<div dir="ltr"><h1>Speak your best language at home, expert advises</h1>
<h2><p>Expert says that's the best way to get kids to learn a language</p></h2>
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Published on Jun 11, 2013 <br>6:26 AM </div>
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-- ST ILLUSTRATION: CHNG CHOON HIONG
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<br><div class="">By Pearl Lee</div> <div>
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</div><p>IF YOU want your child to be good in English, speak the language at home.</p>
<p>That theory, however, may not always work, according to a linguistics expert.</p>
<p>Young children benefit more when parents converse with them in the
language they are strongest in, rather than the one they hope their
children will excel in, said Associate Professor Xiao Lan Curdt-
Christiansen from the National Institute of Education.</p>
<p>"Some parents here have the mentality that if they want their kids to
be good in a certain language, they will speak to their child in that
language, even if they can't speak it well themselves," said the expert,
who has conducted research on family language policy and how it affects
a child's literacy development.</p>
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<p>
</p><h5>Background story</h5>
<div class=""><p><strong>From Babble to Babel workshop</strong></p>
<p>HOW can parents help their children juggle two languages?</p>
<p>What goes on in the mind of a bilingual child?</p>
<p>These were some topics discussed yesterday at a workshop on early
childhood bilingualism, which focused on Singapore's education
environment.</p>
<p>Some 70 members of the public participated in the workshop, which was
part of the international symposium on languages organised by the
Nanyang Technological University.</p>
<p>The one-day "From Babble to Babel" workshop was sponsored by the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism.</p>
<p>It was led by a panel of seven experts, including Associate Professor
Xiao Lan Curdt-Christiansen, who shared their insights on the various
topics.</p>
<p>The purpose of the workshop was to highlight the potential and challenges of raising children who are bilingual.</p>
<p>Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Sim Ann said the
workshop, which focused on parents and caregivers, "can help young
children better adapt to and benefit from the bilingual environments in
which they grow up in".</p>
more at: <br></div></span></div><a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/speak-your-best-language-home-expert-advises-20130611">http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/speak-your-best-language-home-expert-advises-20130611</a><br clear="all">
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