bilingual education in early childhood

Bilingual Education in Early Childhood

Introduction

Living in a world on the move , it may well turn out that tomorrow the next-door neighbors of a certain family will be persons who speak what to them is a foreign tongue . For political , economic and social reasons as well as to further their education , people are relocating themselves in all parts of the globe . Perhaps there is already a foreign-speaking population where you live . Truly , East , West , North and South are meeting as never before . So if the children come running home with the

br exciting announcement , Dad ! Mom ! We have a new playmate who doesn 't even talk the way we do ' parents might seriously begin to consider teaching their children to speak another language

Before closing one 's mind completely to the prospect , however , consider this fact : Talking to native speakers is one of the best teachers there is . As one is acquainted with them , extending hospitality , an individual will also be able to learn something about their language and this will enable the parents to teach their children

Indeed , in a global brotherhood that the world is involved with today it is essential for people to at least learn two or more languages that is widely used by people around the world . This is mainly to be able to catch up with the growing need for language experts in the professional world . However , the question is , when should bilingual education begin According to Psychologist Dennis Coon , the best time of teaching a person how to speak is from the belly of his mother beginning during the pregnancy years (34 . How is this possible ? It has been learned through research that children , even when they are still inside the uterus could already interact with the world outside . Moreover , as the infant is born , talking to him in straight words without baby talking seriously developed early speaking skills on many growing babies today (Coon , 36

It is also according to the authorities that the most effective time of teaching a child to speak his language and at least another one is during the first four formative years of the child 's life . Hence , it is indeed vital to start as early as first year of the baby 's life . A child 's first formative years is the highest capacity of a young mind to grasp the lessons being learned . However , some issues need to be addressed when bilingual education is being discussed

Scope of the Problem

In many parts of educational development , bilingual education is treated as learning for non-American students . The use of their native language along with the inculcation of English to their vocabulary is the main aim of this program . According to educators , this is more likely an ESL program that would indeed assist foreign nationals living in the American territories to adapt to the society , especially with regards to children who are born in America . This would help the non-Americans to be `one ' with the American community in...