Raising Children to be Bilingual

Statistics show that about 43% of the world's population speaks at least two languages. Before you get even more intimidated, however, realize that much of this is by necessity, often because of geographic location or the ethnicity one is born into. In this episode, we sit down with two moms who are teaching their children a second language by choice, although not necessarily for all the same reasons. You'll meet Merry MacIvor Anderson, a Caucasian from Tennessee who speaks only Spanish with her two boys. And Daniela Ciliberti Nichols, an Italian married to an American, who is teaching her three children Italian in the midst of an English-speaking culture.

If you're a parent (or grandparent) interested in exposing your young children to another language, here are some articles I think you'll find helpful and encouraging:

Raising a Bilingual Child: The Top Five Myths

Raising Bilingual Children

Raising Bilingual Children: The First Five Steps to Success

How Your Child Can Benefit from Being Bilingual

As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated! Just leave a comment below or email me at podcast@daviddurham.org.

How Bilingualism Enhances Your Creative Flow

A good friend recently sent me a clip of video philosopher Jason Silva commenting on an article in Fast Company. Silva, who is bilingual and multicultural, resonates with the assertion that those who are bilingual and multicultural have multiplied channels of creativity. This is certainly true of those who are raised in bilingual families. But the benefits are multitudinous for anyone who learns another language, no matter when they undertake it. This is due to the fact that when you learn to express yourself in another language, you are not simply replacing English words with other words; you are accessing parts of your brain that have had to develop, through exercise, that had not previously been developed. Creativity is not relegated to the arts; it can and should pervade every sphere of human activity. More on that later!

Are you bilingual? How has this enhanced your creative processes?