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Our child has been consistently hearing two languages since birth. I speak to
her in English and her father speaks to her in French. She is nearly two years
old now and has no problem distinguishing between the two already. She
understands us both when we speak but she generally uses whichever word comes to mind
first. I encourage her to speak to me in English and she manages to do this
sometimes now without being asked. I have also started to teach her a third
language now - Italian. I introduced this slowly and only in the early morning
at first, repeating different sentences/questions first in English and then in
Italian. She can now already answer certain questions I ask her in Italian. It
really is amazing how fast they pick up a new language! When she comes back from
spending time with her grandparents (French), she has inevitably learnt new
words that she wants to share with me. I listen carefully and repeat what she
says in English right away so she maintains the balance between the two
languages.
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12 June 2006:
From Marie La Rouge
My daughter was diagnosed
with an atrophy in the brain, which means a part of the brain did not
develop fully while I was pregnant. The affected area was language.
My dream was for my daughter
to be bilingual because I am French and her dad is American.
Because of the language
delay, I did not speak French to her. It was more important to get her
started on English. She said her first word at age 2.
Today she is 10, and with the
help of speech therapy and wonderful teachers in Maryland schools, not
only has she caught up in English but she is in a French immersion program
and is almost fluent in French. Impressive for someone who "has" a delay
in...language! Never give up! With effort, practice, repetition and lots
of love, your child can do anything! Don't let a label discourage you to
follow your dream!
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