Language Acquisition and Multilingualism

First language use and bilingualism

First or native language is the language a child acquires from birth before the age of 3. Preschool children who develop strong language skills in their first language can learn a second language more easily and do better at school with reading and writing. Still, about 10% of children entering school have a language disorder, according to Speech-Language & Audiology Canada.

Since these disorders can affect social interactions, early identification and intervention can improve attachment and interaction between parent and child, improve the child’s overall communication and brain development.

The significance of the first language

Encourage parents to talk to their child in their first language. Let them know that parents who do not speak a second language are not risking their child’s language development, success in school, or integration into Canadian society. When parents use their first language, they offer the best language models to their child: a rich, diverse vocabulary, appropriate grammatical structures and easy, fluid and natural exchanges in daily activities.

When should parents introduce a second language?

A second language is often defined as one learned after the age of 3. It usually appears once the first language has been established. Learning a second language can happen at any age and in a variety of environments, whether at home, in child care, or at school. Bilingualism does not trigger confusion or negatively impact the development of language in young children.

Babies have the innate ability to learn more than one language. All over the world, young children successfully learn to speak two languages as they grow up. Research indicates that the earlier a child learns a second language, the better their language acquisition. Encourage parents to speak their home language with their baby right from birth, because their baby will effectively and more easily learn two different languages simultaneously.

Bilingual children reach most of the same communication milestones as monolinguals (e.g., babbling first, adding vocabulary, then combining words into sentences, etc.). Although it is common for a bilingual child to have fewer words in each language, this is not the case when considering the combined vocabularies from both languages. In fact, the “conceptual” vocabulary size of a bilingual child is similar to that of a monolingual child.

Different types of bilingualism

Simultaneous bilingualism: Children learning two languages from birth or shortly after are simultaneous language learners. They are learning two separate language systems that also interact together. Exposure to two languages does not cause a language delay. Ideally, children are exposed equally to each language from the start, but in a bilingual home, this may be difficult to achieve. At times, one language becomes more dominant than the other. 

Simultaneously bilingual children should be reaching early communication milestones (e.g., first words by 12 months, two-word phrases at 2 years) at about the same time as monolingual children.

Sequential bilingualism: Children who acquire a second language after learning a first are considered sequential bilingual learners or “second-language learners.” These children tend to go through four typical stages when learning a second language:

1. The child uses the first language in the second language environment even if no one speaks the first language (e.g., Camille uses “lait” when requesting “milk” in her English child care program).
2. The child stops using the first language in the new environment (second language environment) and has a “silent” period lasting from 3 to 6 months. To develop language skills in the second language, the child will stop using a first language in the new environment. Social interaction with peers and adults will still be present. At home, the child’s first language should continue to grow (e.g., Malik stops using Arabic words in his English child care program. When playing or communicating with peers and adults, he uses gestures. At home, he continues to speak Arabic).
3. The child starts using the second language in a telegraphic way in imitation or rote activities (e.g., counting, naming colors, labelling objects or pictures), in memorized phrases (e.g., “I don’t know.”, “What’s that?”) or by joining words into short phrases. The child will not use grammatically correct sentences right away.
4. Productive use of the second language: The child starts to construct sentences spontaneously but may have an accent, mispronounce words or make grammatical errors.

Acquiring a second language does not mean a child’s oral language abilities (use of grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure) will be the same as those of a monolingual peer. Proficiency and competency in a second language develop with exposure and practice. Early language skills do develop quickly, usually within 6 months to 2 years of exposure to the second language. However, it may take 5 to 7 years for a sequential bilingual child to reach similar oral language competency as a monolingual child. In sequential language learners, be alert to whether the child is meeting early communication milestones in their first language.

Characteristics of a bilingual child

• Language dominance: One language becomes dominant because the child’s exposure to and ability to practice each language are not equal in daily life.
• Language mixing: The child uses words from both languages in the same sentence to help replace words they do not know. 
• Grammatical errors: Children make mistakes until they figure out the ‘rules’ in their new language.
• Loss of their first language: As the second language begins to prevail, children may lose their first language skills. This loss can impact relationships with parents, who may feel they can no longer communicate fully with their children or worry about erosion of cultural identity.

