English-Language Learners

‘Ask an Expert’ About Raising a Bilingual Kid

By Mary Ann Zehr — August 11, 2009 1 min read
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It’s OK to teach children to read two languages at the same time, says Barbara Zurer Pearson, author of Raising a Bilingual Child, in an “ask an expert” column posted at SpanglishBaby.

In a research study she participated in, Pearson says, she found that children who learn to read Spanish and English at the same time read more quickly and better than children taught only in English.

In a second “ask an expert” column on the blog, Ellen Stubbe Kester assures parents they shouldn’t be concerned if a child who is learning to read two languages at the same time makes mistakes in one language because of the influence of the other. The child will quickly learn to correct the mistakes with feedback, she says.

SpanglishBaby, a blog about raising bilingual kids, is hosting an “ask an expert” event every week.

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Learning the Language blog.