Children in Ireland spend an average of 5 hours & 40 minutes in school which is relatively low compared to schools in China (9 hours), Korea (8 hours) or France (8 hours). Primary school children in Ireland spend 1043 hours in an academic year which is also the lowest.
Often, as parents living abroad, we think we should concentrate our efforts on the language of the majority.
While we agree that this is important, it is also vital to ensure that prioritising learning the language of the country you live in does not impact or dismiss your mother tongue.
One of the biggest barriers to successful bilingualism is the lack of opportunities for your child to hear and use the language that is not spoken by the majority or in their school
I have learned that a positive attitude is a key and by saying that I mean me maintaining my positive attitude in this process of raising her with two languages as well as supporting my daughter in building her positive reflection on her own bilingualism and her ability to speak Polish and English.
More and more children all over the world are growing up speaking two or more languages. Being bilingual has incredible advantages for children, and speaking a language like Irish gives you a head start when learning other languages too! You can use Irish in Ireland, but you will find many other speakers all over the world!
Spanish is a language spoken as a native language by more than 480 million people. There are also more than 90 million non-native speakers, making Spanish one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Spanish is a language spoken as a native language by more than 480 million people. There are also more than 90 million non-native speakers, making Spanish one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
I believe both me and my husband are eager for her to start reading and writing in these languages as well – even though it will take time and patience to teach her how.
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language to grow up in a bilingual environment or attend a bilingual programme.
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language to grow up in a bilingual environment or attend a bilingual programme.
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language to grow up in a bilingual environment or attend a bilingual programme.
