If you can speak three languages you’re trilingual. If you can speak two languages you’re bilingual. If you can speak only one language you’re an American.
~Author Unknown
Speaking to my children in Spanish, like the morning cup of coffee or hot water beating on my back, is a small pleasure that polishes each one of my days.
I exaggerate my accent and send my gestures sailing over the top of ridiculous. My voice swells, especially when my tongue rolls along the outside of a double R, or when I’m delighting in the oral treasure of an Ñ.
Amid the million must do’s of any given day, it’s brilliant fun to steal a moment and step inside the skin of a character that isn’t quite me.
Like I’m dressing up for a kind of verbal Halloween.
I am not fluent. In fact, I struggle for every well constructed sentence. This is part of the reason for my inflated accent. I treat Spanish exactly like singing.
I cannot do it well, so I make sure I do it loud.
I long for the authority of a second tongue. Spanish is my first new language, but I plan to follow it with something more eclectic… Klingon perhaps.
I never learned Spanish as a child, despite my Honey and Papí both being born in Mexico, and raising their daughter with fluency. As an adult, I struggle to absorb new vocabulary into a mind already littered with everything from next week’s list, to every thread from the last four seasons of Lost.
I want my children to have what I did not.
As some Writer Dad readers already know, Mia attends a Dual Immersion program. 90% of her school day is in Spanish.
Yes, I love my daughter, and no, this isn’t cruel.
“Why don’t you just drop her off in Tijuana?”
That’s what one of my best friends said when I first told him (quite excitedly) that we wanted to place Mia in this particular program. This beautiful philosophy, not everyone understands.
Music and language are highly beneficial to the development of the mathematical mind. The internet is an awfully big place, filled with towering terabytes of text, but you’d have to comb it all day to find a half pile of research that disagrees with this elemental truth.
But Writer Dad, how will I know when my child is ready for music, or a second language?
Because you will look down and see their ears.
Children are sponges, and we should not ever underestimate them, because they will absorb what we ask. Delivery is important, of course, which is why we would never throw her into a school in Tijuana.
That would be immersion, not dual immersion.
What makes dual immersion successful is the consistent practice of full body response. This means that the teacher employs language, in addition to gestures, when teaching their class.
This was wonderfully illustrated one day at the dinner table, sometime toward the end of Mia’s first month of Kindergarten.
“Is it hard sometimes,” I asked. “Not knowing what Sra. is saying,”
“Only if I’m not paying attention,” she said, barely looking up.
Exactly.
How is this different from life? How much do we miss, simply because we’re not paying attention?
Being in the Dual Immersion program has not only taught our daughter the basics of another language, it’s taught her some of the fundamentals of a fulfilling life.
If you really want to learn, you have to pay attention.
This summer has been wonderful. I help Mia with her Spanish, she helps me with mine. I have more vocabulary than she, but Mia strings what she has together as beautifully as if she were born in Barcelona (Gracias Señora Mochila).
The two of us exchange words in a room full of toddlers, without anyone wise to what we’re saying.
It’s like we have our own secret code. Of course, we’re using our bodies as we speak, so if the toddlers are paying attention, eventually they’ll get it too.
Writer Dad
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If you click here, you can read Writer Dad’s thank you to Señora.
About Sean Platt
My brother Flying LlamaFish was gracious enough to give a Spanish lesson to the masses, not too long ago:
http://punintended.com/blog/todays-great-lesson-in-spanish/
Writer Dad. You’re well on your way!
Bamboo Forests last blog post..How to Live a Life of Freedom
My brother Flying LlamaFish was gracious enough to give a Spanish lesson to the masses, not too long ago:
http://punintended.com/blog/todays-great-lesson-in-spanish/
Writer Dad. You’re well on your way!
