Receptive Bilingualism Explained; When Kids understand, but can’t verbalise

Receptive bilingualism, the ability to understand two languages but only speak one, can have various effects on a child. Let’s take a closer look to understand receptive bilingualism, and discuss strategies to help children further develop their expressive language skills.

Contents hide

1 Introduction

2 What is receptive language and expressive language?

3 What is receptive bilingualism?

4 What is an example of receptive bilingualism?

5 Is it common in kids who are processing more than one language?

6 A story of receptive trilingualism

7 What causes receptive bilingualism?

8 How do we help kids overcome receptive bilingualism?

9 Do bilingual people have a higher IQ?

10 Does ADHD affect expressive language skills?

11 At what age does receptive bilingualism become a concern?

12 How does bilingualism affect long term language skills?

13 Summary

13.1 Reference List:

Introduction

Receptive bilingualism can be both a positive and negative influence in a child’s life. A bilingual child has double the vocabulary of a monolingual child, can have better academic results, may have a stronger connection to parents’ and grandparents’ heritage, and their heritage language, and can have better career opportunities later in life. However, the “receptive” part of receptive bilingualism means a child struggles to vocalize their second language.

This can lead to losing or not becoming fluent in their second language, societal pressures to solely focus on one language, and a disconnect from family members that speak the mother tongue. Let’s research the positives and learn how any negatives can be addressed.

multiple languages, bilingual — Children can learn multiple languages from a very young age – the younger they learn, the easier it will be for them to become bilingual or trilingual

What is receptive language and expressive language?

Receptive language is the ability to understand words that are spoken to you as well as understand certain nonverbal cues. An example of the latter is if you, the parent, take out your car keys, your child will understand that it is time to get in the car. Receptive language also includes¹: hearing and seeing, understanding words and concepts, following instructions and directions, understanding whether something is a question or a statement, attention skills, and memorization.

Expressive language, however, is how people communicate. This is first expressed in newborns² when they cry out, whether it’s in hunger, anger, or pain. Each cry is slightly different; parents usually learn what each cry means, which helps them better understand their child’s wants and needs. This continues as children grow, learn to associate words with objects and feelings, and are then able to express themselves through spoken language.

If a child is struggling to understand words and language, they will have a harder time expressing themselves.

What is receptive bilingualism?

Receptive bilingualism is the ability to understand two languages but only be able to speak one. This is when a child simply watches and listens but doesn’t verbalize the language. Receptive bilingualism can also be the first step toward completely developed bilingualism but certain factors must be addressed to achieve this.

asian children, receptive bilingualism — Receptive bilingualism is the ability to understand two languages but only be able to speak one.

What is an example of receptive bilingualism?

An example of receptive bilingualism³ would be if your child understood both the English and Spanish languages, and could demonstrate their understanding by nodding or following instructions given to them in both languages, but is only able to speak English.

Is it common in kids who are processing more than one language?

Receptive bilingualism is not brought about by a child processing more than one language. In fact, this is a common myth⁴ that children will often become confused if they are trying to learn more than one language at a time. Children can learn multiple languages from a very young age⁵, and contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t usually delay their speech and literacy development.

bilingual children, bilingualism — Receptive bilingualism may be caused when kids are exposed to two languages, understand both, but may not be given the opportunity to practice one of those languages.

A story of receptive trilingualism

Having said this, in my experience, it can cause delays in language processing and I have seen this first hand in my experience as a child care director and pre-school teacher. I had a family with 3 children attend our centre, and these children were actually trilingual. Their mother was French and spoke to them predominantly in French. Their father was Chinese and spoke to them predominantly in Mandarin, and all 3 children attended childcare 5 days a week where educators and peers spoke to them in English.

The eldest child learned to process and speak all 3 languages quite quickly, as did the youngest child, but the middle child, while she seemed to process and understand all 3 languages, it took her longer to begin speaking and expressing herself in any of the languages. Her parents were quite concerned and approached me to ask if I think she should see a speech therapist.

