To want Nanny to speak all German to kids?

[mika2]

German Nanny (fluent English) starts next month 4 days a week (8-6pm) and I think it's a great opportunity for kids to learn German. They are 3 and 1. Nanny said she was happy to do so during interview. I have very rusty conversational German and also plan to practice my German. I would like her to only speak to kids in German from day 1 and read German books, sing songs in German, watch German cartoons on iPad etc with the aim of them having a good understanding of the language this time next year, rather than just knowing colours etc. Anyway DH thinks it's crazy and kids will be very confused etc. He vetoed putting this in her contract and doesn't see having a second language as a priority whereas I feel really strongly about it... Just to be clear I didn't deliberately hire her because she is German, we liked her and it was an added bonus. Who is BU?

"It is perfectly possible that the children will respond to the nanny in English despite her speaking German to them all the time - this is not a problem - she unerstands English. What woud be usual is for her to them repeat their answer back to them in German, but not to insist on them then saying it in German..... They will speak German as and when they are ready."

A friend of mine, as a teenager, went as an au pair to France, tasked with speaking English to the young children. She said she spoke English to them but they normally replied in French, but critically if she asked them to, 'say that in English', they could.
Of course the range of language used by toddlers is small, as is the sentence structure. It takes years to master even your mother tongue, never mind a second.

If I were you I'd want to be very clear that you were committed to finding another German Nanny if this one left before you went down this route. Fluency in a second language is amazing, but being bilingual is known to slow down progress in the primary language (progress is a bit affected in both languages if they are being acquired as joint primary languages). The benefit of having a second language FAR outweighs any spelling confusion or delays in literacy etc but if you aren't really committed to maintaining the German then it's probably a bad idea to go whole hog immersion - I'd get the Nanny to teach them songs, games, phrases etc.
If you are committed then I'd be looking at German language playgroups, holidays etc etc over the coming decade to ensure the language sticks. Young kids acquire AND lose languages very easily. So if it's a passing whim YABU but if you see an opportunity and you are committed (for the next 10 years at least) then YANBU!!

"What would be usual is for her to then repeat their answer back to them in German, but not to insist on them then saying it in German"

While that is what a conscientious mother raising her child bilingually tries to do, that may feel like an onerous task to a mere nanny, especially if the 'project has been thrust upon her and she would actually prefer to be speaking English.

While that is what a conscientious mother raising her child bilingually tries to do, that may feel like an onerous task to a mere nanny, especially if the 'project has been thrust upon her and she would actually prefer to be speaking English

Eh the nanny was told at the interview that they wanted her to speak only German to the kids. She might prefer to be speaking English, but it's not the job she's been hired to do!

I really can't think of many situations where I'd rather speak a foreign language (including English) rather than my mother tongue.
The nanny will find it easier to speak German.
And it's not as she can practice much from very young children (a 1 year old, really?).

but being bilingual is known to slow down progress in the primary language

Can you provide a source for that?

Can't believe there are so many nay-sayers. Fantastic opportunity - go for it!

aim of them having a good understanding of the language this time next year, rather than just knowing colours etc.

The OP never mentioned fluency. FGS.

Reading back the OP, why did your OH veto her speaking in German? What are his reasons? Would he veto you speaking in German to them if you were of German origin, or learning together? The children WILL NOT be confused. Even if it's not a priority, it's of benefit to them.

Show him links like these:
frontiersacademy.org/top-5-reasons-child-will-benefit-learning-foreign-language/
www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2009/05/learning-second-language-good-childhood-mind-medicine
www.aatg.org/resource/resmgr/Promoting_German/Early_language_learning_rese.doc

(and some pps on this thread should read too)

I think its great, I have a friend who did it but with another european language. The deal was she responded to the children speaking English but she only used her language, after sometime she encouraged them to speak her language and eventually only responded to them if they spoke her language. The children are fluent in her language and have been to summer school in her country. It is an amazing advantage and the children didn't seem stressed at all. I think it is different if a non English child arrives at say an English speaking nursery and the staff don't understand them, that is stressful as child can't be understood but if child asks for something and gets it with an explanation in the other language its not stressful.

but being bilingual is known to slow down progress in the primary language

AFAIK, this is true, but slowing down progress is not the same as preventing accomplishment.
Bilingual children may learn each language more slowly than those who only learn one (BTW, truly bilingual children don't have a primary language), but they are learning TWO languages.
In the end, they end up speaking fluently TWO languages, instead of speaking fluently only ONE.

