Question

What are some of the potential effects of bilingualism and home language use for a student attending classes that are delivered in English? How might these effects differ based on the age of the student?

Answer 1

What are some of the potential effects of bilingualism and home language use for a student attending classes that are delivered in English?

• Bilingualism i.e., fluency in two languages - the home language and the English language is proven to be advantageous for the child. The child is able to interact fluently both in the educational setting and the community setting.
• There is more acceptance and tolerance when a student finds it easy to communicate in either language where applicable.
• Study materials are easier to understand when provided in the home language. This helps the child to improve fluency in the English language thereby promoting a better position to develop in the academic setting.
• Since the percentage of students having a home language different from the English language, students should be encouraged to use the home language until the English language is easy for use.
• There should be periods of time stipulated for using home language in order to better understand the use of the English language.
• It helps in better collaboration with community members in order to participate in community-oriented programmes.
• A better understanding of cultural practices that enable better friendships and relationships between students.

How might these effects differ based on the age of the student?

• Aging or people of older age have no difficulty in learning a new language unless they have some kind of mental or physical constraints such as hearing loss, vision loss, mental acumen degradation etc.,
• The purpose of learning the new language is one of the major reasons that decide bilingualism. Kids find it easier because there is a strict need to learn a second language in order to cope up with school.
• Similarly, adults may require an additional language for career advancements and the such. This is a motivation for bilingualism.
• Depending on age, short term/long term memory techniques should be used appropriately for kids/adults respectively to foster bilingualism.
• If the student belongs to an older age group, soft skills such as teaming up, motivation and self-confidence are more important than techniques like oral repetition and drills.
• Adult students and child students require different kinds of techniques depending on their social capability and formal education.