Their daughter was only 3 and a half at this stage and though she was not verbally expressing herself much at all, she seemed to understand a lot, and listened well to peers and teachers, following instructions, participating in co-operative social play and displaying a generally happy, easygoing demeanour. My suggestion to the parent was to of course, seek professional advice from a speech therapist if she was overly concerned, but I said to her that we were not too concerned as educators, and I believed we should just give her some extra time, and plenty of opportunities to practice using spoken language, including making it fun.

I suggested a routine of reading stories before bedtime, plenty of conversations here and there, and not putting too much pressure on her as she was indeed, processing three languages at once.

Sure enough, by the age of 4 and a half, she was adept at speaking 3 languages, very confidently, and shortly after, began primary school, as she had displayed that she was more than ‘School Ready’.

What causes receptive bilingualism?

Receptive bilingualism may be caused when kids are exposed to two languages, understand both, but may not be given the opportunity to practice one of those languages. For instance, using the above example, if your child were to grow up in a Spanish and English speaking household, they would probably understand both languages. But if they go to school and the language that is predominantly spoken by peers and teachers is English, they may struggle with speaking Spanish because they may not be given as many opportunities to practice and use it in everyday life.

Another cause may just be that the child prefers speaking one language over another. This could be due to societal pressures or anxiety in not being able to speak the second language as well as the native language.

How do we help kids overcome receptive bilingualism?

Receptive bilingualism can be overcome with practice and exposure to both languages. Babies, kids, and adults alike learn best through interaction; kids need to be given the opportunity to converse with others using the same language. Confidence also plays a role in receptive bilingualism. If a child is afraid to speak a second language because they struggle and don’t want to be ridiculed or continually corrected, they may never try to speak in that language.

A child needs to know they have a safe space to speak, struggle, fail, and then try again. There are also professionals⁶ that might be able to help a receptive bilingual child: teachers, speech pathologists, audiologists, pediatricians, and psychologists.

Do bilingual people have a higher IQ?

The answer to whether bilingual people have a higher IQ seems a bit varied, but one thing is certain, bilingualism certainly can’t hurt your child’s IQ. In fact, there are several benefits to being bilingual: two different sets of vocabulary, able to more easily problem-solve, and can help expand social circles, plus many more possible cognitive benefits.

You can read more about IQ tests HERE.

Receptive bilingualism can be overcome with practice and exposure to both languages.

Does ADHD affect expressive language skills?

ADHD has been known to affect language skills. “Hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and distractibility…can affect language and communication,” according to a study conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute⁷. The struggle to focus on a single task as well as the possible lack of social cues can also add to a delay in receptive language and thus expressive language skills.

At what age does receptive bilingualism become a concern?

Receptive bilingualism can become a concern if it affects the child’s expressive language – being unable to vocalize their wants and needs – and continues to affect their learning ability. Receptive bilingualism can also cause problems at home if a child rejects their parent’s first language. This can cause family pressures, a sense of guilt from the child, and a sense of shame from the parents. If it’s a developing or ongoing concern, there are many places to go for support, but you could start by asking your child’s educators, your GP, your child’s health nurse, a speech therapist or by connecting with other families who also have bilingual children.

How does bilingualism affect long term language skills?

Bilingualism generally has a positive influence on long term language skills. As previously stated, bilingual children have double the vocabulary. They can also enjoy a greater variety of music, movies, and literature, expanding their knowledge and cultural experiences. It can also help communication in the home between children and their parents/grandparents, as well as with peers who may speak the same language/s. It’s also been thought that being bilingual can lead to better academic results and more career opportunities later in life.

Summary

Though receptive bilingualism⁸ has its complications, it can simply be a stepping stone to becoming a fully-fledged bilingual. With practice, exposure, and encouragement, kids can turn their receptive or passive bilingualism into completely developed bilingualism. Bilingual education opens up social and cultural experiences that can be very beneficial at both a young age, and as children continue to grow and develop, and enhances language and literacy skills on many different levels.

Do you have a bilingual child? Can they understand and speak both languages? Did they ever experience any language delays? I would love to hear about it in the comments section below..