7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child

Naomi Steiner, M.D. (Boston, MA) is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician who works with bilingual families at Tufts Medical Center Boston. Susan L. Hayes (Brooklyn, NY) is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in Parent Child, Parenting, Woman's Day , and other publications.

CONTENTS



Foreword

Introduction



Step 1: Building the Foundation for Your Child’s Bilingualism

What Does It Mean to Be a Bilingual Family

What Does It Mean to Be Bilingual?

7 Common Myths about Bilingualism

The Bilingual Advantage



Step 2: Making It Happen: Defining Your Goals

Decide Which Languages Are Important to You and Why

Identify Your Motivations for—and Your Reservations about—Bilingualism

Worksheet 1 Language Questionnaire

Choose Which Language(s) You and Your Partner Are Going to Speak to Your Child

Set a Start Date

Determine How Proficient You Hope Your Child Will Be in a Second Language

Do a Reality Check. Are Your Proficiency Goals Realistic for Your Family?

Take into Account That One Language Will Be Dominant 

Worksheet 2 My Bilingual Goals and Choices



Step 3: Becoming a Bilingual Coach

Part One: Taking Charge

Part Two: Who Speaks Which Language When?



Step 4: Creating Your Bilingual Action Plan

Part One: Maximizing Language Input at Home

Part Two: Making The Most of Community and Family Resources

Part Three: FindingSchool Support

Part Four: How Three Families Are Raising Bilingual Children

Part Five: Create Your Own Bilingual Action Plan

Worksheet 3 What Are the Key Components to My Bilingual Action Plan?

Worksheet 4 Our Family’s Weekly Bilingual Schedule



Step 5: Leaping over Predictable Obstacles

Predictable Obstacle 1: I’m Not Sure That I’m Speaking to My Child in a Way That Will Help Him Become Bilingual

Predictable Obstacle 2: My Child Does Not Want to Speak My Language Anymore—She Only Wants to Speak English

Predictable Obstacle 3: My Child Keeps Mixing Languages

Predictable Obstacle 4: I’m Self-Conscious about Speaking My Language to My Child in Public

Predictable Obstacle 5: Because I’m the One Who Speaks a Second Language, I Feel Like I’m the One Doing All the Work to Raise Our Child Bilingual

Predictable Obstacle 6: My Work Schedule Has Become Really Hectic, and There’s Little Time for My Child’s Bilingualism



Step 6: The “Two Rs”: Reading and Writing in Two Languages

Reading in a Second Language

The Write Stuff



Step 7: Adapting to School: The Bilingual Child Goes to School

Part One: Public Bilingual Education Programs: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re at, and Where We’re Going

Part Two: Results May Vary: How to Handle Special Situations That Can Affect Your Child’s Bilingual Academic Progress



Conclusion

Bilingual Resource List