The process of how children learn a second
language is significant. Children can and do learn two languages.
They develop and learn language through a culmination of many
interrelated elements. How often or how competently a child
speaks a language depends on modeling of adults, the quality
of interactions, and the environment of the child (MDOE, 1992).
When these elements are in place a child will be able to sort
out where and whom to speak a language. Because of the relationship
between the child and a speaker, and the environment that
the child lives in, the motivation to learn a language can
be increased (MDOE, 1992).
When the process of learning a second language begins, the
child applies similar cognitive strategies as when learning
the first language (McLaughlin, 1984). The strategies are
distinguishing sounds, learning phonological rules, using
grammar to construct meaning and expression, and modifying
word meanings to match adult speakers. In the Massachusetts
Department of Education’s paper (1992), Young lives:
Many Languages, Many Cultures, it is stated that children
learning a second language will do so in about the same pattern
as a child of that language. They will use general strategies
such as: (1) applying simple rules before complex ones, (2)
listening to word order for word meaning clues, (3) having
known words help to get to the meaning of the whole statement,
(4) using existing knowledge to fit new information, (5) using
common expressions and phrases until language mastery is achieved,
(6) adjusting and matching word meaning to language speakers,
and (7) simplifying when possible.
There are some differences in language development of a bilingual
and a monolingual young child. Romaine (1989) indicates that,
“…a child learning two languages may split his
or her capacity for word learning between the two languages
and not store equivalents in both languages” (MDOE,
1992, p. 12). This attributed to the cognitive development
processes of young children that are limited at their age.
Romaine adds that the bilingual child may not have the same
vocabulary in both languages or knows more words than the
monolingual child. Still, these differences do not stop communication
from occurring. An interesting observation is that bilingual
children seem to exercise more cognitive flexibility than
monolingual children. There are certain behaviors that children
learning two languages may exhibit (MDOE, 1992). These behaviors
reflect different phases of second language acquisition.
One common behavior exhibited when children are learning
another language is silence. This is also the first stage
in second-language acquisition called pre-production. It is
important to know how a child is using silence. It can mean
a child is quietly learning and adjusting.
Another common behavior is mixing languages or “code
switching”. Frequently, you will hear children using
parts of a language and the remaining in another language
or a word from one language used in a sentence of another
language.
The third common behavior is the use of routines or “formulaic
expressions.” This is called “transition to production”
and the second phase in second-language acquisition (Ramsey,
1987). An example is when a child uses phrases such as “I
wanna…”. Sometimes, it is used incorrectly such
as “The ball-where is it?”
The third phase of second-language acquisition is “early
production.” Children in this phase are beginning to
respond to questions and activities that require single-word
or short-phrase responses.
The fourth and fifth phases require a level of mastery. In
the fourth phase, “expansion of production,” they
are ready to expand their speech production. Children are
able to respond to open-ended questions or provide descriptions
of events or people in the second-language. Finally, the last
phase is the “introduction to written forms.”
This phase needs to happen before children are ready to begin
reading and writing in the second language. The transitional
intent is to help children make basic associations between
the written and the spoken forms of word of the second language.
Once children show good comprehension skills and spoken fluency
in second language, formal and systematic reading and writing
instructions can begin.
It is our responsibility to bridge home and school to help
children fully use their culture and language. |
