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Often, for busy EAL teachers, the focus is on the child. However, it is important to remember that, for some parents, the transition period can be just as difficult.
Approaches to bilingual upbringing
Some parents worry about bringing up their child with two languages and question whether it would be more beneficial for the child if they speak the language of the new country to help them become more competent in the new language and learn it faster. We need to discourage this approach, supporting parents in understanding the value of using their mother tongue.
Parents need to appreciate that language is as much about communication as it is about identity (Baker, 2007). Language is fragile and easily lost (Cummins, 2001), and to continue to support and teach a child’s mother tongue actually provides a better platform for developing a second or third language.
Supporting parents
It’s essential to provide parents with the right information about how to successfully support their learners at home. Some books to assist both teachers and parents in understanding more about bringing up a bilingual child include:
Summary
It is crucial that families are encouraged to maintain their mother tongue to remain connected to their parents and extended family. As Joseph Shaules points out, "a positive and encouraging attitude to a child's home language is motivating and can only have favourable repercussions." (Shaules, 2007).
You can download a free parent information card on maintaining children's mother tongues by clicking on the download buttons at the top and bottom of this article.
References:
Shaules, J (2007) Deep Culture: The Hidden Challenges of Global Living
Cummins, J (2001) Bilingual Children's Mother Tongue: Why Is It Important for Education?
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March is Women's History Month, an opportunity to study the often overlooked contributions of women throughout history. However, Women’s History Month should be about more than just studying famous women. It provides an opportunity to refine our understanding of history so that it includes women in every aspect of accounts of past lives. Women’s History Month is an opportunity to challenge traditional narratives and really explore women’s contributions to the world.
Transitioning successfully between extended home and school learning has been the struggle of every affected school, across the globe, since the onset of the pandemic. None of us could have predicted what was about to happen back in January of 2020 and we still struggle to comprehend the enormous scale of the struggle.
School closures, however your school has approached these, have had a huge impact on learner engagement. Even the most prepared schools have struggled to engage learners to the same extent as when learning in the classroom.