You Don’t Speak the Language. Can Your Child Still Thrive in a Dual Language Program?

For many English speaking parents, the idea of enrolling a child in a dual language or full immersion program sounds exciting. Your child could learn to speak, read, and write in another language while attending school. They may develop relationships with children from different backgrounds and gain a skill that can benefit them for years to come.

Then the worries begin.

What if I cannot help with homework? What if my child does not understand the teacher? Will learning to read in another language hurt my child’s English? What if everyone else seems to understand what is happening except me?

These are understandable questions, especially for parents who only speak English. But not speaking the second language does not automatically mean that an immersion program is the wrong choice for your family.

In fact, dual language programs are specifically designed to teach children academic content through two languages. The goal is not simply to teach children a few words in another language. Strong programs work toward bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement, and the ability to learn and communicate across cultures.

But How Will My Child Understand the Teacher?

This may be one of the biggest fears parents have, particularly when their child is young.

Imagine sending your kindergartener into a classroom where the teacher begins speaking Spanish, French, Mandarin, or another language your child barely understands. It can feel overwhelming to a parent.

However, immersion teachers do not expect children to understand every word on the first day.

Teachers use pictures, gestures, facial expressions, routines, repetition, objects, songs, movement, and other strategies to help students understand what is happening. Children begin connecting words with actions and meaning.

Think about how young children learn their first language. We do not sit a toddler down with a grammar book. They listen. They watch. They make connections. They try words. They make mistakes. Gradually, they understand more and begin communicating.

Learning through immersion uses some of these same natural processes, although school instruction is carefully planned and structured.

It is also important for parents to remember that learning another language takes time. Your child may understand much more than they are able to say at first. That does not necessarily mean they are falling behind.

Will Learning Another Language Hurt My Child’s English?

This is another common concern.

Parents sometimes worry that spending a large part of the school day learning in another language means their child will receive less English instruction and therefore become weaker in English.

Research does not support the idea that dual language education automatically harms English literacy. The U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse reviewed research on dual language programs and found potentially positive effects on English literacy achievement. The goal of dual language education is for students to eventually develop strong academic skills in both languages.

That does not mean every child will develop at exactly the same rate or that every immersion program produces identical results. Program quality, teaching, the amount of instruction in each language, and a child’s individual needs all matter.

Parents may also notice that skills develop differently between the two languages, especially during the early years. A child may know certain vocabulary in English and different vocabulary in the second language. That can be a normal part of becoming bilingual.

Rather than comparing every skill from week to week, parents can look at their child’s growth over a longer period of time.

What If I Cannot Help With Homework?

This fear stops some families before they even begin.

A parent looks at a worksheet written in Spanish and thinks, “How am I supposed to help with this when I cannot even read the directions?”

The good news is that helping your child learn is not the same as knowing all the answers.

Your most important role at home is still to be a parent.

Ask your child what they are learning. Have them explain the assignment to you. Encourage them to show you what they know. If they are stuck, help them think about where they might find the answer rather than immediately translating the entire assignment.

You can even turn your lack of knowledge into an opportunity for your child.

Ask, “What does that word mean?”

Your child suddenly becomes the teacher.

Having children explain what they are learning can help them think about their knowledge in a different way. It also sends an important message: what they are learning matters to you.

If homework regularly requires parents to know the partner language in order for a child to complete it, talk with the teacher. A well designed immersion program should not depend on parents being fluent in the language of instruction.

Keep Reading in English at Home

Some parents believe that once their child enters an immersion program, everything at home needs to change to the new language.

It does not.

If English is the language your family speaks comfortably, continue using it.

Read books together in English. Talk about new vocabulary. Visit the library. Tell stories. Discuss what happened during the school day. Ask your child questions about books and encourage them to explain their ideas.

Strong language and literacy experiences at home are valuable.

You can also bring the second language into your home without pretending to be fluent. Listen to music together. Watch age appropriate shows in the language. Find bilingual books. Attend cultural events. Visit restaurants, markets, libraries, festivals, museums, or community programs where your child may hear and use the language.

The goal does not have to be turning your home into another classroom. Instead, help your child see that the language exists outside of school and has a connection to real people and communities.

What If My Child Mixes the Two Languages?

