LINGUIST List 11.1942

Thu Sep 14 2000

Review: Baker: A Parent's guide to Bilingualism

Editor for this issue: Andrew Carnie <carnielinguistlist.org>



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  • [iso-8859-1] H�l�ne Knoerr, Review for Baker's book on bilingualism

    Message 1: Review for Baker's book on bilingualism

     Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 10:56:23 -0400
    From: [iso-8859-1] H�l�ne Knoerr <hknoerruottawa.ca>
    Subject: Review for Baker's book on bilingualism


    Colin Baker (2000): A Parents'and Teachers'Guide to Bilingualism, 2nd Edition, Multicultural Matters, Clevedon, England, 218 pages.

    By Helene Knoerr, Ph.D., University of Ottawa

    DESCRIPTION

    This 218-page second edition builds upon material presented in the first edition (1994); it also features new material addressing new issues related to bilingualism such as the Internet factor or international adoptions. The book is divided into six sections and follows a question-and-answer format by first discussing the general implications, then elaborating on available options, and finally, wherever appropriate, by suggesting a course of action. Sections deal with family issues, language development questions, typical problems, reading and writing, education, and more general, theoretical points.

    The author, Colin Baker, specializes in bilingualism and bilingual education. He has published six books and over 50 other publications on the subject. He was elected a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in 1994 for his work on bilingualism.

    The introduction clearly states that bilingualism is a sensitive issue as well as an umbrella term since there is no definition which is generally agreed upon. The level of proficiency expected from a bilingual person may vary widely depending on the definition one gives to the word bilingualism. Many factors, politics being a major one, contribute to that situation..

    The first section gives answers to seventeen family-oriented questions ranging from general ("What are the advantages of my child becoming bilingual?") to very specific ("I'm a one-parent family. How can I raise my child bilingually"?). Topics include the roles of mother, father and grandparents; bilingualism and the internationally-adopted child; language practice inside and outside the family home.

    Section B addresses twenty-five questions pertaining to child development issues. This is probably one of the most useful sections for parents, since misconceptions about bilingualism and language development abound in childrearing literature. Other issues include: the age and gender factors; the social implications of using a minority or marked language; the link between bilingualism and intelligence; the influence of the arts or the Internet; the interference of a second language on the development of the first language.

    Section C offers answers to specific problems that are likely to arise in bilingual situations. These range from language interferences to refusing to speak one of the two languages, as well as the impact of bilingualism in learning disabilities, stuttering, emotional and behavioral problems. This section also offers guidance in dealing with bias from racist individuals or misinformed health or education professionals.

    Section D focuses on reading and writing issues, which revolve mainly around three major questions: In which language should literacy begin? Is there a teaching approach better suited to bilingualism? Will the bilingual child learn at a slower pace and experience more difficulties than monolingual children?

    Section E, the longest and heaviest of all, is devoted to education. There is particular emphasis on the Canadian immersion schooling system, which is highly successful in all three stages (early, middle and late); the main features of this system are described, along with the language strategies used in the classroom. Other different types of bilingual schools are also listed and a shorter description of each of them is provided. This section then discusses achievement and underachievement issues. The point is made that as long as both languages are developed sufficiently to enable the child to follow the curriculum, functioning in two languages will not hinder the child's performance, although there is likely to be a temporary lag between the ages of six and ten years of age. The common assumption that a bilingual child's poor school performance is due to the fact that he is bilingual is dismissed. The author even suggests that special education children (i.e., children with learning disabilities, visually or hearing impaired children) may benefit from a bilingual program in many ways.

    Section F contains "Concluding Questions" related to many different topics. It lists a variety of sources, including Internet sites, which provide additional information, suggests further readings and offers links to various support groups.

    Finally, a 23-page glossary defines key words pertaining to bilingualism, not only those used in the book but also those one may find in articles and other books addressing the same topic.

    COMMENTS

    This book provides a good framework for the general public and parents interested in and concerned by raising bilingual children. Also, as a Guide, it not only presents options but also gives direction and advice based upon the author's extensive research background as well as his personal experience as a member of a bilingual family and community.

    Because the book targets bilingual families and the general public, its tone is definitely accessible, avoiding technical jargon (suggested readings are listed for those who wish to further explore the topic on a more academic level). It does however mention many studies in order to support most of the author's answers and recommendations.

    The question/ answer format makes it easy for readers to find help with their specific concerns. The book is well structured and easy to read. Many cross-references contribute to giving a complete answer to each question. The wide use of tables, color photos, illustrations, cross-references and bold typeface also contribute to making the book reader-friendly. The author uses images and metaphors quite liberally - and maybe at times too heavily - in order to better convey his thoughts.

    One may notice a certain amount of repetition throughout the book in the answers given to different questions. This is due to the fact that the guide is not intended to be read exclusively in a linear fashion: readers may be looking for specific information and jump directly to the section or question that deals with it without reading the previous pages or sections.

    The main criticism one may have is that the 'Teachers' part of the Guide is virtually nonexistent. In that respect, the book's title is quite misleading. While an entire section deals with education issues, these are exclusively addressed from a parent's perspective. Similarly, the Reading and Writing section offers no tips for teachers eager to develop those skills in bilingual schoolchildren. Consequently, the book is in no way helpful for teachers dealing with a bilingual classroom situation who are looking for advice on how to best help pupils develop their two languages.

    Also, the last section (Concluding Questions) is a catchall part with no real consistency. For example, one question is about raising a deaf child bilingually; this particular question would have found a more natural home in Section C (Questions about Problems). Another asks "Books on childcare and child development warn me against bilingualism. How should I react?"; the answer would be found in Section B (child development). Similarly, "Does my child have a right to bilingual education?" would more logically belong to Section E (Education).

    Overall, it is a good introductory book for parents looking for reassurance and resources to help them raise their children in a bilingual environment.

    REVIEWER BIO:

    H�l�ne Knoerr holds a Ph.D. in Applied Phonetics. She currently teachers French as a Second language at the Second Language Institute of the University of Ottawa. Her research interests include integrating phonetics in the language curriculum, teaching pronunciation through multimedia, and developing multimedia course material for French as a Second Language. She has authored several books and textbooks, published many papers and given a number of presentations at international conferences on those topics.

    ***************************************************************** H�l�ne Knoerr Secr�taire de l'ACLA/ CAAL Secretary Institut des langues secondes Universit� d'Ottawa 600 King Edward OTTAWA, Ontario K1H 7P7 hknoerruottawa.ca (613) 562-5800/ 3475 (613) 562-5126 (fax) http://www.aclacaal.org *****************************************************************