Much More Than Words
Information about monitoring and encouraging communication development in early childhood. The document is also available for download in PDF format at the bottom of this page.
Children from non-English speaking backgrounds
Children follow different paths to second language acquisition and the stages that they pass through can vary quite widely. The following are some very general guidelines.
- Children can be expected to go through some periods of mixing their two (or more) languages. This may happen within the same sentence. It occurs because vocabulary may exist in one language but not in the other. Also, words from one language may convey a message that is not easily translated into the other language.
- Children may not be equally skilled in both languages. It is common for there to be greater understanding than actual use of one language.
- There may be periods when one language is used more than the other.
Things to remember when considering communication
- For new children from a non-English speaking background, in a centre, everything may be unfamiliar
- Cultural differences may mean that the child's interaction style differs from that of other children in your centre
- Bilingual acquisition is facilitated if children have sustained, rich and varied experiences in both languages
- Parents can facilitate bilingual proficiency by using the language they know best and by using it in varied and extensive ways
Non-English speaking backgrounds - what to do and when to refer
- Discuss any concerns with the parents/caregivers. It is very important to find out how well the child is communicating in their first language. You may need assistance to do this if the parents/caregivers have English as a second or third language.
- If the parents/caregivers report there is no problem with the first language it is likely that the English difficulties are related to the `newness' of the language. With continued exposure to English and plenty of language stimulation, English proficiency should grow over time.
- If there is concern about the child's use of their first language, it is more likely that there could be a general language delay or disorder. In this case follow the same set of procedures as recommended for language delay in monolingual children.