So Many Languages, So Many Lives

Author: Inge Michels

"I can speak English already, I can speak English already …“, leaping and shouting, Nele (5) runs to the neighbours' children in the garden after her day at the kindergarten. And then she starts counting, "one, two, three...". She counts up to ten beaming all over her face. Annika (2) and Serge (3) don't quite know what to think of it. Pablo (4) bites his lower lip. Then he remembers his Spanish grandfather, and he says, "I know ´gracias´“.

On the early evening, the childrens' parents are sitting together and chatting. Nele's mother tells the others that the kindergarten offers something new: each Monday, a one-hour English lesson for the pre-school-age children. The parents' have different views on this offer. Does one hour of learning a foreign language in a generally German kindergarten make any sense?

Serge's parents are not very fond of this idea. They are toying with the idea of having their son enrolled in the international kindergarten, but for the costs... Pablo's parents say that for some time they have been considering having their son enrolled in the new Spanish-German kindergarten. "During the holidays, Pablo had so much fun playing with his cousins in Spain", his mother says. But she and her husband are not sure whether the change to another kindergarten would be the best choice for Pablo.

Do you know similar thoughts? Many other mothers and fathers do, too. During the past few years, parents have an increasing desire to bring their children into early contact with a foreign language. Bilingual kindergartens keep waiting lists, multilingual toddler groups have become very popular, and the foreign language institutes have since long recognized the "bambini" as a target group. So the question arises: Does any early contact with a foreign language really make sense? And how can parents put their desire into practice best to let their children grow up  multilingually? (Letter for Parents "3 – 6 years", Extra Letter for Parents "Speech development", Turkish-German Letter for Parents No. 6 / Mektup No 6) Discuss with us in the Forum.

Up to the age of about 10 years, children are able to learn an additional language without much effort. This is evident to anybody who realized in his/her own family or in a family of friends how easily children are getting along when their parents move abroad. In the opinion of most experts, early multilingualism is advantageous. Curious children enjoy using another language. They are not only ready to become familiar with foreign words, but also enthusiastic to get acquainted with a new cultural context. A Czech proverb says, "So many languages, so many lives." And: Whoever has mastered one foreign language can learn another one more easily – which is another advantage with a view to later professional qualification.

But parents ought not to lead their children to learning a foreign language on the basis of these considerations alone. Children need an emotional relation to the languages they are to learn. Any efforts of learning a new language involve the establishment of relations. If the family uses another language in addition to German, if regular visits to relatives abroad take place, if parents are fascinated by the culture of a certain country and share this fascination with their children – then children are able to gain a sense for a language and its importance in everyday life.

The parents' desire, lingual competence and affection for their child is one thing (Letter for Parents "0 – 3 years", Extra Letter "Language Development", Turkish-German Letter for Parents No. 2 / Mektup No 2). The other thing is language promotion at the kindergarten. So, what do parents have to take into consideration when looking for a multilingual or bilingual kindergarten?

"Small children don't need language lessons at the kindergarten, but a regular, action-related, playful and competent approach to language!“ says Maria Ringler, Chief of the Intercultural Education Department of the Union of Binational Families and Partnerships (iaf e. V.). She is the author of the book "Competent Multilingual“.

These are her hints for parents:

• Find out at the kindergarten whether dealing with a language is visible and audible. Are there any games, books, songs available in several languages? Are the labels in the corridors and rooms multilingual? Do you hear several languages spoken?

• Each language is valuable. Find out whether your language is held in high esteem.

• Get informed about the scope and duration of language promotion. One hour of English lessons per week is a positive impulse which does not imply any harm. Being multilingual or bilingual, however, means that the languages have to be integrated into the kindergarten activities every day. The most widespread method is "immersion“, also called „language bath“.

• Get informed about the competence of the kindergarten staff. Are native speakers employed in the kindergarten?

• Is sensitive leading of the children towards language issues considered worthwile, apart from language acquisition? Are certain regular times fixed to read texts aloud to the children? Is there a narrative culture, and is playing with a language taken care of (Literacy Education)?

• Are parents allowed to attend their childrens' activities at the kindergarten? Are information letters or notices for parents issued in more than one language?

Do you want to complete this list or to add your own experience? What is your personal advice to parents who want to get informed?

We are looking forward to your contributions to our Forum.