Bamboo Forests last blog post..How to Live a Life of Freedom
Writer Dad,
a wonderful story! I think children pick up foreign languages much more easily then we adults do. And being able to speak in more than your own language is something very precious. Keep on doing it!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Seagulls fighting
Writer Dad,
a wonderful story! I think children pick up foreign languages much more easily then we adults do. And being able to speak in more than your own language is something very precious. Keep on doing it!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Seagulls fighting
haha I love that first quote, I just shared it around the office (everyone here speaks english and afrikaans).
I’m trying to learn french at the moment and then move onto something more challenging like Thai or Japanese. Great post!
Glen Allsopps last blog post..Unlimited Happiness: How to Control your Emotions
haha I love that first quote, I just shared it around the office (everyone here speaks english and afrikaans).
I’m trying to learn french at the moment and then move onto something more challenging like Thai or Japanese. Great post!
Glen Allsopps last blog post..Unlimited Happiness: How to Control your Emotions
Ahhh that sounds wonderful. Misses E and M have picked up a little Spanish just fro watching Dora, a little Polish form new friends at school and a little Makaton as I did baby sign with Miss M. They are definitely spongey. Miss E has now begun to learn French at school and seems very comfortable with it.
I think what you’re doing is wonderful. I just have English and basic French. I went as far as GCSE then decided I’d had enough, but I will encourage my girls to explore languages further.
Jo Beaufoixs last blog post..Mug shots
Ahhh that sounds wonderful. Misses E and M have picked up a little Spanish just fro watching Dora, a little Polish form new friends at school and a little Makaton as I did baby sign with Miss M. They are definitely spongey. Miss E has now begun to learn French at school and seems very comfortable with it.
I think what you’re doing is wonderful. I just have English and basic French. I went as far as GCSE then decided I’d had enough, but I will encourage my girls to explore languages further.
Jo Beaufoixs last blog post..Mug shots
“If you can speak only one language you’re an American….”
Unfortunately I think this also applies to Australians. Hopefully my sons will have more options to learn a second (or third) language by the time they go to school.
Keep up the good work!
Sallys last blog post..How to approach a content migration – part two
“If you can speak only one language you’re an American….”
Unfortunately I think this also applies to Australians. Hopefully my sons will have more options to learn a second (or third) language by the time they go to school.
Keep up the good work!
Sallys last blog post..How to approach a content migration – part two
Hey Writer Dad,
Do you have a pet? They’re great at listening to botched language attempts.
I speak Chinese to my cat, and our future kid is liable to end up having to learn Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka (another Chinese dialect), and English.
But it’s going to be really strange when I end up talking to the kid in public in Mandarin.
Jeremys last blog post..The Cat’s Guide To Bottom Fishing
Hey Writer Dad,
Do you have a pet? They’re great at listening to botched language attempts.
I speak Chinese to my cat, and our future kid is liable to end up having to learn Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka (another Chinese dialect), and English.
But it’s going to be really strange when I end up talking to the kid in public in Mandarin.
Jeremys last blog post..The Cat’s Guide To Bottom Fishing
Thanks for this. I’m starting to teach a group of 5 year olds English in two weeks. They will all be native Basque speakers and so Spanish will be our common language (which after a year I still don’t speak super well and understand less).
Reminding me to use body language to communicate will definitely help me.
Alex Fayles last blog post..Patience is a Virtue… and a Curse
Thanks for this. I’m starting to teach a group of 5 year olds English in two weeks. They will all be native Basque speakers and so Spanish will be our common language (which after a year I still don’t speak super well and understand less).
Reminding me to use body language to communicate will definitely help me.
Alex Fayles last blog post..Patience is a Virtue… and a Curse
That’s great, W.D.
Paying attention does make so much difference in life – sometimes when I want to do something quickly I do it without focusing on it properly and it takes longer. Then when I stop and give it full attention, I actually do it quicker.
Robins last blog post..Reincarnation… A Scenario
That’s great, W.D.
Paying attention does make so much difference in life – sometimes when I want to do something quickly I do it without focusing on it properly and it takes longer. Then when I stop and give it full attention, I actually do it quicker.
