Education
Foreign or second language learning through craft
The secret of learning a language is that there is no “secret”, basically a language is a tool for communication, and the best way to learn it and practice it is communicating. However, this can be difficult on a day to day basis, especially if both parents and children are busy with work, school, after […]
The importance of early years bilingualism
This is an issue at the top of the to-do lists of many parents, along with music, sport, school and many other activities that are thought important for children nowadays. The British Council in Madrid, an education centre established to bring English education to those Britons living abroad as well as many local families who […]
7 steps to teaching your kids a second language
In the world we live in speaking at least two languages is rapidly becoming a necessity. So, one either has the money to pay for tutors, or has the opportunity to live abroad or speak another language to pass on to the children. Many parents around hat world are catching up to the idea that […]
Learning Spanish on a budget, a parent’s approach
Nowadays, most people realise the importance of knowing how to speak a foreign language, and consequently they want their children to have this great gift as well. However, not everybody does speak a foreign language as an adult, are these monolinguals doomed, then, to have monolingual children?
Review: A Parents’ and Teachers’ Guide to Bilingualism by Colin Baker 4th Edition
With this new edition, the new classic Colin Baker’s Guide to Bilingualism presents us with answers to the most common questions that parents with bilingual children are faced with. At the same time it introduces new information adapted to the times like bilingualism in the digital age and incorporating the latest research in multilingualism, neonatal […]
In the media
The importance of early years bilingualism
This is an issue at the top of the to-do lists of many parents, along with music, sport, school and many other activities that are thought important for children nowadays. The British Council in Madrid, an education centre established to bring English education to those Britons living abroad as well as many local families who […]
Follow Bilingual Parenting with Bloglovin
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Bloglovin is the best way to get the latest news from your favourite blogs in one place. Add us to find out about new content straight away.
Celebrities speaking other languages
We’re used to US and British-based superstars speaking English. But here are some celebrities who are bilingual, or at least pretty fluent, in other languages. Can you think of any other good ones to add? Here’s Colin Firth being interviewed in italian Mila Kunis’s Russian language interview in Moscow The Fantastic Four’s Ioan Gruffudd speaking […]
Mama’s view
What if your child refuses to speak the minority language?
Bilingualism does not follow a straightforward path and it’s not an exact science. There are many different variables that can influence bilingual families and bilingual individuals. Many successful bilingual parents don’t really stop to consider ‘what ifs…?’ What if your kid suddenly turned around and said that he doesn’t want to speak your language? What […]
Four years on… how are we doing?
I am sure that some of you who read our blog come back time and time again to see how we are doing, how are the children coping with the multilingual environment. It could be that you are planning the same, you are unsure of what to expect, you want reassurance there are other people […]
Papa’s View
Discoveries after 4 years of raising bilingual children
My eldest daughter, Martha, as just turned four and her sister, Malena, has just turned two. Both children have existed in a multilingual environment from day one. Martha speaks English and Spanish to more of less equal fluency and fully understands French, with a much lesser propensity to use it. Looking back over the last […]
Bilingual research
How Bilingualism can Benefit your Child’s Brain
Many of us who raise bilingual children aren’t thinking of giving our children a cognitive advantage. If we are married to someone from another country, or living in a different country to our birthplace, we might see raising a bilingual child as maintaining an important part of our cultural heritage. Perhaps we (rightly) think […]
Ten amazing facts about bilingualism
Wondering whether it’s worth raising a child bilingually? Here are some amazing facts about the benefits of speaking more than one language. 1. Bilingualism actually grows grey matter! In the recent past, parents and teachers assumed that teaching children to another language at an early an age would delay their language skills and somehow stunt […]
Lifelong bilingualism keeps you youthful say scientists
New research from the University of Kentucky suggests older people that have been bilingual throughout their life show greater cognitive ability in old age, using less energy when performing cognitive flexibility tasks. Older people who have spoken two languages throughout life can switch from one task to another more quickly, according to the study published […]
Bilingual books
Follow us online