Frequently asked questions
What is passive bilingualism?
It's when a child understands a language almost completely but doesn't produce it. It is very common in families living abroad: the child hears the language at home, processes it effortlessly and answers in the language of the country. Understanding and speaking are two different skills and they develop separately.
Is it too late if he's already ten or eleven?
No. The Spanish is already in there after years of hearing it, so what you're doing is activating it, not building it from scratch. That works the same at six and at twelve.
How many hours a week does it take before he starts speaking?
As a rule of thumb, under two hours a week you rarely see progress. From three or four hours of real use, speaking and not just listening, children usually start producing sentences of their own within a few weeks.
Does growing up with two languages confuse him or slow the other one down?
No. Decades of research on bilingual children point the other way: it tends to help with focus and switching between tasks. Your child isn't confused, he just picks the easy language when nobody gives him a reason not to.
And when you want to hear him speak
The plan works on its own, but what unlocks a child is talking to someone who doesn't understand their other language. The trial class costs €3 and lasts 30 minutes.
Book the €3 trial classGroups of 4 to 6 children, native teachers, no lock-in.
