Hi
I am a UK registered Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who came across this interesting discussion by accident while searching for something on the internet.
If you are waiting for an NHS SLT appointment, and have clearly stated the languages spoken in your home on the referral form, you should be seen by a SLT who has experience of working with bilingual families.
The fact that the SLT will (usually) only speak English is usually resolved by having a bilingual co-worker, or interpreter present at the assessment, so that ?through? them the SLT can assess your child?s language ability in both/all languages. It may be worth stressing that you would like a Turkish AND German speaking interpreter present, or if this is not possible, bilingual parents may be able to help the SLT with the assessment to get over the language barrier.
Some other points in answer to the discussion above;
Please DO NOT stop using any of the languages spoken by your child or the family.
There is a universal function of brain development by which children are ?pre-programmed? to acquire language based on whatever languages they are exposed to in their environment. Children acquire language by listening/watching/interacting with people around them, so the best thing for any child is to get a ?model? of parents talking to them in the language that the parent is most fluent in (whatever that language is). This is better than a parent whose second language is English speaking to the child in English and (potentially) providing a ?degraded model? of spoken English as they themselves are not a native speaker. Obviously this depends on the parent?s competence in spoken English!
Children brought up in bi- / multi? lingual families start to learn the languages ?all mixed in together? - they often learn words for different things in different languages; e.g. ?cow?, ?schwein?, and ??.? (sorry ? don?t know any farmyard animals in Turkish!). Later on they work out that there are different languages and as their language develops they begin to say a sentence in German OR Turkish, instead of mixing the 2 together.
The ability to switch between 2 or more languages, sometimes even in mid-sentence, (called code-switching) is really useful (some things are easier to express in one language rather than the other) and is used a lot by bilingual people as a prominent feature of their communication with other bilingual people; you will hear this happening around you if you walk through any major town or city in the UK.
In linguistics L1, L2, L3 etc? is used to refer to the languages someone speaks, in order of their competence in each language (L1 being the language in which they are most proficient). I am assuming this is the way in which you are using ?L1, L2 and L3?.
Children are ? in fact everyone is - (naturally) more proficient in the language to which they have most exposure. So, before a child with multi-lingual parents starts full time school, L1 is likely to be the language spoken to them at home by their main caregiver. E.g. in the UK (presuming both parents speak their native language to the child); if Mum (French speaking) is out at work all day, and Dad (Spanish speaking) is at home with young child, prior to starting school L1 will be Spanish, L2 French, and L3 English (which is heard whenever they go out of the family home). However once the child has started school full time, English will be the language she hears during the majority of her waking hours, so her competence in English will rise over time, and eventually English will become her L1. Most families consider it important to maintain the use of L2 and L3 (Spanish and French) in the home, so that the child does not lose the competence in her family languages through lack of exposure over time.
There is no disadvantage either to normally developing, or language delayed children in being brought up bi-(or Tri-) lingual. In fact there is evidence that bilingualism gives children advantages in their learning, e.g. it can lead to better Maths / Problem-solving skills in later life.
There is no ?extra burden? on a young child who is acquiring language in a bi-/multi- lingual environment. Children acquire language automatically and without conscious effort. This process is not ?language learning? ? it is language acquisition, and is a completely different process. There is a ?burden? in learning a second language, once you have acquired your first, e.g. as an older child / teenager / adult. Young children who are lucky enough to live in a multi-lingual environment acquire language effortlessly in most cases, and, if they do need some help to acquire language this is due to a clinical language delay / disorder and has nothing to do with them living in a multi-lingual environment. Living in a mutli-lingual environment will not cause, or worsen an underlying language delay / disorder.
The only time when SLTs might recommend focusing on the use of one particular language is with older children who have more severe disabilities, who don?t have the cognitive / language ability to use one language effectively, so having to try to develop skills in another is ineffective / stressful for the child. Even so, I think it would be extremely unlikely for a SLT to advise dropping the use of a child?s home language entirely, as any child needs to communicate with family members who only/mainly use that language; it would more likely be in the context of ?it is inappropriate for this child to be included in modern languages lessons at school.?
If the SLT who sees your child assesses that she is delayed in her language development she will give you advice and strategies / games which you can play with your child to help develop her language skills. It is NEVER the direct work that the SLT does with your child which improves your child?s language. You the parents (and later school staff) are the ones who are with your child all day, everyday to carry out the activities / strategies the SLT has recommended, so it is YOU (with advice/supervision from the SLT) who will make the difference to your child?s language development.
SLT advice may include general strategies, or specific activities / games to play with your child. If it does include specific activities these should be easy to ?translate? into your own languages, so both parents can encourage language development. Don?t worry too much about promoting English; that will come later with increased exposure outside the family home. In theory, activities which promote language development should work on the universal underlying neuro-developmental process by which children acquire language, so improvement in the child?s language ability should result in improved competence in ALL languages which the child speaks.
I?m glad to hear you don?t have a TV. Lots of time spent watching TV reduces the time your child has to talk and play with you / other children, and so has a negative effect on their developing language. Evidence is beginning to emerge that watching even very small amounts of television, especially as a young child, increases the likelihood of children having an attention deficit disorder when they reach school age.
Hope this has been useful and that everything goes well with your SLT appointment.