Teaching Your Baby a Foreign Language

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

26 Feb 2007 11:43 AM

This is a hot trend and experts agree that if you want your baby to be bi-lingual, he/she must be exposed to a foreign language. Learning a foreign language is not only highly practical (depending on which one you learn), but is also supposed to help develop brains and enhance cognitive development.

As someone who speaks two other languages (besides English) fluently, I have to agree. If you want your child to be fluent, the time to start is while they are still in the cradle. Foreign language is incredibly easy to learn the earlier you start. It helps with thinking skills and language skills. But are products that are designed to teach your baby foreign languages all that they are cracked up to be?

My Little Research Project

I decided to do a google search to find as many products that are geared towards teaching babies a foreign language to see what kinds of claims they made. From flash cards that sell for a few dollars to audio and DVD programs that sell for hundreds of dollars, I found it all. (At least I think I did.)

Some programs tout that using their product will just make for a brainier baby. The implication is that your child will learn a foreign language. . .although they never actually claim that this will happen. Others though, say that using their products will have your child speaking in a foreign language just like a native speaker! I have my doubts. . .it took me several years and/or immersion to speak like a native speaker.

Our Experience

Because we live in a largely Hispanic area, my children are accustomed to hearing Spanish spoken constantly. In fact, when we take our kids to the park, most of their peers communicate in Spanish rather than English. I don't want to say that no one speaks English--that's not true. But Spanish is the predominant language and my kids hear it spoken by native speakers all the time.

Out of my 5 children, my oldest two understand Spanish moderately well. I assume this is from the park and what they pick up at home. I never really spoke to them in Spanish when they were babies. (I honestly don't know what I was thinking.) With my last three children though, I've made a concerted effort to speak in Spanish to them. The result is that all three girls understand Spanish fairly well. The twins do not say too much yet, but my three year old will speak in Spanish and English interchangeably. She's not talking up a storm in Spanish but she knows all of her colors, numbers, basic phrases like 'help me', or 'I want', etc. She responds to commands and if we all sit together all three of them will respond appropriately.

So is it worth the money to spend on products designed to teach your baby a foreign langue? Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you what types of things that you could buy to help your baby and what types of things are better to pass on! Have any ideas? Make sure and leave a comment!

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Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

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Lisa P (24013) 26 Feb 2007 11:56 AM

Well, you know I'm a fan of Muzzy - if used properly. Parents need to participate and practice with their children. I could do the same thing on my own, but Muzzy sort of gives me a lesson plan - a place to start. It is also helping my husband refresh his foreign language skills. The key is practicing the lessons in your day-to-day life. I don't think we should ever just assume that our children are like computers and we can just load up a DVD and program them. They are human and nothing can be learned without reinforcement in the real world.

Valorie Delp (49340) 26 Feb 2007 01:23 PM

You have to keep reading. . .maybe I'll post the 2nd part of this blog today just so you're not in suspense! ;-)

Lisa P (24013) 27 Feb 2007 07:43 AM

I should also mention that when my son was very young, I used to play Placido Domingo and Eros Ramazzotti music (both Italian) while we were winding down to bedtime. He loved them then and still does. I believe that any exposure to foreign languages is good and varied means of exposure are even better. :-) Looking forward to more on this topic!

Katie-Anne Gustafsson (604) 01 Mar 2007 08:29 AM

Both of my boys are completely bi-lingual - they live in a home where 2 languages are spoke but they live in a country which only speaks one of those languages. Yet, when we take them to the UK every summer, they switch immediately to 100% English, and the moment we're back on Swedish soil, they return to their native Swedish. It's awesome to hear. The boys are 6.5 and 3.5 respectively and my eldest especially is a verbal little guy. Our child development officer says that he has one of the largest vocabularies he's seen in a child his age or even a couple of years older - and most of this is in 2 languages. We never taught them either language. We just spoke and they've picked it up and sorted it into the right "boxes" themselves. It's amazing. I am evidence that this does not happen once you grow up! ROFL

Valorie Delp (49340) 01 Mar 2007 08:59 AM

Yep--that's the best way to do it. I know a girl who goes to a bilingual Hebrew school so she is fluent in Hebrew, as well as English but her mother is from Spain and so she is also fluent in Spanish. But most of us aren't quite that blessed to have the foreign language actually spoken in our home like that! Your boys are lucky!

tinytongues (6) 05 Apr 2007 04:48 PM

Does anyone have any experience with teaching foreign language to a "class" of infants/toddlers? I have started a little club called Tiny Tongues in my area. I have 16 moms that are interested, 10 of them have shown up so far. We basically sing songs in French, Spanish and German. It's really turned into a hit but now I have a million questions and am desperately seeking someone with experience to discuss the how-tos. Anyone interested or knowledgable?