How youngsters learn to bien parler
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ experts weigh in on teaching language, developing bilingualism early on and improving literacy
No one can argue that being bilingual isn't an asset. But at what age should one learn a second language?
"There is a fairly widespread belief, even in a setting like Montreal where lots of kids grow up bilingually, that there are costs associated with learning two languages," says Dr. Fred Genesee, Professor of Psychology at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥. In extreme cases, says Genesee, people may even believe bilingualism is the reason some children are language-impaired.
Research, however, suggests otherwise.
This May, learn more about raising bilingual children and other critical issues in children's language development, as ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ University's Centre for Research on Language, Mind and Brain presents the LOLA (Lectures on Language Acquisition) Series. Each week, a prominent ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ researcher and member of the Centre will address a topic in child language acquisition, presenting the latest research on early language learning, bilingualism, immersion teaching methods and reading skill enhancement.
The LOLA line-up is as follows:
May 6 - Talking to Toddlers: How to Maximize Language Learning in Young Children Presented by Dr. Susan Rvachew and Mahchid Namazi from ±«ÓãÖ±²¥'s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
May 13 - Raising Children Bilingually Presented by Dr. Fred Genesee and Caroline Erdos from the Dept. of Psychology
May 20 - Two for one? Learning A Second Language Through Content Presented by Dr. Roy Lyster from the Dept. of Integrated Studies in Education
May 27 - Teaching the World to Read: Understanding Literacy and Helping Effectively Presented by Dr. Robert Savage from the Dept. of Education and Counselling Psychology
All lectures are free of charge and will be held at 7 p.m. at the Bronfman Building, 1001 Sherbrooke St. W., Room 151.
The Centre for Research on Language, Mind and Brain (CRLMB), is a multidisciplinary research centre that aims to promote excellence in speech and language research, for the community, the clinic and the classroom. The Centre brings together researchers and scholars from a variety of disciplines, faculties, and departments at ±«ÓãÖ±²¥, l'Université du Québec à Montréal, l'Université de Montréal and Concordia University whose research focuses on the unique neurobiological and social endowment of language.
For more information, please visit: