Home Language

Hold Onto Your Home Language!

https://www.ryerson.ca/mylanguage/brochures/

If you want your children to succeed, then hold on to your home language!

Speaking the family language in the home is important for your children!

Knowing and using the home language will develop children's:

♥ security and pride in identity.

♥ understanding of their roots and heritage.

Knowing and using the home language will sustain communication with parents, grand-parents and relatives.

Children who know and use the home language:

♥ learn religious practices and traditions.

♥ have an additional worldview.

♥ have a wide choice of college/university acceptance.

♥ have a great choice in the job market.

Speaking the family language in the home will help your children learn English!

Speaking the family language in the home will not interfere with your child's learning of English. Learning English:

♥ means adding a new language.

♥ does not mean that the home language will be lost.

♥ means that your child learns new words for the many things s/he already knows and understands.

The two languages work together.

Your child's knowledge of the home language will help him/her learn English.

What is learned in one language is easily transferred into the other language.

Speaking the family language in the home will help your children do well in school!

Children who know and use the home language:

○ do well on school tests and examinations.

○ have a head start in reading.

○ have strong reading and writing skills.

○ do well in math, logic and problem-solving.

○ are more willing and able to learn a third language.

Parents

○ Encourage your children to use the family language in the home.

○ Take every opportunity to talk with your children.

○ Using two languages will not confuse your children.

○ Mixing languages is normal for bilinguals. This is a sign of mastery of two linguistic systems and is not a sign of language confusion.

It is rare for both languages to be balanced: as your child learns English, it may predominate because exposure to it is greater than exposure to the home language.

♫ Sing songs and read books in the home language regularly with your children.

○ Organize playgroups with families who share the same home language.

Make Heritage Language classes a family affair:

○ Children attend classes.

○ parents join the Parent Group.

Your involvement will show the children that the home language is important.