Multilingual Children

Not sure if there are any other parents out there that have used this technique, but at our house we have successfully implemented a “beeping” system.  We speak Spanish at home full time (I’m
American, but I speak Spanish and my husband is Venezuelan) with our two children.  Instead of reminding them to speak Spanish or reprimanding if they speak English, we have a system in place that we “beep” them if we hear them speaking English at home and they “beep” us if they hear us.  There are times that my son hears my husband and I speak some English in the late evening as we prepare to go to bed, and he beeps us from afar. They actually beep me more than I beep them and they get a very big kick out of it!  Anyway, just thought I’d share this strategy that we’ve had a lot of success with.  Hope it’s useful and I look forward to learning from you all.

Best,

Carla Briceno

Oakton, VA