"Eh the nanny was told at the interview that they wanted her to speak only German to the kids. She might prefer to be speaking English, but it's not the job she's been hired to do!"
Because she has agreed to it doesn't mean she is highly motivated to maximise the children's exposure to German. She isnt their mother and may not care if the project is a success, in fact she might prefer it fails and the OP tells her she can speak English.

"I really can't think of many situations where I'd rather speak a foreign language (including English) rather than my mother tongue. The nanny will find it easier to speak German."

Youre not allowing for the higher level of motivation of non English mother tongue workers to master English. As she is already "fluent" I presume she has progressed beyond the point where it feels like hard work anyway.

I work as a German language tutor for younger kids.
Before you go ahead please make absolutely sure the nanny is happy to do this, because in the beginning it will make her job harder.
If your nanny is happy with German only, i would start speaking German. Translating back and forth will make it painful for everyone involved but essentially, seeing as you hire a nanny and not a tutor let her and the kids work it out and if they and up speaking mostly English let it go.

Sorry not to derail the thread-My child is bi-lingual German and English Emmerroos.There was no delay in their language development or reading and writing skills and have not noticed this amongst the bi-lingual children we know.

grannytomine
I think its great, I have a friend who did it

That's really interesting as you are the first person on the thread who has direct experience of this in England.
How long did the nanny stay do you know, and did your friend do much to reinforce?

eek! aren't other things a priority...like fun....a nice rapport with nanny. If the children enjoy some German great ,thats a bonus.

Seriously do some people here not get what an advantage it is to learn a second language at an early age. Children who start early pick up other languages easier later. In lreland everyone learns lrish at 4. I find the children who have already been exposed to another language at home pick it up so quickly. Do it but don't be totally regimental as if your child is sick they might need comforting in English.

I have heard that the thing about language acquisition being later in bilingual kids too. But also understood that this is only noticeable in the early years and that bilingualism means that later attainment is higher. A good friend of mine was a very late talker and it made his parents panic and stop speaking mandarin to him as a young child. He now only speaks English and really regrets their decision.

crystal
Emeroos is right there is plenty of evidence that it does cause delay. Your children may have been even more advanced in their mother tongue had they been raised monolingual, but certainly the benefits of bilingualism are greater than the losses.

so funny, everywhere else in the world where people can afford it, this is the norm.

It's not groundbreaking FFS. It's keeping up with the rest of the world.

Do it but don't be totally regimental as if your child is sick they might need comforting in English.
Ah the slippery slope. I say no be strict 100% German.

Your children may have been even more advanced in their mother tongue had they been raised monolingual - no, I don't think that there's evidence that bilingualism impairs acquisition of either language in the long run. My understanding is that it delays it.

"everywhere else in the world where people can afford it, this is the norm"

That is true. BUT it is nearly always English and you are not allowing for the fact that English is becoming a necessity not a luxury that people feel they must achieve almost at any price.

Youre not allowing for the higher level of motivation of non English mother tongue workers to master English. As she is already "fluent" I presume she has progressed beyond the point where it feels like hard work anyway.

I AM a non-English mother tongue person. Even as a fluent English speaker, I prefer my mother tongue, except in some situations (work, mostly). And knowing many people who are fluent in English, they still prefer their mother tongues.

"My understanding is that it delays it"

Yes exactly. Not sure what point you are making?

BUT it is nearly always English and you are not allowing for the fact that English is becoming a necessity not a luxury that people feel they must achieve almost at any price.

That is quite irrelevant from the point of view of either the children or the nanny.

English speakers benefit from learning other languages. Any other. (see links and people's experiences on this thread)