Language Development with Bilingualism

Children are exposed to second languages in many different ways. Some are exposed to two languages at birth while others from TV and once they enter the school system. Language researchers usually distinguish between children who learn two languages at the same time and children who learn one language after a first language is acquired. As a huge part of development takes place before the age of three, it is usual to divide children at that point. This means that if the second language is introduced before age three, children are thought to be learning the two languages together and termed simultaneous bilingualism; after the age of three, they are engaged in what is known as successive bilingualism (Otto, 2002 p. 71). The process of double language acquisition is not so smooth, there are a few discrepancies in fluency and language confusion to be taken into account.

Children can become bilingual in different ways with the two most common being simultaneous acquisition and successive acquisition. A child under the age of three who is exposed to two languages usually experiences simultaneous acquisition. If the child is exposed to the second language later than three, successive acquisition usually occurs. The rate of acquisition varies depending on the amount of exposure and support the child receives as well as on individual differences. A few types of bilingualism that explain ways of learning languages are:

➢ High exposure to both languages at an early age:

▪ Simultaneous Bilingualism: children have an early exposure to both languages and are given many opportunities to use both.

▪ Receptive Bilingualism: children have high exposure to a second language but have little opportunity to use or practice it. This child may understand the language well but have trouble speaking it (Beardsmore, 1982, p. 16)

➢ Learning a second language after a first language is established.

▪ Successive Bilingualism: children who have had little...