What is Additive Bilingualism?
Additive bilingualism is when a student’s first language continues to develop while learning their second language. These students often have the opportunity to use both languages ??inside and outside the school, and have a desire to retain both. Furthermore, if a child comes from another culture, their original culture is also valued and respected in the classroom.
In other words, adding two languages ??to know more than one language at a high level of proficiency. People who gain and maintain good bilingualism often have more opportunities to use both languages ??in different situations, spend more time using both languages, and have an inner desire to maintain both languages.
Now in order to maintain your child’s native language we need to remember these 3 key points: Consistency, meaningful language models and meaningful communication at home and in the community.
Be consistent with the amount of exposure your child receives. Perhaps your native language will be spoken only at home. There is no “better” or “right” way to become a bilingual parent and there are many bilingual parenting options. However, consistency will be the key to a double standard of child rearing.
There are many benefits to being able to read in both languages. Bilingualism can improve your child’s educational skills, language skills, and literacy skills! In addition, reading to your child in your native tongue can help your child learn about his or her culture while keeping your home language at home.
Children learn new words from the environment around them, including the input you provide. Provide rich home vocabulary models in your native language by labeling actions, nouns, adjectives, talking about your home routine and making meaningful connections with words in your area. Use rich vocabulary between your interactions with your child and let him or her ask questions to learn new vocabulary.
Create meaningful communication and relationships at home in your native language. Interaction amongst and play with your family such as singing, dancing, and / or playing in your native language can make learning language fun..
What is Subtractive Bilingualism?
Subtractive Bilingual, however, is when a learner learns a second language regardless of their first language. In this case, the child will lose the ability to speak the first language over time. Children who develop bilingualism may not have the opportunity to use their first language and even feel that their first language or culture is not acceptable in the classroom.
In other words, bilingualism replaces knowledge of one language instead of another. This can be seen as gaining skills in one language while on the other hand losing the proficiency of another language.
For bilingual children who move, during the intermediate phase of their first language do not forget, while still learning English, they may not be able to speak it fluently in any language. This intermediate phase seen in bilingualism can be stressful for a child, and if language issues develop between them and speakers of their first language, that can be another source of frustration or a sense of loss, in some cases.
In the United States, most children attend pre-school programs where the language of instruction is mostly in English. In some cases, some schools may offer bilingual program, however, it is important to consider the type of bilingual program offered by the school as some programs often build student language proficiency in English only. It can be expected that when a child enters the English-only program, the child’s choice and vocabulary in English will often increase as his or her proficiency knowledge skills decline.
Believe it or not, gender may play a role in your child’s ability to speak two languages. In his/her study, women in rural communities often sought jobs that required a high level of English proficiency that had a negative impact on their Spanish skills. As you can imagine, a person who is afraid of losing his job may want to focus on perfecting his English skills which could eventually lead to a loss in one’s native language if it is not maintained. In addition, having a higher education can lead to higher English skills and a loss of skills in the indigenous language because English is often the main language of instruction.
The notion that the general status of the home language is low compared to that of the main language is a very common concept built on the difficulties some immigrant families pass through. When some families move to the United States, they may have difficulty learning English to get a job, pay their bills, go to a store, connect with people in the community, and so on. The real success of immigrant families is often related to mastering a widely spoken language, going to school, and getting a job.
Excessive use of a second language at home can also lead to the loss of a first language. In addition, there are a number of factors within the environment that can support or lead to your child’s language loss.