The Bilingual Edge - Campaign Launch
As a child, I told my parents that I wanted to learn Chinese. Given that this was in the days before DVDs (or even VHS tapes), they had three choices: ignore my request, buy me some Berlitz tapes, or find Chinese language classes for children. Because they valued education and had the means (and, in retrospect, were also fairly indulgent), they sent me to Chinese school for four years.
These days, kids don’t even get a chance to ask. Many parents plop their children in front of DVDs - even as babies - and some hustle them off to language classes before they are toilet-trained. Are these methods helpful or even necessary in order to teach a second language?
In the new book “The Bilingual Edge”, Georgetown University linguistics professors Kendall King, PhD, and Alison Mackey, PhD, discuss the whens, whys and hows of introducing children to a second language. Their website provides an introduction to the book, lists resources for bilingual education, and covers three of the myths concerning bilingualism (which definitely piqued my interest).
Fourteen of our bloggers received a copy of “The Bilingual Edge” to read and review. Please check out the schedule of blogger reviews below, and then return to PBN for our mid-campaign and round-up review posts.
Monday 8/6 - Jumping Monkeys
Tuesday 8/7 - Managing Motherhood
Wednesday 8/8 - Mama Tulip
Friday 8/10 - Mayberry Mom
Monday 8/13 - Stuff Con Queso
Tuesday 8/14 - Mummy’s Product Reviews
Wednesday 8/15 - Quarter Rest and Mid-Campaign Post on PBN
Thursday 8/16 - Soul Gardening
Friday 8/17 - PunditMom and Her Bad Mother
Monday 8/20 - Mom to the Screaming Masses
Tuesday 8/21 - Seabird Chronicles
Wednesday 8/22 - Mama Drama Stephanie
Friday 8/24 - Karianna
Monday 8/28 - Round-Up Review on PBN
Love, love, love this book! I have had it since it arrived from Amazon (pre-ordered it once I found out about it), and I continue to refer to it daily in my life as a mom of three children and educator of thousands! In fact, just this morning I trained 40 staff members in Downtown Miami about how to bring Spanish and English to life for young children at their YWCAs.
I refer often to the findings mentioned in this great and easy reading book as well as the realistic perspectives both of these moms/Doctors take on raising children to be bilingual.
I love that I created a well-rounded, integrated product line designed to do just what the book talks about…getting parents and caregivers involved with the child’s second language journey and making it fun!
Happy Educating!
Beth Butler
Founder of The Boca Beth Program
Thanks so much for your comments and review here! We’re thrilled that you’ve found the book useful and accessible. Our goal was to write a research-based book that was still fun and easy to read. Keep up with your important work. Adelante! Kendall