You might hear your child start a sentence in English and suddenly use a word from the other language.

Do not panic.

Bilingual children can use both languages as they communicate. Sometimes they may know a word more quickly in one language than the other. As their vocabulary and experience grow, their ability to use each language in different situations can grow too.

Instead of constantly correcting your child, show interest.

Ask what a new word means. Let your child teach you how to pronounce something. Celebrate the moment when you realize your child understands something you do not.

Those little moments can be powerful.

Your child is developing a skill that took time, effort, practice, and courage to build.

You Can Learn Alongside Your Child

You do not need to become fluent in the second language, but learning a little can make the experience fun for the whole family.

Start small.

Learn how to say good morning. Learn the numbers. Learn colors, foods, family words, and common expressions. Ask your child to teach you a few new words each week.

And let your child see you make mistakes.

Parents sometimes underestimate the lesson children learn from watching an adult struggle with something new. When you mispronounce a word, laugh, try again, and keep going, you are showing your child that mistakes are part of learning.

That may be more valuable than perfect pronunciation.

Give the Program Time

Language immersion is a long term educational experience.

There may be moments when your child feels frustrated. There may be times when you wonder whether they understand enough. There may even be moments when your child says, “I don’t want to speak Spanish,” or whichever language they are learning.

One difficult week does not necessarily mean the program is failing.

Stay in communication with your child’s teachers. Ask about progress in both languages. Learn how the program is structured and how the amount of English and the partner language changes as children move through the grades.

Dual language programs can also follow different models. For example, some programs use approximately half English and half the partner language. Others may begin with a much larger percentage of instruction in the partner language and gradually increase English instruction.

Understanding your school’s specific model can make the experience much less confusing.

Your Attitude Matters More Than Your Accent

Perhaps the most important thing English speaking parents can provide is something that requires no knowledge of another language: encouragement.

Children notice how adults respond to things that are unfamiliar.

If we constantly say, “I don’t understand any of this,” children may begin to see the second language as a problem.

Instead, we can say, “I don’t know what that says. Can you teach me?”

We can show curiosity about the cultures connected to the language. We can celebrate progress without expecting perfection. We can encourage friendships with children who speak the language at home. We can also demonstrate respect for classmates and families for whom the partner language is not simply something they are learning at school, but an important part of their family and identity.

That last piece is especially important in a dual language program.

For an English speaking child, becoming bilingual can feel like an exciting opportunity. For another child in the same classroom, maintaining Spanish or another home language may be deeply connected to communicating with grandparents, preserving family traditions, and maintaining cultural identity.

A strong dual language community values both experiences.

You Do Not Have to Speak the Language to Support the Journey

Choosing an immersion program can feel like a leap of faith when you do not speak the language yourself.

But parents do not need to know everything their children are learning in order to support them.

Your job is to provide a home filled with conversation, reading, curiosity, encouragement, and opportunities to learn.

Ask questions. Stay connected with teachers. Read together. Let your child teach you. Find opportunities for your child to hear and use the language outside of school. Most importantly, give the process time.

One day, you may be sitting beside your child and hear them reading a book, talking with a friend, or having a conversation in a language you do not understand.

And instead of feeling left out, you may realize something remarkable.

You helped give them an opportunity to develop a skill that you could not teach them yourself.

References

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse. Dual Language Programs. Review of research on dual language programs and academic outcomes, including English literacy achievement.

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Bilingüe, Educación y Éxito: Learning from Dual Language Education Programs. Discussion of research examining Spanish and English instruction, student engagement, language development, and learning in dual language programs.

Steele, J. L., Slater, R. O., Zamarro, G., Miller, T., Li, J., Burkhauser, S., & Bacon, M. Effects of Dual Language Immersion Programs on Student Achievement: Evidence from Lottery Data. American Educational Research Journal. Research examining student achievement among children participating in dual language immersion programs.

Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota. Immersion Education Resources. Resources and research for families and educators, including information addressing common parent questions about immersion education and supporting a child when parents do not speak the second language.

Center for Applied Linguistics. Two Way Immersion Resources and Frequently Asked Questions. Resources for families and schools about dual language education, parent participation, language acquisition, biliteracy, and supporting students at home.