Edith Harding-Esch

Confused! IQ lower than average! Speech and language problems! Delays in their developments! Learning issues at school!... These prejudices about bilingual children used to be legion. They all have one point in common, though: they deserved to be binned.

The issue wasn't only that these idiocies didn't rely on any serious studies to back them up, but, most importantly, that they were peddled mostly by 'experts' who, themselves, did not have a bilingual childhood!

Edith Garding-Esch and show more Philip Riley, then, debunk what were once deeply entrenched prejudices (it was first published in the 1980s... I dare believing that we no longer think of bilingual children so!). and offer a small manual targeted to parents, that quickly reveals itself to be very precious (not least because, both authors are members of bilingual families besides being professional linguists).

They don't go too much in depth, but offer enough for anyone -depending on their home situation- to find tips to pick.

The book is divided in two parts. The first one is the most challenging, because it is the technical one (studies, research, child development from a scientific perspective...). It's a purely academic point of view, then, and, so, many, here, may find it 'dry'. The second part is more accessible, as, based on testimonies from very various families (bilingual or polyglots) it offers practical advises and tips to better serve different dynamics.

Again, this was first published in the 1980s. The idiocies it debunked have since been long debunked, yet it doesn't mean that it has become irrelevant. In societies where schools and educational systems are still failing kids when it comes to foreign language learning, it can be very useful to parents willing to support their child picking up the slacks... at home! show less

Whether you moved to a different country and your child faces linguistic challenges, or there is more than one language spoken at home due to different origins of you and your partner, and you are curious (or anxious) about the proper language methods to apply when raising your child, The Bilingual Family: A Handbook for Parents, Second Edition is definitely a very rich source of information and guidance. Particularly in my case, I really want my son to have a native level command of both of show more the languages spoken by me and my wife. As a person who experienced a lack of communication with his grandmother and grandfather (on his mother's side), I wish that my child does not experience the same.

I'm happy to read a very humane account of bilingualism that puts the concerns of parents and children at the center, yet being based on solid scientific research and written by specialist linguists who have also raised bilingual children. The book does not only serve as a guide, but also is an antidote against a lot of myths surrounding bilingualism.

The 18 different case studies that draws from the experience of very different families and languages, each with different combinations and attitudes regarding language use is one of the most lively parts of the book; the actual conversations of children will certainly make you smile (sometimes laugh out loudly). Moreover, the last section, where many important and critical concepts are listed alphabetically and discussed in detail will serve as a brief but very valuable guide, at least for me and our family. show less