16 November 2006

New local group to help raise bilingual children

Help is at hand for Canberra parents bringing up children bilingually with a newly formed support network, Canberra Region Bilingual families.

The group is the result of a forum held last year at the University of Canberra to discuss how to best encourage their children to develop bilingual skills and organised by the University's School of Languages, International Education and Tourism, and the Association for Learning Mandarin in Australia Inc (ALMA).

University of Canberra English language lecturer Dr Mandy Scott said that many people in the Canberra area would like their children to learn to speak their family language as well as English and the high attendance at last year's forum was indicative of this.

"Raising a child bilingually in Canberra is not an easy task given the centrality of the English language in Australian society, the importance of English as a global language, and misconceptions about the difficulties or problems associated with bilingualism," Dr Scott said.   

According to the 2001 ABS census, over 13 percent of the people living in the Canberra region speak a language other than English at home.

Canberra Region Bilingual Families is designed to help parents access information about bilingualism and to share practical advice about raising children bilingually. They have organised a multilingual picnic on Sunday November 26 at Black Mountain Peninsula where staff from the University's School of Languages and International Studies will be on hand to provide information about the benefits of bilingualism.

Dr Scott said that research has consistently shown that learning two or more languages is not a burden for a child and can assist literacy in English.

"Speaking another language enhances general learning abilities and can help to promote social cohesion," Dr Scott said.

Anyone interested in raising children bilingually is invited to come along to the picnic with their family and friends.

WHAT: Multilingual Picnic

WHERE: Black Mountain Peninsula, Acton, near the Children's Playground

WHEN: 4-6pm Sunday 26 November

UC Communications

Gaye Morrison
T: 02 6201 5855
M: 0409 470 755

Kaddie Pass
T: 02 6201 2681

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Last Updated on August 1, 2005