Nursery World - Learning & Development: All about ... bilingualism

Children using more than one language may have advantages in learning, but practitioners must ensure they can readily access the curriculum, say Tricia Carroll and Anne O'Connor.

Photographs by Justin O'Hanlon at Kate Greenaway Children's Centre, London

Being comfortable with two or more languages is normal for most people in the world. Figures suggest that 70 per cent of the world's population live in two or more languages. Even in the British Isles, there has been a long historical tradition of English being used alongside other languages such as Welsh, Manx, Scottish/Irish Gaelic. And yet, there persists the misguided belief that being monolingual is normal - and good enough!

Children who have a language other than English as their first, are often viewed as a problem for early years settings. It is also true that some home languages are considered superior and more valuable than others. But all languages, including signing, are equally valid. The ability to use more than one should be acknowledged, not just as a skill in its own right but also a useful tool for supporting learning in general.

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