But there is also the question of how much money you want to, or can spend. If your resources are limited, I’d recommend starting teaching the child a new language not before the age of 2 or 3 (when he or she can already speak one language decently) or even later, but it’s a good idea to start before puberty, around which time language learning skills seem to diminish. The thing to remember is that for language learning to be useful and “permanent”, the child has to continuously use the language to not lose it. So if you start at age 2, then calculate having to pay for learning every year until he becomes an adult! Even as an adult, you can lose a language if you don’t use it regularly, although it’s somewhat more permanent than for a child. That being said, starting a language early, and “losing” it often still makes it easier to relearn it later.

The wonderful thing about language learning (and knowledge maintenance) today is the internet – it’s so much easier (and cheaper) nowadays to find media, films, and even connect with native speakers online than in the pre-internet world.

Though a word of caution; there is some evidence that for children who don’t speak yet, showing films or playing tapes is pretty much useless, as they don’t seem to respond to it like to real live people. On the other hand my experience is that our child, who doesn’t speak yet, responds to people on the screen through Skype exactly like to a live person.

I speak Spanish (not fluent by a long shot, but conversational) and wondering if I should start speaking Spanish, playing music and and reading her books in Spanish with her? I’m definitely hoping to find Spanish speaking mom and kid playgroups in Delhi but not sure if that is possible.

thanks for any insight or tips!

It’s Suzanne. I finally figured out how to leave comments….easy task…long story. I have been wanting to say THANK YOU. Thank you for sharing YOUR stories, your thoughts…they inspire me. I’m getting a little nervous about our “trilingual journey” as my due date approaches. I am looking for iphone spanish language apps and online french classes for me.

As far as the annotated bibliography Im waiting to get it back from my professor. I want to edit it, but do want to say that I learned a lot. A lot of what I’m sure the “experts” have and will share about multilingualism.

saludos,
suzanne

Please share your bibliography on trilingualism when it is prepared. I would love to learn more.

We are raising our sons trilingual. I speak to them in Spanish and my husband speaks to them in German. My husband and I speak to each other in English. It is amazing how well my two and half year old can move between languages.

Good luck on your own trilingual journey, and please share what you learn.

Susan

After reading Suzanne’s post about her continued commitment to raising their baby to be trilingual, I continue to find myself so very thankful for the SpanglishBaby community that Ana and Roxana have built here! Gracias/Thank you
.-= Beth Butler´s last blog ..Math Skills, Language Skills, Gross Motor Development and so much more with Five Little Monkeys bilingual song fun! =-.