How to raise bilingual children as an expat parent

Please introduce yourself. Where are you from, where are you currently living and where have you lived previously?

I am Chontelle Bonfiglio and I am Australian, originally from Melbourne. After university I moved to Europe on a working holiday. It was supposed to only be for a year, however, more than 12 years later I am still here. I have lived and worked for short periods in the UK, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, and Russia and am now living in Italy with my husband and two children.

How did you come up with the idea for 'Bilingual Kidspot'? What kind of resources does it offer to parents that want to raise their children with multiple languages?

Bilingual Kidspot has a range of different information. I write articles about my personal experience teaching children a foreign language and raising my own multilingual children, but I also share other family stories too, to show how different each family's experience is. I host guest experts such as speech therapists and other specialists, and I also provide reviews on the latest books, products and services that could be useful for children learning languages.

I have always loved to write; I always kept a diary while travelling and was always jotting down notes and stories. I was often asked questions about how my children are learning their languages and about the children I have taught in the past, so I created Bilingual Kidspot to share my experience with other families that would like to raise bilingual children.

I have had a variety of different experiences and can share different views. From teaching children English as a foreign language in schools and in private families, to raising my own children in their native languages Italian and English. And now, the biggest challenge is helping my children to learn Spanish — a language that neither my husband nor I speak ourselves.

How difficult is for expats to raise bilingual or multilingual children, when the new language is neither of the parent's native tongue?

I wouldn't say it is difficult, but there are challenges. It all comes down to making a plan, setting a goal, and taking steps to achieve that goal.

It can be difficult when you don't speak the language your child is learning. You may hear them speaking, but you're not sure if they are speaking correctly. You have to trust others that they are doing okay.

Neither my husband nor I speak Spanish. However, my five-year-old speaks it quite well and my three-year-old understands and speaks the basics. They have been learning for two years now.

The key is providing enough exposure to the language and the need to speak it. In our case, we have a “playmate” who comes to play with our kids. I say playmate because at this age, I don't believe a teacher is needed unless your children are at school. Young children just need someone to play with them so they are immersed in the language in a natural way. This is how I have taught children English, and how my children are learning Spanish.

Are there any misconceptions or fears that are common among expat parents when raising children with multiple languages?

Many parents become discouraged due to the many misconceptions out there about raising bilingual children. Some of the most popular are that bilingual children get confused, or they will end up with a speech delay. But, they are untrue. Learning two languages at once does not confuse children, nor will it delay their speech or language abilities. Children are amazing like that; they are able to distinguish the languages from a very young age, even from birth. Each language has different sounds and tones, and children's brains are able to figure it all out.

There is also a great fear among expat parents with pre-school and school aged children. Many think that they need to send their children to an international school because they don't speak the local language. However most children do quite well attending local schools, and it is one of the easiest and quickest ways to learn the local language. It may be a struggle initially but, if immersed every day, young children are able to catch up to their peers quite quickly.

What are the main benefits for children being raised with more than one language, in your opinion?

When people think about the benefits of knowing a second language, many will say travel and communication, but there are more advantages.

Educational advantages include being better in multitasking and problem solving. This is because children are used to switching languages often and have already been practicing these tasks constantly.

Cultural advantages include children being more open minded and open to new things. Being culturally aware of the world, and knowing that there is more out there than just where they live and what language they speak.

Career advantages include having more job choices in the long run. Communication is important and many companies see bilingualism as a great benefit.

I have made a video and written a very informative article on the many other benefits of being bilingual child here.

In your experience, are there languages that are easier for children to pick up or any that are notoriously difficult? Are these different from the ones we would consider 'easy' or 'hard' as adults?

Any child, or adult can learn any language if they have the need to, and if they have enough exposure to the language.

There are many opinions about which are “easy” languages to learn, and which are “difficult”, however, it really depends on your mother tongue. For example, for an Italian speaker, learning Mandarin Chinese is considered more difficult than learning French or Spanish because the later are Latin based languages and many words sound the same as in Italian. Mandarin Chinese on the other hand is completely different, using tones, and with a totally different writing system, therefore it can seem more difficult.

In general children tend to learn differently than adults. From my own experience learning Italian, I found it a challenge as an adult. Although I haven't studied, I have been immersed in the language living in Italy and, while I can speak quite fluently, I am not at a native level. When I first started learning I would get embarrassed, or I would worry if I was using the correct tense. I still worry about my accent sometimes.

Children on the other hand are different, they don't think about it, they just talk. So they are able to learn more naturally and usually more quickly than adults. From teaching children of all ages, I have found the younger the child is, the easier they learn.

Do you have a few main pointers you can give to expat parents who want to help assimilate their child to their new home by learning the language? Is there perhaps one standout tip?

Actually there are two important things to consider when children are learning a new language. Firstly, giving your child enough exposure to the language. And secondly, providing the “need” to actually use it. If children don't have the need to use the language, why will they?

Usually when moving to a new country and changing the community language, there will be the initial shock. However, children are very adaptable, and learn quickly. Parents should provide opportunities to immerse their child into the language and culture immediately. It could be putting them in a local nursery or pre-school, or hiring a local nanny or babysitter to speak with the children in the local language.

For expats, using the Minority Language at Home approach is the most popular. Children will speak the family language at home, and the community language outside and with others. This is one of the most effective ways for children to become bilingual. However, there are different methods depending on each family's situation.

Just like anything, practice makes perfect, so consistency is important. It is not an easy journey, but it is worth it.