Multilingual Early Language Transmission (MELT) - Mercator ...

This general division in years is further specified in a development in months by De Houwer
(2009). Below the important stages of bilingual development of children aged 0;6 – 5;0 years
(6 to 60 months) are presented.
Figure 3.2 Milestones in BFLA (Bilingual First Language Acquisition). Children’s early language development (De
Houwer, 2009: 37).
Baker (figure 3.1) divides bilingual development in phases of one year, while De Houwer
(figure 3.2) goes into more detail and specifies the bilingual development phases specific in
months. The two figures present common knowledge each other in the important changes
and developments bilingual children make. Around 1 year old the bilingual child produces his
or her first words, in each of the two languages that are spoken to him or her. A young
father or mother wonders in which language bilingual children say their first words. Is that
the language that the baby heard in the belly? Or are the first words either from the mother
language or from the father language, assuming the parents speak different languages to the
child. Are the first words from the minority language or the majority language?
Research has shown that language development is not affected by the language in which the
bilingual child says its first words; the child will possibly mix the words and languages.
However, De Houwer (2009) refers to the results of Genesee’s (1996) study that was focused
specifically on children’s language adjustments to unfamiliar adults. The results of this study
show that young children easily switch from one language to another and easily switch back.
According Sinka & Schelletter (1998) children over the age of two can adjust their language
choice to their limited language abilities. However, one language may appear to be far better
developed than the other (De Houwer, 2009: 46-47).
Educators and parents have to realize that bilingual children go through the same stages of
language development as monolingual children. Research shows that bilinguals between 1;7
and 2;2 are at similar stages of grammatical development as monolinguals at that age.
(Chávez-Chávez, 1984, Padilla & Lindholm, 1978). But important for any language
development is the condition to use the language or languages in daily life, therefor the child
must have enough language input so that he/she grows up in a language rich environment.
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