Robins last blog post..Reincarnation… A Scenario
You are completely correct. Children are like sponges. Bella already knows some Spanish, so we are working with her on that. She will also learn Italian and be introduced to French when she starts school. I never could master French, it just seems to harsh for me, but I guess since she will be learning it, I have to get used to it again.
She is also very good with music, just like her dad. She has picked up keyboard like it was a second way of expressing herself. She will bring her little keyboard over to me and perform for me. Then I make a big deal of how well she did and she gets this huge smile on her face. I love that little smile!
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
You are completely correct. Children are like sponges. Bella already knows some Spanish, so we are working with her on that. She will also learn Italian and be introduced to French when she starts school. I never could master French, it just seems to harsh for me, but I guess since she will be learning it, I have to get used to it again.
She is also very good with music, just like her dad. She has picked up keyboard like it was a second way of expressing herself. She will bring her little keyboard over to me and perform for me. Then I make a big deal of how well she did and she gets this huge smile on her face. I love that little smile!
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
I love that. So simple. If you want to learn, pay attention.
I think the program you have Mia in sounds fabulous. It’s so important for our little sponges to learn this stuff while they are young.
I love that. So simple. If you want to learn, pay attention.
I think the program you have Mia in sounds fabulous. It’s so important for our little sponges to learn this stuff while they are young.
@Emily: Have you ever just stopped and paid attention to your surroundings? It is amazing what you can learn by just paying some attention, even if it is to things you “notice” every day. There is a big difference between seeing and noticing.
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
@Emily: Have you ever just stopped and paid attention to your surroundings? It is amazing what you can learn by just paying some attention, even if it is to things you “notice” every day. There is a big difference between seeing and noticing.
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
It would have been great if our kids would have had that opportunity, but there was nothing like it here…, I don’t think there is even now. One of the negatives of living in rural and small-town mid-America. They both had Spanish in high school. I don’t think our youngest retained any of it. Our oldest did, though and uses it on occasion at work to communicate with customers.
I’ve tried learning Spanish several times over the years, but regretably, very little of it stuck.
Mike Goads last blog post..What does “Gay New York” mean to you?
It would have been great if our kids would have had that opportunity, but there was nothing like it here…, I don’t think there is even now. One of the negatives of living in rural and small-town mid-America. They both had Spanish in high school. I don’t think our youngest retained any of it. Our oldest did, though and uses it on occasion at work to communicate with customers.
I’ve tried learning Spanish several times over the years, but regretably, very little of it stuck.
Mike Goads last blog post..What does “Gay New York” mean to you?
Heh! It’s quite a contrast…when you mentionned learning a 2nd language. Me, being Canadian, I assumed you meant FRENCH.
Keep forgetting, that in the States, it’s Spanish.
As for English, it’s not just “American”. It’s also the language of science.
In the scientific community, English is the accepted standard language (back in the 30′s, it used to be German). Most scientific journals are English, and so are most international conferences. (Whether they’re held in Japan or Norway, for example, the presentations and conference proceedings will be in English).
Kinda makes sense, having a common ground. (Imagine doing a literature search for a research project, in 80 different languages).
I’m just lucky that right now, that language happens to be English (Give it time, though, it might become Mandarin!)
Friars last blog post..Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
Heh! It’s quite a contrast…when you mentionned learning a 2nd language. Me, being Canadian, I assumed you meant FRENCH.
Keep forgetting, that in the States, it’s Spanish.
As for English, it’s not just “American”. It’s also the language of science.
In the scientific community, English is the accepted standard language (back in the 30′s, it used to be German). Most scientific journals are English, and so are most international conferences. (Whether they’re held in Japan or Norway, for example, the presentations and conference proceedings will be in English).
Kinda makes sense, having a common ground. (Imagine doing a literature search for a research project, in 80 different languages).
