Raising a bilingual child in Dubai
Many families here speak two, three or more languages at home. Does it slow down speech? Here is what the evidence says.
In Dubai, a child might hear Arabic, English and another family language before they start nursery. Parents sometimes worry that so many languages will confuse their child or slow their speech.
More than one language does not cause delay
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is clear: using more than one language does not confuse children or cause speech or language delays. Children all over the world grow up with several languages.
Mixing languages is normal
Many bilingual children use words from two languages in one sentence. This is a normal part of learning more than one language, not a sign of confusion.
Count every language
Your child may know some words in one language and other words in another. When you think about how many words they use, count all their languages together.
Ways to help
- Speak the language you feel most comfortable and expressive in.
- Keep your home language going with songs, stories and everyday chat.
- Give each language plenty of real use: play, meals and time with family.
When to ask
A true communication difficulty shows up in all the languages a child uses, not just one. If your child struggles in every language they hear, or you are simply unsure, a therapist can look at all of their languages together.
