What are some benefits of bringing children up bilingual?

Question

What are some benefits of bringing children up bilingual?

Answer 1

usually its easier for them to learn other languages...i think. its just what i've heard

Answer 2

I don't know about other languages, but I know if you teach them ASL they will be able to communicate earlier and they will learn other things faster.

Answer 3

If you bring up a child from birth speaking two different languages, the chances are that the child will be fluent in both.  If only one langague is learned early on, the child can pick up and use both languages equally with ease.  If it is put off until children reach adolescence, which is what happens in our high schools in the US, the child will take significantly longer to learn the other langauge and they will never fully master it.

I have worked with a lot of very young children who were bilingual and they never honestly had a problem with keeping the two languages straight.  Now, I have see where a 3 year old that I taught was knew English, but was around her family a great deal more who spoke Vietnamese.  You could see how she would think about what to say before she said it because it was still within the prefluency stage.

Overall, it is a good think for children to learn early on.  They become more diversed in the world around them and will culturally relevant in this ever changing planet.

Answer 4

-if they go to another country they might know the language

-more job opportunities