The Complexities of Living with Another Language
The Complexities of Living with Another Language
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By Carla Cornelius
11.2.21
Cross cultural communication has attracted the attention of many researchers due to the ongoing implications of interacting and living with different communities. Members of a culture share similarities in thought and behaviour linked to the individual’s need to belong to a group and feel protected. But when an individual lives cross culturally, two opposing forces come into play: the need to integrate in the new culture and the fear of losing their own cultural identity.
Being bilingual, I have got accustomed to switching between two languages with apparent simplicity and often find myself borrowing words from one language or another to give emphasis to certain ideas. As I speak, I curiously tone down certain aspects of my behaviour as I fear these would not be perceived as appropriate or misunderstood. I can feel some of my native culture elements resurfacing when I am with my family and friends, but my thought process is now more objective. I question the need for certain practices.
But what is happening under the surface?
Research suggests that bilingualism offers certain developmental and learning advantages. A bilingual person is better at planning and executing tasks and is better able to retain information and retrieve it when necessary. These enhanced abilities come from the exercise taken to switch between two or more languages, recall words and apply different grammatical rules. Studies show that bilinguals can deactivate one language when this is not required, which is essential to speed up the process of communication and reduce the information overload.
Think about the automatic process of choosing the right word and behaviour in the right context and using it for the purpose of communication. This might appear as an easy task on the surface as it happens almost subconsciously, but it is a very intricate process. Our brain plays a central part in it. Whenever we communicate, different parts of our brain are activated to serve various functions. Be it detecting sounds, linking these into words, building sentences and providing meaning.
Let’s apply this process to children's learning. If these cognitive processes are happening successfully in the child's first language, they will be transferred seamlessly to the second language. It is almost like learning the rules of a new game. If I do not understand that I have to follow rules and the rules are different according to the game and the context, I might find the whole process of learning a new game very difficult.
It is therefore important to work alongside parents/carers and the child to establish the current communication and language skills before addressing a second language acquisition.
In children under 5 years, a language delay might at times be mistaken with lack of fluency. It is advisable to conduct a thorough assessment of the child's first language and second language, which will include information about the child’s ability to understand, use words, sentences and their social skills. For example, an introverted child might take slightly longer to use the second language to communicate with others as opposed to a more sociable child.
It is important that the child’s first language is acknowledged and continued to be used at home. The child spends most of their time at home and if parents are not fluent in English, their communication with their child will be limited and unnatural.
What strategies can we use to accelerate second language development?
-Expose children to new words repeatedly throughout the day by using them in a variety of contexts. For example, if we teach the word ‘soft’, we might apply this to different objects in the context of various routines. Routines are a great place to start as the child will be performing them regularly thus reinforcing the new vocabulary.
-Ensure that children know the equivalent of the new words in all the languages they speak. This will allow them to add new information to their knowledge of the words and their properties. Working with parents is important to establish this knowledge.
-Ensure new single words are used within short phrases and sentences. This will allow better future recalling.
- Introduce new vocabulary in a multi-sensory way allowing the new word to be experienced through the senses. This will allow the child to be able to recall emotions linked to that specific word. Think about teaching the function of each object by exposing the child to an activity using the object.
- Consider using the child’s first language when providing instructions and explaining new concepts. Bilingual staff are a good resource to invest in.
- Use a Total Communication Approach which involves listening, speaking, gestures, Makaton, facial expression, photos and pictures.
-Be careful when teaching emotional vocabulary. Emotion words are generally learned through intimate relationships with caregivers. Some emotions are innate and universal such as joy, distress, anger, fear, surprise and disgust others are culture specific.
Teaching children in a multicultural context is complex and requires a sound understanding of the process of language development which happens both at cognitive and emotional level. Therefore, teaching must focus on the acquisition of academic skills while paying attention to the complex emotional processes driving the learning.
If you want to know more about supporting children's language development join one of my courses:
Working with Children who have English as an Additional Language
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