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Home › Expert Q&A › Speech › How can I encourage my twin toddlers to be bilingual?

Expert Q&A

 

By Mindy Hudon
Speech and Language Pathologist

I live in Greece and have 18-month-old boy/girl twins. I grew up in South Africa with Greek parents and immigrated to Greece 10 years ago, where I met my husband and had the twins. I am fully bilingual due to residing in South Africa since birth.

Even though my Greek is excellent (due to growing up in a bilingual home), I have tried to speak to the twins in English since birth. English is extremely important to me, and I definitely want the twins to be able to speak it. I know, however, that due to the fact that we live in Greece, Greek will be their dominant language. I have had many insecurities regarding this worrying about society, about confusing the twins, etc. Their caregiver is my mother, their grandmother, who also speaks to them in English. Their father speaks to them in Greek, but the problem is that he is away very often due to his occupation. They both understand instructions in both English and Greek and say a few words in both languages. They see their Greek-speaking grandmother/cousins about once/twice a week.

I am planning to send them to a baby-care centre next year and fear that because they know English better than Greek they may have a problem communicating. I live in a rather closed community where most people are not so impressed with bilingualism, and I fear that maybe the twins will discard the language later, even though English is taught in preschool and later on in school. They hear English on TV (dubbed movies, programs, etc.). The thing is that when we go out with friends/relatives, everyone speaks Greek and I feel odd speaking to them in English, but I think that if I speak to them in Greek I will confuse them. My husband and I speak Greek to each other in front of them.

Could you give me some advice as to how I can continue doing as I do and if I am doing it correctly? Do you maybe know of a better method and what materials I can use to enhance both languages (especially English). Do you know of any videotapes that describe everyday objects/activities, etc.? My husband is pleased that they are learning English.?

Congratulations on exposing your twins to bilingualism. What a great opportunity for your children to learn multiple languages. You are simultaneously exposing your children to two languages during a critical language development period. The same developmental processes apply when two or more languages are being used (i.e., increasing vocabulary, sentence structure, etc.). At this time, your twins are developing elements of both languages. Eventually, they will be able to differentiate between the two languages and use them in separate situations appropriately.

The most important advice that I can give you is to be consistent in how you expose them to these two different languages. Try to separate how and with whom each language is being used. It may help if you speak only English to your twins while your husband speaks only Greek to them. Also, they could be exposed to Greek at school and speak English with your mother. They need to know with whom they should speak each language. It is important for them to speak Greek in school if that is the language the other children and teachers are using.

Here are some Web sites I found that sell English vocabulary builders: Bee Smart Baby™ Vocabulary Builder™ DVD Volume 2 and Baby's First Impressions Videos.

Remember, talking to your twins is the best way to develop vocabulary. Reading books, taking walks or even grocery shopping can really increase their vocabularies in English and Greek.

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