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Parents and Guardians Forum>Provider with poor English?
Unregistered 07:25 AM 01-29-2015
Hello everyone. I am in the middle of searching for home infant childcare for our first child. We visited one woman who appears to have a great program. My only concern is her English. She is Asian, and when she speaks I can understand most of what she says. I guess I should say she does speak English well, but the pronunciation and such makes it hard to follow. That's not problem for me, but I was wondering if I should be concerned about having an infant who will be learning English around someone who doesn't speak too fluently. Will this delay my child's language development? How concerned should I be? Thank you
Heidi 07:54 AM 01-29-2015
no...
Your infant will hear your language, too. In fact, being around a variety of sounds will most likely give him a broader experience.
I grew up with two parents who had German accents (and we spoke German in our home). I do not have an accent, and I speak English just as well as any other Wisconsinite.
Your infant will hear your language, too. In fact, being around a variety of sounds will most likely give him a broader experience.
I grew up with two parents who had German accents (and we spoke German in our home). I do not have an accent, and I speak English just as well as any other Wisconsinite.
daycare 07:59 AM 01-29-2015
I have an accent and sometimes fumble my words quite a bit. No one has ever said anything to me about it and the only problem I have encountered is teaching some of the letter sounds are harder for me. THe kids do think it's funny, because I will say the sound over and over and over until it's right, which causes them to do the same.
I think that me having an accent makes people listen harder.
I think that me having an accent makes people listen harder.
LysesKids 08:16 AM 01-29-2015
My 2 older children started out in daycare homes with Spanish providers, they both not only picked up the Spanish, but English and French (I learned French early on because of my grandparents & mom)... My youngest has knowledge of 4 other Languages besides English due to friends alone lol. Your child will be fine... this from a 15 year childcare provider with an Eclectic group of babies all under 19 months
Thriftylady 09:28 AM 02-09-2015
I know what you are talking about with the Asian accent, used to work with a bunch of them and at times I had issues understanding what they were saying even though they were fluent in English. I wouldn't worry about it though, kids have amazing power to adjust. I would ask her if she would speak her native language to my child as well, the younger they are the more languages they can pick up.
ColorfulSunburst 07:01 PM 02-10-2015
Originally Posted by daycare:
I have an accent and sometimes fumble my words quite a bit. No one has ever said anything to me about it and the only problem I have encountered is teaching some of the letter sounds are harder for me. THe kids do think it's funny, because I will say the sound over and over and over until it's right, which causes them to do the same.
same here.I have an accent and sometimes fumble my words quite a bit. No one has ever said anything to me about it and the only problem I have encountered is teaching some of the letter sounds are harder for me. THe kids do think it's funny, because I will say the sound over and over and over until it's right, which causes them to do the same.
AmyKidsCo 08:28 PM 02-10-2015
Honestly, I'd ask the provider if she'd be comfortable only speaking to your child in her native language, that way your child will learn 2 languages from the beginning, and possibly become fluent in both depending on how many years the child spends with the provider.
I have a Hispanic friend who speaks fluent Spanish and American, both without accents. When her family lived in Mexico the children went to Mexican school and the family only spoke American at home. When they moved to America they did the opposite - the children went to American school and the family only spoke Mexican at home. I wish I'd been able to raise my children bi-lingual.
I have a Hispanic friend who speaks fluent Spanish and American, both without accents. When her family lived in Mexico the children went to Mexican school and the family only spoke American at home. When they moved to America they did the opposite - the children went to American school and the family only spoke Mexican at home. I wish I'd been able to raise my children bi-lingual.
blueskiesbutterflies 03:39 AM 02-12-2015
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
Honestly, I'd ask the provider if she'd be comfortable only speaking to your child in her native language, that way your child will learn 2 languages from the beginning, and possibly become fluent in both depending on how many years the child spends with the provider.
I have a Hispanic friend who speaks fluent Spanish and American, both without accents. When her family lived in Mexico the children went to Mexican school and the family only spoke American at home. When they moved to America they did the opposite - the children went to American school and the family only spoke Mexican at home. I wish I'd been able to raise my children bi-lingual.
NICE ANSWER AMYKIDSCo Honestly, I'd ask the provider if she'd be comfortable only speaking to your child in her native language, that way your child will learn 2 languages from the beginning, and possibly become fluent in both depending on how many years the child spends with the provider.
I have a Hispanic friend who speaks fluent Spanish and American, both without accents. When her family lived in Mexico the children went to Mexican school and the family only spoke American at home. When they moved to America they did the opposite - the children went to American school and the family only spoke Mexican at home. I wish I'd been able to raise my children bi-lingual.
I have a reversed situation. I have two parents who speak Spanish from different countries. They put there child with me so their child could learn English but at home they speak spanish to the children. So, here the 16 month old and 24 month old knows the difference between the languages and uses both! I would not worry...I think it is a great experience for your baby.
Laurel 03:52 AM 02-12-2015
We had an opposite reaction when I worked in a preschool. The little boy was Chinese and both parents spoke both Chinese and English. They only spoke Chinese to him at home knowing that he would only hear English and learn it at school as their wish was that he be bilingual. It didn't work out that way. The children at school couldn't understand him and didn't interact with him as much as the others. So when the teacher suggested they speak some English to him at home as well as Chinese the problem corrected itself.
On the other hand, we had a little boy whose mom spoke French (she also spoke English). Dad spoke only English. That little boy was truly bilingual as dad only spoke to him in English and mom only in French. That combination seems to work out really well. Mom would speak to him in French at school and he would answer in English so he understood it.
Just my experience.
Laurel
On the other hand, we had a little boy whose mom spoke French (she also spoke English). Dad spoke only English. That little boy was truly bilingual as dad only spoke to him in English and mom only in French. That combination seems to work out really well. Mom would speak to him in French at school and he would answer in English so he understood it.
Just my experience.
Laurel