Top Ten Myths Regarding Bilingualism

THE TOP TEN MYTHS ABOUT SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

1. Only bilingual parents can raise bilingual children and bilingual parents always raise bilingual children

2. I’m too late! You have to start very early for second language learning or you will miss the boat.

3. Only native speakers and teachers can teach children second

4. Children who are raised in the same family will have the same language skills as one another.

5. It’s important to correct errors as soon as they appear in grammar and vocabulary (to prevent the formation of bad habits.

6. Exposing my child to two languages means she will be a late talker.

7. Mixing languages is a sign of confusion, and languages must stay separate one-parent–one-language parenting is the best way).

8. Television, DVDs, and edutainment, like talking toys, are great ways to pick up some languages.

9. Bilingual education programs are for non-English speakers.

10. Two languages are the most to which a very young child should b exposed.

Newborns are able to hear and pick up any of the world’s languages. However, this ability begins to fade at around ten months of age.