Living in a multicultural country like Malaysia, many of us can effortlessly switch between two languages (being bilingual), if not three (trilingual) or more (multilingual). What does this mean for our children and how can we leverage on this opportunity? In this article, we share about the benefits of raising multilingual kids and what we can do to encourage our children to speak more than one language.
Benefits of encouraging multilingualism in children
1. Better control of the brain’s executive system
According to Leher Singh, Director for the National University of Singapore’s Infant and Child Language Centre, the brain’s executive system, the part that enables us to quickly makes sense of information we take in, seems to grow more rapidly in bilinguals. As the mind has to commit to two (or more) languages, the executive system shows greater mental flexibility; hence, helping the child become better at multi-tasking and develop more flexible approaches in problem-solving.
2. Learn new things faster
With greater flexibility in the brain’s executive functions, research shows that the brain is more open to differences. This enables the child to not only make the uptake of other new languages more efficiently, but also develop any learned skill faster, be it in school or other learning environments. The mental work of bilinguals also appears to provide protection against cognitive decline in old age.
3. Stronger ties with culture and community
With English being more commonly used in most urban households in Malaysia, being able to converse in their mother tongue will help children have a better sense of identity, have a stronger connection to their heritage and enhanced emotional bonds with extended family members.
In our increasingly diverse society, the ability to converse in other languages also allows the child to form relationships with a wider network, see the world from different perspectives, thus having deeper empathy for others.
Tips for raising a multilingual child
1. One Parent One Language
If the family is already a bilingual family, one of the easiest way to introduce a different language is for one parent to consistently speak in one language – the OPOL approach (One Parent One Language). For example, Mum might speak in Bahasa Malaysia, while Dad speaks in English. Another strategy some families might adopt is the Time and Place strategy, where another language is spoken on certain days of the week or in certain locations; for example, Mandarin is spoken over shared meals or on weekends. Ultimately, the most successful strategy is the one that is most enjoyable for your family and does not feel like a chore.
2. Exposing the the child to various materials
Alternatively, if the parent is not so proficient in another language, there are countless resources that parents and guardians could rely on to support multilingualism in the home. Families can come together by reading books, singing songs and listening to stories or podcasts in a different language, or watching movies and videos on YouTube. There are also many child-friendly word games that you could play – a simple one being ‘I spy’.
3. Sending them to a multilingual school
Look for schools, childcare centres and/or playgroups which employ multilingual or bilingual programmes. One popular option is Trinity Kids Malaysia, an award-winning school which offers an immersive multilingual curriculum. Focusing on the use of English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin from a first-language perspective, Trinity Kids students have the benefit of balanced exposure hours across all three languages in their core programmes.
The Trinity Kids philosophy
At Trinity Kids, exposure to multiple languages is just one of the facets of their holistic curriculum for young learners, centring on cognitive development (the mind), values-building (the heart) and early years nutrition (the gut) – a perfectly balanced approach on developing the Whole Child.
Founder of Trinity Kids Malaysia and mother of three, Daisy Ng, graduated from University College London with a degree in Economics and worked in investment banking in various cities around the world. Having started a family, her passion about optimising human potential grew and she furthered her postgraduate work in Montessori Early Years Education, as well as Applied Neuroscience from Kings College London. She is also Malaysia’s pioneer Dr Sears Health Coach, specialising in family and pre-natal nutrition.
Having previously bought the master franchise for Glenn Doman, a whole brain training programme, Daisy – further fuelled by her experience in early childhood education and her passion for exploring the human potential – developed her own philosophy for Trinity Kids: the Tri-Brain approach.
The Tri-Brain approach
The Tri-Brain Curriculum focuses on combining early learning through play with a gradual building on academic foundation and excellence. At its core, the Tri-Brain Curriculum addresses the following key areas:
1. Head (Cognitive): Comprising trilingual, creative curriculum using Whole Brain techniques to optimise a child’s potential. ​
2. Heart (Socio-Emotional): Creative-based, play-based and values-based holistic education to raise a mindful child.
3. Gut (Nutrition): Serving award-winning, wholesome and healthy meals designed by Daisy herself in her capacity as a Dr Sears Health Coach.
Students at Trinity Kids are also afforded a wide host of enrichment activities, ranging from language and numeracy enrichment classes (Chinese San Yu), performing arts (ballet, speech and drama), sports (Little Kickers, Taekwondo, Ready Steady Go) and so on. A typical day at the school see students enjoying breakfast in school, followed by play and movement time before classes start for the day.
Trinity Kids puts emphasis on providing all kids their time to run, climb, jump and play – clocking in active movements on a daily basis. Depending on the age group, different types of language, early numeracy, science and creative classes take place within their own classrooms. This is typically followed by a delicious and nutritious morning snack, prepared in-house with classes continuing thereafter.
To prepare students for primary school, Trinity Kids offer accelerated curriculum in their pre-primary levels, so it sets a higher individual baseline at entry level for all primary school types. Additionally, their blend of international and pre-KSSR curriculum ensures a wide exposure, keeping a flexible learning style in each child. As primary schooling preparation involves a whole lot of other factors that go beyond academic excellence, Trinity Kids ensures that their students are equipped with preparation of the mind, culture and independence before moving into the next phase of their education.
“Education is an investment in human capital and we want to make the most out of this exciting time in a child’s life and improve the outcome in their life,” says Daisy. “By immersing them in a multilingual environment, it does not only benefit the brain, but enriches their world.”
By Liyana Taff
This is a sponsored post by Trinity Kids Malaysia.
Trinity Kids Malaysia is an award-winning trilingual playschool and preschool , with a strong focus in learning through play from the ages of zero to three, and a robust primary school prep programme from ages four to six. The school firmly believes a child’s early years education is an amalgamation of 1) schooling experience 2) home environment 3) aligned philosophies with parent and school and 4) the child’s emerging unique personality.
Click here to learn more about Trinity Kids Malaysia.