I’m just lucky that right now, that language happens to be English (Give it time, though, it might become Mandarin!)
Friars last blog post..Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
I agree wholeheartedly with this sort of learning. Having learned a second language–although later in life–I’m still reaping the benefits, including a more sound understanding of my own language, as well as a confidence that I could learn another language.
Ryans last blog post..Victory is Mine
I agree wholeheartedly with this sort of learning. Having learned a second language–although later in life–I’m still reaping the benefits, including a more sound understanding of my own language, as well as a confidence that I could learn another language.
Ryans last blog post..Victory is Mine
Bamboo: Just yesterday Mia asked me about her lopsided lobster. I didn’t know what to say. Now I do, thank you.
Ula: A second language gives perspective, and isn’t that something we could use more of.
Glenn: The quote is funny because it is SO true.
Jo: They’ll take whatever we give them. By the way, I enjoyed your post this morning. Very tender.
Sally: Australia? I would love to visit Australia. It is on my short list. Good job. Going for three languages is even better.
Jeremy: Only a fish, but she seems to love my Spanish.
Alex: Five year olds, cool. You’ll have a lot of fun. That’s a really fun age to teach. Daisy taught Kindergarten in Taipei. The Kindergartens there have two-hundred students. Can you believe it?
Robin: A change in our focus can make all the difference in first our perception, and then our comprehension.
Sal: Four languages? Are you trying to make me look bad? And yes, there is a huge difference between seeing and noticing.
Mike: What makes Spanish in High School hard, is that by that time we’re less receptive to the lessons and we don’t get near enough practice. Forty-five minutes, five days a week, isn’t enough. Not if we don’t get the opportunity to apply it in the real world.
Friar: Yes, I’m glad that there’s a universal language. There needs to be, or we couldn’t stay as connected. And you’re right, it’s only a matter of time before we’re all speaking some kind of Mandarin/English hybrid. Daisy spent a year in Asia and picked up enough Mandarin to get by. She keeps it sharp because she thinks we might actually need it some day.
Ryan: That’s a really good point. Learning one language well, gives you the confidence and authority to tackle another.
Bamboo: Just yesterday Mia asked me about her lopsided lobster. I didn’t know what to say. Now I do, thank you.
Ula: A second language gives perspective, and isn’t that something we could use more of.
Glenn: The quote is funny because it is SO true.
Jo: They’ll take whatever we give them. By the way, I enjoyed your post this morning. Very tender.
Sally: Australia? I would love to visit Australia. It is on my short list. Good job. Going for three languages is even better.
Jeremy: Only a fish, but she seems to love my Spanish.
Alex: Five year olds, cool. You’ll have a lot of fun. That’s a really fun age to teach. Daisy taught Kindergarten in Taipei. The Kindergartens there have two-hundred students. Can you believe it?
Robin: A change in our focus can make all the difference in first our perception, and then our comprehension.
Sal: Four languages? Are you trying to make me look bad? And yes, there is a huge difference between seeing and noticing.
Mike: What makes Spanish in High School hard, is that by that time we’re less receptive to the lessons and we don’t get near enough practice. Forty-five minutes, five days a week, isn’t enough. Not if we don’t get the opportunity to apply it in the real world.
Friar: Yes, I’m glad that there’s a universal language. There needs to be, or we couldn’t stay as connected. And you’re right, it’s only a matter of time before we’re all speaking some kind of Mandarin/English hybrid. Daisy spent a year in Asia and picked up enough Mandarin to get by. She keeps it sharp because she thinks we might actually need it some day.
Ryan: That’s a really good point. Learning one language well, gives you the confidence and authority to tackle another.
I learned French in high school, but those were the days when that was the earliest languages were taught in our school district. Thankfully, we got with the times and now begin teaching languages in elementary school.
I count myself lucky because I had the opportunity to travel to France twice, in 1993 and 1995. Both times, I made sure that I spoke only French whenever possible. One thing I quickly learned is how much I had to pay attention to native speakers. By the end of each trip, I was far more comfortable communicating and had to concentrate less.
