A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism

by Colin Baker

Overview

Written in a very reader-friendly style, the book is a practical introduction for parents and teachers to bilingualism. Straightforward and realistic answers are given to a comprehensive set of frequently asked questions about bilingualism and bilingual education. Areas covered include family, language, culture, identity, reading , writing, schooling and issues.

In the third edition, there is new or more detailed consideration of:

• Moving between countries, cultural adaptation

• Identity issues

• One parent - one language (OPOL) families

• Pre schools / kindergartens / nursery schools

• Helping with homework

• Dyslexia

• Language scaffolding

• Multilingualism and trilingualism; trilingual families

• Adoption

• WWW links, articles and books for further reading

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847690012
Publisher:	Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Publication date:	10/15/2007
Series:	Parents' and Teachers' Guides Series , #9
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Colin Baker is Professor of Education at the Universityof Wales, Bangor and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has three bilingual children and frequently gives talks to parents and teachers on bilingualism. He is the author of 14 books and over 50 articles on bilingualism and bilingual education, with specific interests in bilingual development in young children and bilingual education. His books include ‘Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (4th edition 2006) which has been translated into Japanese, Spanish, Latvian, Greek and Mandarin. He is the Editor of the International Journal of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education.

Table of Contents

Introduction

SECTION A

Family Questions

SECTION B

Language Development Questions

SECTION C

Questions about Problems

SECTION D

Reading and Writing Questions

SECTION E

Education Questions

SECTION F

Concluding Questions

Glossary

Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviews on Second Edition: The varied number of particular questions examined in this book make it of interest to parents, teachers, politicians, language planners, pediatricians, beginning students of bilingualism, and bilinguals themselves. This is a practical and informative book. Throughout it, the message that "bilingualism is valuable" resonates with authority and conviction.

Linguistlist - Carmen Silva-Corvalan

This book really met our family's needs - we are a bilingual family, in the exact same situation as Colin Baker and his family - which meant that the case studies were of real practical help. It is really useful to use as an arguing tool for anybody who comes up against prejudice against bringing one's children bilingual. It's also very easy to read, I feel I'll be referring to this one again!

A reader from Wales

Families around the world raising bilingual and multilingual children will breathe a sigh of relief to find Colin Baker’s third edition of A Parents’ and Teachers’ Guide to Bilingualism. With its expert answers and easy-to-read format, this book will be a touchstone for families just getting started as well as those needing guidance along the way. As the world changes quickly, Colin Baker has taken the initiative to seek out and answer the most pressing questions and concerns of today’s bilingual families including questions on dyslexia, multiliteracies and autism with the same ease and expertise that we have come to expect from him.

Corey Heller

This book demonstrates a keen personal involvement and relish in the topic of bilingualism. It succeeds both in being locally rooted in Wales and in making links to many other contexts and situations of child bilingualism. We are offered clarity and coherence by an author with wide personal and professional experience of a complex, changing and important topic.

Welsh Journal of Education 11(1), 2002 - Janet Laugharne

A question-and-answer book for parents and also teachers of bilingual children, dealing with family and educational concerns, language issues, achievement and underachievement, and common problems, and raising awareness of the challenges and rewards of bilingualism. Includes a glossary. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Sound advice given with erudition and simplicity is hard to come by. Once again Baker has put his encyclopedic knowledge on bilingualism to the service of parents and teachers. Every parent and teacher, no matter their circumstances, will feel their needs addressed in the sensible and generous information and guidance that Baker provides in this book.

Ofelia García

Baker's well-organised and informative writing is relevant to the parents and teachers of ANY bilingual child – he carefully considers issues from every angle, not just the norm. An easily-accessible, inspiring read which arms us with the confidence to make raising and teaching our bilingual children a success!

Cheryl Sánchez

This is the number one resource for any parent in a multilingual family. This revised edition is now even better than before with new sections on the latest developments (e.g. the internet, stuttering and translanguaging) and the great question and answer format allows you to read as much or as little as you want – a boon for busy parents. The text is written in a very straightforward style and is accessible, practical and the recommendations are feasible for almost all families. Nonetheless, years of study and personal experience feed into the text which is subtly nuanced and emotionally intelligent. If you are only going to buy one book, this is the one you should buy.

Claire Thomas

Baker's well-organised and informative writing is relevant to the parents and teachers of ANY bilingual child - he carefully considers issues from every angle, not just the norm. An easily-accessible, inspiring read which arms us with the confidence to make raising and teaching our bilingual children a success!

Baker's well-organised and informative writing is relevant to the parents and teachers of ANY bilingual child - he carefully considers issues from every angle, not just the norm. An easily-accessible, inspiring read which arms us with the confidence to make raising and teaching our bilingual children a success!

--Cheryl Sánchez, The Bilingual Bookshop, www.thebilingualbookshop.com

Sound advice given with erudition and simplicity is hard to come by. Once again Baker has put his encyclopedic knowledge on bilingualism to the service of parents and teachers. Every parent and teacher, no matter their circumstances, will feel their needs addressed in the sensible and generous information and guidance that Baker provides in this book.

Sound advice given with erudition and simplicity is hard to come by. Once again Baker has put his encyclopedic knowledge on bilingualism to the service of parents and teachers. Every parent and teacher, no matter their circumstances, will feel their needs addressed in the sensible and generous information and guidance that Baker provides in this book.

--Ofelia García, City University of New York, USA

This is the number one resource for any parent in a multilingual family. This revised edition is now even better than before with new sections on the latest developments (e.g. the internet, stuttering and translanguaging) and the great question and answer format allows you to read as much or as little as you want - a boon for busy parents. The text is written in a very straightforward style and is accessible, practical and the recommendations are feasible for almost all families. Nonetheless, years of study and personal experience feed into the text which is subtly nuanced and emotionally intelligent. If you are only going to buy one book, this is the one you should buy.

This is the number one resource for any parent in a multilingual family. This revised edition is now even better than before with new sections on the latest developments (e.g. the internet, stuttering and translanguaging) and the great question and answer format allows you to read as much or as little as you want - a boon for busy parents. The text is written in a very straightforward style and is accessible, practical and the recommendations are feasible for almost all families. Nonetheless, years of study and personal experience feed into the text which is subtly nuanced and emotionally intelligent. If you are only going to buy one book, this is the one you should buy.

--Claire Thomas, Waltham Forest Bilingual Group, UK

From the Publisher