Introduction

A child is bilingual when they develop the ability to communicate in more than one language. This is true no matter how skilled or confident they are in each language.
Bilingual children can hear more than one language from birth if each parent has a different native language and speaks their own language with the child. Children may also come across more than one language if their family moves to another country and the child attends nursery or school where a different language is used at home.

Bilingual children learn language through a series of stages

Words

Children develop an understanding of words and then a name ‘label’ which may include names of objects from all the languages the child hears.

The child may know the word in one language but not yet in their other language(s).

Sentences

To start with, the bilingual child will have only one set of ‘rules’ for sentences, but as they hear another language more, they will start to mix the rules from both languages or use the rules from the language they hear the most.

Children will use words from one language when talking in another, this is called code-switching and is typical in children learning more than one language.

Their sentences can sound incorrect or confused but this is normal in bilingual language development.

Final stage

The final stage is reached when the child can separate the words for each language and uses the right grammar rules for each language.

What you may see

When children start in a new environment, they may be quiet at first. This silent period can be short or continue for several months. They might use gestures or other non-verbal ways to communicate. This is different from selective mutism. Children may use both English and their home language in the same sentence. At nursery or school, they may sometimes speak only in their home language, but this stage usually passes quickly.

Strategies and advice

  • Parents should speak the language they feel most comfortable with. It is the quality of parent and child interaction that is important and it provides a good language model for the child to learn from.
  • Choosing to only use one language with the child will not improve the child’s language abilities.
  • Language is part of culture, so it is an important way for the child to feel connected to his or her community.
  • Members of the extended family may not speak English so it is important that the child can speak to them too.
  • Concepts developed in the child’s home language can easily be transferred to English.
  • Bilingual children need time to listen and respond, become familiar with the language used in school and adapt to the school routine.
  • Teach the child nursery rhymes, riddles, stories and songs from their home culture and language.
  • Look for opportunities for the child to play with children who speak their home language in playgroups, pre-schools or Saturday schools.

Contact us

If a child’s use and understanding of their home language is age appropriate or nearly age appropriate and they have appropriate social communication skills, there is no need to refer to speech and language therapy.

Bilingual children with speech and language disorders will show difficulties in all languages that they speak.

If you are concerned, please ring our telephone advice line for advice on telephone number 0303 033 3002. The advice line is open between 9am to 12 noon Monday (except bank holidays), Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

 

Last reviewed October 2025