I did notice that body language played a much bigger role in interactions which were particularly difficult. A couple of times, I even went so far as to explain that I was not a native speaker (obvious) and the conversations slowed and proceeded to swap between English and French. It was a great lesson in language and international communication.
Regarding music, I played the saxophone starting at the age of 5, and I always excelled in language and mathematics. Funny how that works. Good post, WD.
Ian
Ian Parkers last blog post..Spam Works? Oh no!
I learned French in high school, but those were the days when that was the earliest languages were taught in our school district. Thankfully, we got with the times and now begin teaching languages in elementary school.
I count myself lucky because I had the opportunity to travel to France twice, in 1993 and 1995. Both times, I made sure that I spoke only French whenever possible. One thing I quickly learned is how much I had to pay attention to native speakers. By the end of each trip, I was far more comfortable communicating and had to concentrate less.
I did notice that body language played a much bigger role in interactions which were particularly difficult. A couple of times, I even went so far as to explain that I was not a native speaker (obvious) and the conversations slowed and proceeded to swap between English and French. It was a great lesson in language and international communication.
Regarding music, I played the saxophone starting at the age of 5, and I always excelled in language and mathematics. Funny how that works. Good post, WD.
Ian
Ian Parkers last blog post..Spam Works? Oh no!
WD — I think it’s great that your daughter is getting that experience. I teach a sign language class for toddlers at the park district a few times a year. Babies and little kids pick these things up faster than adults do, so I think it’s a good idea to teach it young. Mia’s program sounds great!
Amys last blog post..Freelance Writing Success: Your Way or Mine?
WD — I think it’s great that your daughter is getting that experience. I teach a sign language class for toddlers at the park district a few times a year. Babies and little kids pick these things up faster than adults do, so I think it’s a good idea to teach it young. Mia’s program sounds great!
Amys last blog post..Freelance Writing Success: Your Way or Mine?
The Evil Genius and I are learning Spanish and Signed English, because we can. When I was a child, I spoke fluent French, but forgot most of it when no spoke with me.
Good onya for helping her develop her mind now – when she excels in music, mathematics, and science, she’ll have you to thank for it.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Kyddryns last blog post..Oh, Help
The Evil Genius and I are learning Spanish and Signed English, because we can. When I was a child, I spoke fluent French, but forgot most of it when no spoke with me.
Good onya for helping her develop her mind now – when she excels in music, mathematics, and science, she’ll have you to thank for it.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Kyddryns last blog post..Oh, Help
Hi Writer Dad – That sounds like a smart thing to do. My friends daughter has Spanish and English parents and she’s spoken both languages all her life. Apparently the earlier they learn another language the easier it is to pick it up.
Right now, our whole family is trying to learn Spanish, using the BBC Muzzy DVD’s. The eldest has moaned a bit – he doesn’t see why he should learn Spanish when folk in Spain understand English.
I think we English are just as bad as Americans when it comes to using other languages.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..Relationships: Are You Kissing Goodbye To Success?
Writer Dad -
That’s very cool about Mia’s school program. Learning additional languages early is beneficial for kids.
We tried to teach the kids some Tagalog but now that we don’t have any contact with that side of their family, they don’t remember much. But my oldest daughter has a whole list of languages she wants to learn and she has learned some Japanese in the past few years. She’ll be taking Latin in high school this year.
My husband was born in Korea and adopted by a family in Minnesota when he was 3. He spoke Korean when he was little but quickly learned English and now doesn’t speak Korean at all, although once in a while, he’ll say something in his sleep. ;-)
Kinda makes me wish we’d insisted they really learn a language when they were younger and not been so casual about it.
~ Annie
Hi Writer Dad – That sounds like a smart thing to do. My friends daughter has Spanish and English parents and she’s spoken both languages all her life. Apparently the earlier they learn another language the easier it is to pick it up.
