Raising a multilingual child isn’t tough at all. You want your child to master two languages while he or she is still young. You’re well aware that now is the ideal moment to teach two languages. But what about the difficulties? In a busy household, will it be too difficult? Is the extra effort worthwhile?

At least two languages are spoken by the great majority of people on the planet. Many people know a lot more than that. Bilingual persons have more job prospects, particularly in specific professions. Learning more than one language would undoubtedly benefit those who travel or engage in social activities that need that competence.

Here are a few pointers on how to raise a multilingual or bilingual child.

1. Increase language quantity

The amount of linguistic input received by children in each of their languages predicts their vocabulary and grammatical development. The greater the variety of input, the greater the chance of successful language learning. Children who hear a lot of words, for example, have a bigger vocabulary. Do not underestimate the importance of introducing your youngster to two languages on a regular basis.

2. Increase language quality

The quality of linguistic input has an impact on children’s language results. It is critical for youngsters to have engaging face-to-face interactions with caregivers in order for them to learn to speak. Reading books to children, for example, promotes language development, but language exposure through television does not. In fact, low-quality television exposure has been linked to poorer vocabulary scores in bilingual youngsters. In other words, try for more face time and, where feasible, pick instructive or high-quality children’s television.

3. Enlist the help of family and friends

Language input variability is another important determinant of language development. As youngsters are exposed to increased variety, having regular contact with many different speakers of the two languages can assist enhance bilingual competence.  In other words, it is much more beneficial for youngsters to engage with extended relatives, grandparents, and friends who speak the other language.

4. Select a strategy that works best for your family

Depending on the family, there are several methods to introduce your child to two languages. Although no single strategy has been established as the most effective for parenting multilingual children, numerous have been shown to enhance bilingual language development.

5. Consider bilingual education

Bilingual child care may be provided throughout the early stages of development by employing babysitters or caregivers who speak a different language.

When your child reaches school age, look at schools that offer two-way immersion programmes, which combine children from two different native languages in the same classroom and teach subjects in both languages. If you are located in Hong Kong, consider selecting an international kindergarten in Hong Kong for your child. Our study demonstrates that two-way immersion programmes enhance students’ academic performance in addition to giving children continuous exposure to two languages across subject areas, which raises the chance of kids gaining competence in both languages.

6. Let your child lead the way

Pay heed to your child’s indications and follow their interests. When children engage with attentive and empathetic adults, their language development is most successful. When an adult concentrates on items that the kid is interested in rather than what the adult is interested in, the youngster is more likely to acquire new words. If your child is involved, he or she has a better chance of succeeding in learning two languages. To enhance learning, look for activities that involve two languages that your child is interested in.

7. Praise The Small Successes

There are several checkpoints along the path to mastery. Take the time to acknowledge them and lavish them with praise when they appear. Everything from expressing I love you to ordering dinner should be a cause for celebration. You will continue to inspire your youngster to develop by offering specific and appropriate praise along the way.