Support+Children's+Mother+Tongue


 * From the learning module ESL and Bilingual Program Models from course CIL 751**

According to the article, //Bilingual Children’s Mother Tongue: Why Is It Important for Education,// bilingualism is good for children’s linguistic and educational development. This is because the more proficient the child is in his/her native language, the easier it will be for the student to develop the second language. Contrary to popular belief, instruction in the child’s mother tongue does not interfere with the child’s ability to perform well academically in the dominant language.

Research indicates that the development of the student’s mother tongue should begin early, otherwise the student risks losing proficiency in it. To help prevent this, parents should agree to consistently speak the mother tongue at home and give their children other exposure to the language through reading and even writing. Visits to the child’s home country are also useful.