Right now, our whole family is trying to learn Spanish, using the BBC Muzzy DVD’s. The eldest has moaned a bit – he doesn’t see why he should learn Spanish when folk in Spain understand English.
I think we English are just as bad as Americans when it comes to using other languages.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..Relationships: Are You Kissing Goodbye To Success?
Writer Dad -
That’s very cool about Mia’s school program. Learning additional languages early is beneficial for kids.
We tried to teach the kids some Tagalog but now that we don’t have any contact with that side of their family, they don’t remember much. But my oldest daughter has a whole list of languages she wants to learn and she has learned some Japanese in the past few years. She’ll be taking Latin in high school this year.
My husband was born in Korea and adopted by a family in Minnesota when he was 3. He spoke Korean when he was little but quickly learned English and now doesn’t speak Korean at all, although once in a while, he’ll say something in his sleep. ;-)
Kinda makes me wish we’d insisted they really learn a language when they were younger and not been so casual about it.
~ Annie
Waldorf schools begin language instruction (usually in 2 different languages) in the 1st grade. Meanwhile most American public schools don’t start offering language instruction until 7th grade, far past the window of spongeosity.
Waldorf schools begin language instruction (usually in 2 different languages) in the 1st grade. Meanwhile most American public schools don’t start offering language instruction until 7th grade, far past the window of spongeosity.
I figure if I start learning Japanese now, and pick up enough Vietnamese to effectively communicate with my boyfriend’s parents, then by the time I have kids, they will be able to have at least three languages under their belt. More if I can convince my boyfriend to learn French (without spitting all over the place.) :P
Allison Days last blog post..Koo-Ki Sushi
I figure if I start learning Japanese now, and pick up enough Vietnamese to effectively communicate with my boyfriend’s parents, then by the time I have kids, they will be able to have at least three languages under their belt. More if I can convince my boyfriend to learn French (without spitting all over the place.) :P
Allison Days last blog post..Koo-Ki Sushi
@New Age: Wow, spongeosity. That is my new word of the day. I will have to try and use that in a sentence.
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
@New Age: Wow, spongeosity. That is my new word of the day. I will have to try and use that in a sentence.
Sals last blog post..14 + 1 Facts you may not know about Wal-Mart
@Writer Dad: ” I cannot do it well, so I make sure I do it loud.” LOL! I learned English when my family moved to Stamford, Connecticut when I was 7 years old. It was still early enough for me to learn to speak it like a native. The interesting thing is that between college and law school I spent a year in Italy and now when I speak English I have a slight accent, which I never had before. So I guess now I’m basically mute in three languages :-)
Marelisas last blog post..Lessons to Teach Your Children (Part 1)
@Writer Dad: ” I cannot do it well, so I make sure I do it loud.” LOL! I learned English when my family moved to Stamford, Connecticut when I was 7 years old. It was still early enough for me to learn to speak it like a native. The interesting thing is that between college and law school I spent a year in Italy and now when I speak English I have a slight accent, which I never had before. So I guess now I’m basically mute in three languages :-)
Marelisas last blog post..Lessons to Teach Your Children (Part 1)
That is a good one Writer Dad – “you can look down and see their ears.”
Love it! I do wish we could speak more languages in America. I worked in a greenhouse last year and I was forced to speak in Spanish to my fellow workers. It didn’t bother me. I would rather be immersed in a language to learn it. But it was frustrating because of my ineptitude.
Ellen Wilsons last blog post..The Forward Momentum of Bloggery
That is a good one Writer Dad – “you can look down and see their ears.”
Love it! I do wish we could speak more languages in America. I worked in a greenhouse last year and I was forced to speak in Spanish to my fellow workers. It didn’t bother me. I would rather be immersed in a language to learn it. But it was frustrating because of my ineptitude.
Ellen Wilsons last blog post..The Forward Momentum of Bloggery