Три языка в 3 года. Советы от мамы трилингвы.

Summary

In this heartfelt video, Olya shares her journey of raising her multilingual daughter, Keiran, who speaks Dutch, English, and Russian. She emphasizes the natural ability of children to learn multiple languages from a young age and discusses the importance of consistent exposure and clear language separation. Olya offers helpful insights into balancing language learning at home and in different environments, providing parents with practical advice on how to raise a multilingual child. The video aims to debunk myths about bilingualism and encourages parents to trust their children's potential for language mastery.

Takeaways

• 😀 Bilingualism is the norm in many countries, and multilingualism is even more common than people realize.
• 😀 Children can start recognizing and responding to languages in the womb, making early language exposure crucial.
• 😀 The misconception that children can’t handle more than one language at a young age is widespread but incorrect.
• 😀 Consistent language exposure is key to a child’s multilingual development — the more you speak to them, the better.
• 😀 It’s important to separate languages by context (e.g., one language with mom, another with dad) to avoid confusion.
• 😀 Raising a multilingual child requires balancing language exposure so each language gets equal time and attention.
• 😀 Even passive exposure to a language (like hearing it in the environment) can help a child understand and speak that language.
• 😀 The brain is highly adaptable, allowing children to switch between languages easily, even if they haven’t mastered all of them yet.
• 😀 Children can learn to speak multiple languages simultaneously without mixing them up if the languages are consistently used in separate contexts.
• 😀 Parents can help their children learn multiple languages by creating an environment that naturally incorporates different languages (e.g., speaking different languages at home, in public, and with family).
• 😀 It’s not difficult to raise a multilingual child if you are consistent, organized, and patient, even if one language might develop slower than others.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is about raising a bilingual child, with a particular emphasis on how the speaker's daughter, Vera, is learning three languages—Dutch, English, and Russian—from birth.

What method did the speaker use to introduce languages to her daughter?

The speaker used the 'one person, one language' method, where each parent speaks a different language to the child, ensuring that the languages are clearly separated and understood.

At what age did Vera begin to show an understanding of multiple languages?

By the time Vera was about one and a half years old, she had already begun to say goodbye in three languages, clearly understanding the context of each.

Why is the idea of not introducing a second language before age 6-7 criticized in the video?

The video criticizes the belief that introducing a second language too early could overload a child’s brain. It highlights that, in reality, many children around the world are raised with multiple languages from birth without any issues.

What does the speaker say about the adaptability of the brain in learning languages?

The speaker emphasizes how plastic the brain is, noting that a child’s brain can easily adapt to different languages, and even if a child has spent more time with one language, they can quickly switch to another when exposed to it.

How did Vera’s exposure to languages evolve over time?

Vera was exposed to Russian at home, Dutch with her father, and English through daily interactions and eventually in kindergarten. This helped her clearly separate the languages and become fluent in all three.

What role does the environment play in language acquisition according to the video?

The environment plays a crucial role. Vera heard English at home through the parents’ conversations, in stores, and during play, which helped her passively learn it even before being formally introduced to the language.

What are some challenges mentioned in the video regarding balancing multiple languages?

A key challenge is finding enough time to ensure that each language develops evenly. The speaker mentions that it’s practically impossible to spend an equal amount of time with each language, and one language may often outweigh the others in terms of proficiency.

What is the significance of the speaker’s experience with Vera learning multiple languages?

The speaker’s experience demonstrates that it’s entirely possible to raise a multilingual child as long as the languages are clearly separated and there’s enough exposure and practice for each language.

What advice does the speaker give to parents considering raising a multilingual child?

The speaker advises parents to trust the brain’s ability to absorb multiple languages, to be consistent in separating languages by context, and to ensure a good balance of exposure and practice for each language.