Some people grow up speaking more than one language. Others learn another language in school or as an adult. Speaking another language can be a challenge, but it also is a wonderful skill.
Knowing more than one language can help you in a number of ways.
Most children can learn more than one language. The number of people in the United States who are bilingual keeps growing. Being bilingual has advantages, including being better at:
Learning new words
Learning reading skills
Being able to use information in new ways
Putting words into categories, like "food" or "toys"
Coming up with solutions to problems
Listening to others
Connecting with others
Some children have speech or language problems. If a bilingual child does, the problems will show up in both languages. However, learning another language does not cause speech or language problems or make them worse. Talk with a speech-language pathologist, or SLP, if you worry about your child's language skills. Working with an SLP who speaks the same languages as your child is best. An SLP who is not bilingual can use an interpreter to help test your child.
You can get a copy of the brochure, Teaching Your Child Two Languages. This brochure is for parents who want to teach their child a second language. It describes different ways you can help that learning process.
You can also get a copy of a flipbook called Becoming Bilingual/El Niño Bilingüe. This brochure is about how bilingual children learn languages. It includes both English and Spanish.
Call ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) Product Sales at 888-498-6699 to get your free copy.
It is important to remember that learning to speak another language is NOT a language problem.