By Dr. Bob Titzer

In many areas of the world, infants learn two languages. In some areas of the world, it is common for babies to learn at least three languages. It is possible to teach babies many languages simultaneously. Fortunately, babies can also learn non-native languages even if the parents don’t speak those languages.

The first task is to figure out which languages to teach. You may want to consider several factors when deciding on which languages you want to teach your baby. I suggest listing the top 5 languages that you would like for your baby to learn.

Here are some main factors to consider when selecting the languages:

A. Family Backgrounds

If you or close relatives speak other languages, then it typically is a good idea to include those languages.

B. Worldwide Influence of Languages

A logical formula to compare the influence of languages was developed by linguist George Weber. The factors he used were: the

Here are the top ten:

• English
• French (62% as influential as English)
• Spanish (54% as influential as English)
• Russian (43%)
• Arabic (38%)
• Chinese (35%)
• German (32%)
• Japanese (27%)
• Portuguese (Brazilian) (27%)
• Hindi/Urdu (24%)

Obviously, it will be much easier to teach languages where members of the family speak those languages. If members of your household don’t speak other languages, please consider these options:

• Hire a babysitter who is fluent in another language or find a daycare provider who speaks another language.
• Form a social group with other families and invite a teacher (who is fluent with a native accent) to teach the children and adults using children’s books and natural dialogue situations.
• Use videos, books, computer software, and/or audio tapes to expose your child to other languages.
• Travel to areas (across town or around the world) where other languages are spoken and while there limit your use of English if you are trying to teach other languages.

C. Opportunities for Your Child in the Future

• There are cognitive benefits of knowing at least two languages -- including better executive control (explained in a later section).
• Your child will be able to communicate with many more people.
• Universities often have a second language requirement. For some people who are not exposed to other languages early in life, this requirement can be difficult. 
• There may be additional job or business opportunities for people who are fluent in multiple languages 20 or 30 years from now.
• Teaching your child multiple languages early in life could allow her to learn other languages more easily in the future.
• Your child may appreciate cultural differences more after communicating with people in other languages.

D. Learn How to Teach Babies Language Skills

The quality and quantity of a baby’s language environment have a profound impact on the child’s later language skills. In addition, the language environment in the first 18 months of age influences the baby’s brain processing speed. Babies who have been taught more words by 18 months of age typically know more words at age 3 and they think faster than babies who were taught fewer words by 18 months of age. In addition, language scores at age 2 predict reading scores at age 15.

When parents are teaching their babies more than one language then learning how to teach language skills becomes, even more, escribe your baby’s senses frequently throughout the day in English, and when possible, in other languages as well. In other words, talk about what your baby is looking at, tasting, smelling, listening to, and touching, and describe how your baby is moving. Talk about whatever your baby appears to be interested in as much as you can throughout the day. This should help your child learn the languages at or near the level of native speakers.

E. Start Teaching Languages as Early as Possible for Large Advantages

It is easier for a baby to learn non-native languages at a high level than it is for older children or adults. Two of the more difficult aspects of learning a new language are grammar and pronunciation. When young infants learn languages, they learn grammar naturally without needing to be taught through rules of grammar. Instead, babies learning English naturally figure out to add an “s” to make words plural or an “ed” to make them past tense. They even learn when to add an “ing” to words. They learn all of this without anyone specifically teaching them.

Importantly, newer research shows that babies who learn languages simultaneously from birth have more efficient brain development compared to babies who learn their first language and then sequentially learn another language. When babies learn languages simultaneously from birth, they have one area of the brain that is active for native and non-native languages. When they learn languages sequentially, they had a large area of the brain for the first language and a very small adjacent area of the brain for the additional language(s).

Babies who learn multiple languages simultaneously from birth also had better executive control which includes working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, the ability to filter sensory input, and the ability to stay on task. These are all very important, so please strongly consider teaching multiple languages simultaneously from birth.

• Opportunities for Your Child in the Future
• There are cognitive benefits of being bilingual, including being a more flexible thinker.
• Your child will be able to communicate with many more people.
• Your child may appreciate cultural differences more after communicating with people in other languages.
• Universities usually have a second language requirement. For some people who are not exposed to other languages early in life, this requirement can be difficult. 
• There may be additional job or business opportunities for people who are fluent in multiple languages 20 or 30 years from now.
• Teaching your child multiple languages early in life could allow her to learn other languages more easily in the future.

Consider introducing your baby to several languages simultaneously from birth to increase the probability your baby will be better at pronouncing words and grammar along with more efficient brain development for that language. Your baby can learn a wide variety of languages – even if you don’t speak those languages.

Living in the UK, five excellent choices (if there aren’t family connections to other languages) would be English, French, Chinese, Spanish, and German. The languages could be introduced at high, medium, or low frequencies. Even if you are only teaching French for 30 minutes a week for 4 years, there could be large benefits for your baby especially if you find an opportunity to learn French at a high level early in life. Possibly, there will be a French immersion class for your 4 or 5-year-old or maybe you will have other opportunities for your child to be immersed in the language.

I suggest choosing at least two languages that you will teach at a high frequency. You may want to include more high-frequency languages depending on your situation. If you’re not concerned about your child being fluent in that language as a toddler, but you want to keep the window open so your child can later learn at a high level, then you could introduce the language in a lower frequency. The point is that introducing your baby to several additional languages very early in life – even if it is in a lower frequency – is far better than waiting until later in childhood.

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