Written by Stacy Payne, M.S., CCC-SLP

Here in Los Angeles, speaking more than one language is almost the norm – and not just for adults.  Whether mom or dad speaks two languages at home or the sitter only speaks to Junior in French, children here are often exposed to more than one language.  In my practice, I am frequently asked whether or not exposure to more than one language is detrimental to speech and language development.   The answer: absolutely not!  In fact, teaching your child a second language is a gift; one that will be beneficial to him for the rest of his life.

Children are amazing language learners, and the earlier the exposure, the better.  Research indicates that bilingual tots reach speech and language milestones at the same time as their monolingual peers.  They speak their first word at about one year and combine two words into short sentences (“mama kiss”) by approximately two years of age.  If a child is learning two languages at the same time, she will likely master both by the time she is six years old.

Should you have the opportunity to expose your little one to a second language, go for it!  Keep these tips in mind:

•    Try to keep the languages separate.  Have mom speak only in her native tongue while dad sticks to English.  If one parent speaks both languages at home, try not to mix the two within one sentence or context.
•    Be patient.  Some children exhibit a temporary delay in expressing language.  They seem to understand everything in both languages but are slow to speak.  This will likely last for just a few months.
•    Talk, a lot.  Exposing your child to 20 or more hours of a second language per week will make the most impact.

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