Supporting child - first language is Polish

[caroljayne]

Hi there,

I have had a new little girl 14mths old start today G, her mummy is polish and only communicates with her daughter in polish - mummy speaks excellent English and is a single mum. Other family members ex husband/grandparents etc talk to G in English.

Little one has been babbling words but not sure if it's babbling or polish words - mummy is very relaxed about it all and says she is young and it's the manner/tone etc rather than what you are saying.

Never been in this situation before and Just wondering whether I should be doing anything extra at this stage to support G ?

What are your thoughts?

Thanks
Carol

[Lainey Lou]

Hi there, I posted a thread a couple of weeks ago about this as I look after a 2 year old Polish child who isn't really speaking yet and wanted some advice. Got some really good advice, but can't see the thread now, I named it Is it a language barrier? or something like that if you want to have a look for it. The main advice I got was that children who are learning 2 languages generally take longer to speak as they are taking it all in. Also, its good for the children to learn one language at home ie Polish and one language with their carer ie. English and not mix the two up. Just continually speak to her and look at books etc, just like you would with an English child. My mindee is gradually saying words now and the other say she said to me 'Look Puddles!' which I was really pleased about as its the first time I have heard her put two words together. Just tonutHope this helps! :) x

[Pipsqueak]

Ask parents for resources from home - like polish books, recipies etc. Get them to help you make some dual language posters with simple words and get them to teach you simple phrases.

Tons of stuff on Sparklebox to download.

go to your local library for books, cds etc also ask at the council if there is a polish community that you approach for other resources perhaps - is there a Polish shop in town or near you?

above all have fun!

[Zoomie]

i have just finished my second morning with my new mindee who is also polish and is 2y.

J says lots of words, but apart from potty (notsnik) i haven't been really able to understand her.

She did say thank you today though :thumbsup:

I mostly (obviously) speak to her in English, but when I feel she isn't listening or attention is elsewhere, I try and use the polish word (if known), but she so far just doesn't seem to understand me, so we have been doing lots of gestering etc

I have quite a long list of words, but so far have only had to use a handful.

For a 14m I wouldn't expect many proper words, even from a same language child so I would just carry on.

Like was said in that other i keep english in my environment and she obviously has polish at home.

HTHs

[caroljayne]

Thank you for your replies, It's always good to get other people's views and reassuring that I'm thinking along the right lines :-) we've had a very nice first morning.
XxXxX

[Zoomie]

must say my second morning went quite well too.

Yes we did have major tears not long after mum had left, but since then we have only had the occassional wimper.

she was playing happily when mum arrived, so think that has helped mum a lot too.:)

[youarewhatyoueat]

You can use a wide range of pictures and photos laminated, at the same time as saying words, have a picture of the car and lunch,highchair or things like that. You could also use empty polish food packets in the play kitchen, loads of polish food available in tescos now, try your toy library and if they haven't got anything ask, see if you could access the capital grant for some polish books. Have you a local playgroup that may have some resources.

[margimum]

I look after a 5 year old polish boy term time only.
Over the summer he went to grandparents in poland and returned to me yesterday having forgotten all his English!!!
Poor lamb came in chatting 12 to the dozen in Polish and then just looked in horror when I said 'hello'.
His English was so good before he went too. I felt so sorry leaving him at school, but he was happy to see his friends.
When he came this morning he was speaking some english words but had to keep stopping to think!
Hopefully by tomorrow he will be chatting away as usual:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[cherry pink]

one of my little ones j came to me in march at 16.5 months old both parents are polish and local friends are all polish ...her speech was pretty good for her age and in a couple of days was understanding what the rest of us were saying in english, i just spoke to her normally like i normally would and she picked it up in a flash... she went back to poland for 2.5 weeks and came back and hadn't forgotten any english. her english now is so much better than my other little one who is english and is over 2.5 years..
her mum and dad are thrilled that she will be bi-lingual and often ask me about some words that j uses.... the only word of polish that j sometimes uses is ''niet'' (sp) which is no, this only gets used if she's in a strop lol

[daisyboo1980]

children are very adaptable my partner is portuguese and all his family only spk that when together i no a little can count to ten and i no my colours :laughing: but his 4 yr old niece would say something in portuguese then turn to me and repeats in english which shocks her family as they didnt no she could talk english that well as its only spoke when im their

she is funny though she has been setting me homework and keeps say that i'll get there lol