Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz More Fun and practical ideas to encourage learning about your native language and culture: Prepare traditional foods regularly and involve your children in the process. Talk about the process and describe what you are doing as you cook. Take advantage of this opportunity to tell stories about your country, your family and how you learn … Read more
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT LEARNING TWO LANGUAGES AT AN EARLY AGE If I mix English and my native language my child will get confused. Children can differentiate between two different languages from an early age. It is part of the development of a dual language learner to learn some words in one language and other words … Read more
I just love October and love Halloween. It’s such a fun time of the year. I have always liked dressing up and now that I have children I enjoy it even more. Being bicultural and bilingual gives us the opportunity to blend traditions and I have to say Halloween and El Día de Los Muertos really … Read more
Don’t worry this is not a ramble about identity it’s just the story of how I realized I was Latina by moving to the United States. You could say that being born in a Latin American country makes me a Latina from birth, but I don’t completely agree. I was born Guatemalan, that’s what it says on my birth … Read more
These are all easy things you can do in the classroom to promote and support diversity. I recently wrote an article where I included 10 ways to promote diversity in the classroom and I’ve been getting a lot of emails for more ideas. Promoting diversity and multiculturalism in the classroom is good for everyone. Here … Read more
WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THE CLASSROOM: 1. Play dress-up. Dressing up lets children literally step into someone else’s shoes. Provide a variety of traditional costumes from all over the world. 2. “Accept linguistic/cultural hybridity (e.g. combined use of the native language and English for instruction, allowing code-switching) as a viable and authentic way of … Read more
The population of English Language Learners is growing faster than ever in recent years as one out of every six school-age children use a language other than English at home (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). Our classrooms are changing; racial, cultural and linguistic diversity is increasing and with it the importance of encouraging tolerance, self-esteem and fostering … Read more
There are many fun ways in which you can promote learning about language and culture. Here are just a few. Sing songs in your home language. Play music from your country, sing in your native language and dance. One of the best ways to learn language is through songs. Music not only makes memorization of new … Read more
Teach by example: value your culture. The first step to raising bilingual children is to recognize the value of your culture and your language and to take a conscious decsicion that you are willing to invest the time and energy to keep your traditions, beliefs and language alive in your home. Speak your native … Read more
Your children will have no problem learning English and adapting to the culture of the country they live in because they are immersed in it. Advantages of being bilingual Keeping your culture and language alive at home will reinforce in your children a sense of identity and will build their self-esteem. Children benefit from learning to … Read more
