New Research Sheds Light on Language Exposure in Bilingual Families

Montreal, Canada — A recent study conducted by researchers at Concordia University has challenged long-standing notions about effective strategies for raising bilingual children. Traditionally, parents have been advised to adopt a strict one-parent-one-language approach. However, the study, which features insights from over 300 bilingual families, suggests that maternal language exposure plays a significantly more critical role in children’s language development than previously understood.

The research, which spanned from 2013 to 2020, analyzed responses from hundreds of families to identify common language strategies. Surprisingly, many Montreal families opted for bilingual communication from both parents rather than isolating language use to one parent. Andrea Sander-Montant, a PhD student and lead author of the study, noted, “This reflects the reality of bilingualism in Montreal, where many adults are comfortable communicating in multiple languages.”

Four main strategies emerged from the survey: one-parent-one-language, both-parents-bilingual, one-parent-bilingual (where one parent uses both languages and the other speaks one language), and one-language-at-home (a system where one language is used at home and the other outside the home, such as in daycare). Researchers found that these strategies did not strongly correlate with the actual language exposure received by children.

Krista Byers-Heinlein, a professor in the Department of Psychology and supervising author of the study, emphasized this disconnect, stating, “We discovered that the family’s strategy had little impact on the children’s actual language exposure at home.” This finding underscores the fact that no single best practice exists for raising bilingual children.

A key revelation from the study was the disproportionate influence of mothers on language exposure. Mothers were found to have approximately twice the impact on the children’s language interaction compared to fathers. Describing this impact, Byers-Heinlein stated, “When the mother communicates primarily in one language, such as French, the child is likely to hear a significant amount of that language. In contrast, if the father uses the same language exclusively, the exposure may be less.”

This phenomenon was particularly pronounced in heritage-language families, where mothers predominantly transmitted heritage languages, even if both parents were speakers. Sander-Montant speculated that this could be due to a combination of time spent at home and cultural expectations that place the onus for language transmission more heavily on mothers.

The findings suggest a shift in how families approach bilingualism. Instead of adhering rigidly to traditional strategies, families might focus on who spends the most time interacting with the child and subsequently ensure those language opportunities are maximized. Byers-Heinlein notes that children require about 20 to 30 hours per week of exposure to each language to foster bilingualism effectively.

Researchers believe these findings will inform initiatives for policymakers and healthcare professionals involved with bilingual families. The study advocates for more flexible, family-centered approaches to language transmission that align with the unique dynamics of each household.

This research was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

For further details, the study is published under the title “Like mother like child: Differential impact of mothers’ and fathers’ individual language use on bilingual language exposure.”

As bilingualism becomes increasingly significant in multicultural societies, understanding the nuances of language exposure presents vital implications for families and educators alike.

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