FAMILY MATTERS
Nurturing Native (and Foreign) Language Skills How do you do it?
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arents whose attempts to pass their native language on to their children have been met with resistance often ask, “How do you do it?” They are amazed that my U.S.-bornand-raised children are fluent in Spanish. The truth is that I’m also struggling. It’s a daily uphill battle that can be overcome only by prayer and keeping our eyes on the prize at the summit. Being bilingual or multilingual has huge advantages in terms of cognitive development, academic performance, literacy and finding a job. Priscilla Blossom highlights some of the biggest benefits of learning a second language as a child. Mainly, it “encourages empathy,” “boosts brain function” and provides an
BY WENDY DÍAZ “academic advantage” (Parents Magazine, April 2021). So much has been written about the impact of bilingualism and multilingualism on an individual’s success. But how can we successfully teach our children while living in a majority English-speaking country? There are a few ways. First and foremost, just like when it comes to other forms of worship, we must purify our intentions. Anything that is beneficial for us and can be used to please God can be a form of worship. Nurturing a native or heritage language can fall into this category by further strengthening family ties, improving our livelihood and spreading the message of Islam. Notably, many well-known
22 ISLAMIC HORIZONS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Companions of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), among them Abu Hurayra, Zaid ibn Thabit and Salman al-Farsi (‘alayhum rahma), were bilingual. After we make our intention clear, we should develop a plan. The next steps are what I recommend based on research and trial and error. • Start early (or start now). The earlier you start your children off with another language, the better. (There is an exception here for English. More about that later.) Decide on the one you want them to learn. As soon as you bring your little bundles of joy home, start speaking to them in that language to ensure that they will recognize its sounds and nuances. Talk, read and sing to them in
