Non-Native

Families

The Language of Identity

by Corey
Corey, in the white and red dress, with friends at her fourth birthday party.

By Corey Heller My mother once asked me how I could feel comfortable raising my children in a language other than my native language.  Being unprepared for this inquiry, my response was defensive. Instead of using my mother’s question as a spring-board for deeper discussion, I attacked her as being unable to understand the importance [...]

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Expert Advice

Ask François Grosjean: Is It OK for Parents to Raise Bilingual Children in a Non-Native Language?

by Corey
Bilingual_Cover

While Prof. Emeritus François Grosjean was working on his wonderful book Bilingual: Life and Reality, he asked me to send him a list of questions that I felt weighed the heaviest on the minds of parents raising multilingual children. It is my honor to present both my questions and Prof. Grosjean’s answers here at Multilingual [...]

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Multiculturalism

Returning Home After Living Abroad

by Corey
Fridge_Photo

By Corey Heller This originally appeared in Multilingual Living Magazine. As many of us know and have experienced, living in another country changes you forever. You will never be the same and will never see things the same way again.  I mentioned this to a friend after having lived abroad for a year. She looked [...]

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Expert Advice

Who Says You Can’t Raise Your Children Bilingually?

by Corey
Multilingual Children You Can Do It!

By Corey Heller You can raise your children bilingually. Let me repeat… You can raise your children bilingually. I know this comes as a surprise to many people, especially those who feel they couldn’t master another language if their life depended upon it, let alone share the language with their children.  But not only can [...]

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Families

Language Switching with Your Bilingual Child When It Counts

by Corey
Birthday_Party

By Corey Heller My middle son had a birthday party today and as usual we invited our varied mix of friends: German-speakers, Spanish-speakers, English-speakers, homeschoolers, traditionally-schooled, young, old, babies, dads, moms, sisters and brothers.  I was so very impressed with how well a group of people can come together and find common ground for conversation [...]

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Expert Advice

Are You Fluent Enough to Raise Your Child In a Second Language?

by Corey
Mom and son

Raising a child in a non-native language is a hot topic these days.  What with the cost of language schools out of reach for most parents and a lack of native-speaking family members and friends nearby, raising our children in a non-native language has become a desirable option. The question on most parents’ minds, however, [...]

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Expert Advice

Is It OK to Speak a Non-Native Language to My Child?

by expert
Question Mark

Is it OK to speak a language to my child that is not my native language? It is certainly possible and there are families who have established successful trilingual situations this way. The main thing is that you feel comfortable interacting in a language that is not your native one. What about songs, nursery rhymes, [...]

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