daily language hour in that particular language. Another way would be to hire somebody to play with your child regularly in that language.
Remember the part about objectives? Become clear how well you want your child to speak (and read/write) that language and then choose your strategy and the amount of time spend in that language accordingly.
I hope this is helpful.
All best to your family !
Silke
Passionately Multilingual !
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| | Rose
Fresh Boarder | | | | Re:multillingualism - 2010/09/23 22:36
Hi Silke thanks for your help.
Well I know from myself and school how far we can help her with German,Arabic and English and dont expect her to be well with the fifth language as with the first three ones.As written,the fourth language was really passive without our influence and she is doing well.
So if my expectations are only simple conversation,no writing,no reading without any pushing from our side,only as much as she can learn,it want effect the other languages,is that correct?
I stopped also my daughter from speaking the passive language with people who speak that language to make her speak more the languages that we are working on it, is that ok or not,is it helpful to make her stop to speak that fourth language or contra for her development.Thanks
Post edited by: Rose, at: 2010/09/23 22:40
Post edited by: Rose, at: 2010/09/23 22:44
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