Linguist Rikker Dockum on Raising Multilingual Kids (S4.E56)

Greg interviews repeat guest Rikker Dockum about the ups and downs of raising bilingual children, beginning with an update on (now Dr) Rikker’s life back in the US - including his own two kids, both products of two cultures. 

Next, Rikker segways into some common myths and truths about language acquisition. First, he dispels the idea that a parent needs to have a high level of fluency in a language to avoid hurting a child’s ability to learn it. In fact, kids are so adapted to learning languages that any exposure, even imperfect, is helpful. Second, Rikker discusses the ‘critical period’ of language learning for children, something this is true but subject to much debate about its depth and extent. Greg chimes in with his own experiences raising a bilingual son in Thailand. 

The guys move on to discuss many other language issues, such as how to motivate children, the difference between spoken acquisition and learning how to read and write, techniques for getting kids to focus on language lessons, and mixing multiple languages together. 

Listen in for a quite broad discussion of a common issue facing expats in cross-cultural marriages. 

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