Bilingualism in infants

Like little sponges in the brain that expand and feed, bilingualism promotes brain plasticity in babies, which is nothing more than progressive stimulation for neuronal development, that is, in this case, to strengthen learning through constant interaction with two languages.

Enabling cognitive abilities in their tiny nervous system should not be a problem, since growing up listening to two languages opens a fantastic window to sounds, in addition to giving way to a range of favorable possibilities.

Taking advantage of the innate ability with which little ones can mix both languages is proof of their great linguistic dexterity. Simultaneous learning, far from confusing them, is a natural breeding ground for acquiring and developing a second language.

More and more children are being raised as bilingual, either because their parents speak different languages or they simply want them to learn one language at home and another at school; whatever the reason, it is a smart choice that opens their horizons in this competitive world.

Benefits of having bilingual babies

✓ Allows for improved attention and concentration when performing any activity, stimulating and training memory at the same time.

✓ Bilingual children are more creative and perform better at problem solving than monolinguals.

✓ Infants achieve native-like pronunciation, much better than older children learning a second language. Similarly, they can achieve better grammatical faculties over time.

✓ On a cultural level, they develop a deep-rooted identity that promotes their mental health by strengthening their self-esteem.

✓ It improves the child's cognitive function by enhancing brain activity.

✓ Finally, it will allow them to socialize and connect better in a globalized world by having greater access to people and resources in the future.

How to develop bilingualism in the baby?

If one of the parents speaks to the child in another language from birth, the little one will experience a linguistic and cultural immersion that will help him/her relate socially, successfully.

Frequent singing is a useful tool to introduce children to another language; auditory stimulation provokes neuronal connections that also favor their intellectual development.

It is positive to provide the baby with ample opportunities to listen, speak and play in the languages they practice. As a recommendation, do not try to talk to your baby in a language you are not fluent in, as this may not help, but can lead to confusion.

Mixing words is natural for bilinguals

Children who speak two languages do not have language problems, they are within the normal range even though they may pronounce their first words a little later, their total vocabulary is the same as that of a monolingual child.

Many parents worry when their children make a jumble of words in dual languages, but this is a natural part of bilingualism. They put their ingenuity to work whenever they need to get out of a jam, so if a bilingual child can't quickly respond to the appropriate word in one language, they borrow it from the other.

Babies develop spectacularly during the first years of their lives; however, they require constant stimulation to consolidate their learning. Encouraging the absorption of another language will certainly contribute to their neurodevelopment!