Bilingualism and language delays

There is no evidence that exposure to two languages causes language delay. In fact, research shows there are cognitive and social benefits to learning two languages. Children learning two languages know the difference between them even in the earliest stages of bilingual development, and will use each language separately with different speakers, even strangers.

Bilingual children become more efficient communicators in their first language, develop a greater vocabulary, improve their listening skills, have sharper memory skills, display greater cognitive flexibility and demonstrate better problem-solving and higher-order thinking.

What to do when a child has a speech or language delay?

Children with a speech or language delay or disorder will not become more delayed if they hear or learn two languages. If a child has a language delay, you can expect to observe the same difficulties in both languages.

There is no evidence to support limiting a language-delayed child to one language to help learning or avoid a delay. In fact, limiting a child’s exposure to a single language may negatively impact or restrict the child’s interactions with other family or community members. It is imperative to start early, empower parents and engage children in language and literacy-rich activities.

The role of primary care providers during a well-child visit

Language plays a critical role in forming attachments with family members and a strong cultural identity. Primary care and other health professionals should review children’s language development as part of developmental surveillance.

When evaluating children in their first language or bilingual children, you can use paediatric tools and milestones for monolingual children, such as the LookSee Checklist, the Rourke Baby Record or other tools described in the section Child Development: Issues and Assessment.

Summary of key learning points

Identify the child’s first language and/or the family’s home language:

• Ask the parent(s) about:
  • the child’s first or home language,
  • other languages used in the home,
  • the amount of exposure to each language (frequency, percentage, environment).
• Assess language dominancy (ask parents whether the child uses one language more often).
• To learn language, children need to hear well. Ensure that the child’s hearing is normal (i.e., conduct a hearing screening test).

Identify language competency in the first language or in both languages:

Even if you do not speak the same language as the family:

• Identify whether a child appears to present a first language delay by using paediatric screening tools.
• Ask about receptive and expressive language skills in both languages used by the child.
• Identify ‘red flags’ for high-risk social communication predictors or a developmental delay.
• Counsel parents on the importance of first language retention for later academic skills, and the risks of losing home language.
• Reassure parents that their child’s behaviour and usage (e.g., a silent period in the second language, mixing languages, grammatical errors) are normal for a child learning two languages.

Share information with parents when a language delay is suspected:

• Never assume that language delay is caused by exposure to two languages.
• Never recommend that parents limit their bilingual child’s exposure to only one language, even when a language disorder is diagnosed. Reassure parents that dual language exposure has not caused or made the delay more severe. Children with a language disorder can become bilingual.
• In simultaneous bilingualism, a true delay will be present in both languages. Expect the same type and severity of errors as you would find in monolingual peers with a language disorder.
• In sequential bilingualism, a communication delay or disorder will be present in the first language. It takes time to learn a second language. Some children learning a second language appear to be delayed compared with their peers, but the length of time of exposure to a second language must be taken into account.
• If a bilingual child is not meeting major communication milestones in his first language or dominant language or in both languages (in the case of a simultaneous bilingual child), refer the child to speech and language services available in your region.
• Speech and language pathologists usually assess a child’s skills in a first or home language with the help of a cultural interpreter. Therapy is often conducted in the child’s first language with the support of parents and a cultural interpreter.

Guidance for all parents about language development:

• Read often to your child in your first language. Use picture books or tell stories that you learned as a child in your first language. This will help your child develop listening, thinking, language and reading skills.
• Watching videos or television is not enough for your child to learn a second language. Provide many opportunities to engage in a variety of contexts (at home, in child care, at the park, in daily routines). A child needs to hear and speak both languages to become a competent user.
• Play with your child in your first language. Through play, your child builds language skills: when they seek out a playmate, follow a set of rules, negotiate, take turns, cooperate and accept an outcome. All these skills involve communication.
• Sing songs in your first language. Take time to explain new words or to talk about the story behind a traditional song.

Resources for parents

Raising children to speak more than one language. Also available in Arabic, French, Punjabi, Spanish, and Tagalog.

Your child’s development: What to expect

Read, speak, sing to your baby