When does bilingual child start speaking 2nd language?

[IamPotty]

DS, almost 3, doesn?t speak his 2nd language but responds to his Father in English. Initially the 2 languages were very mixed, now he seems to have weeded out all of the 2nd language, though he understands it perfectly and enjoys reading and watching DVDs in that language. Is this common? When is he likely to actively start using his 2nd language?

Thanks Happier and UKcloggie.. no doubt I'll be back on panicking with the rest of you when my wee one starts to speak (or not!) and you'll have to remind me of all I just said! LOL.

read this post with great interest.
We never practiced opol.
we speak french and english consistently with 3 year old DS since he was born. we read books, tell stories in both languages. He can perfectly understand and speak both, sometimes with an odd accent.It doesn't matter.
I think the main thing is that we are happy to communicate a lot with him and expose him to friends who also speak both languages. He perfectly knows who speaks what.As long as he is exposed to people who are happy to communicate with him, he is happy to make an effort.
I have further evidence of the fact that communication and environement are paramountin the fact that we are originally from morocco and our native language is arabic. DH and me speak to him in arabic also. He understands everything but does not speak properly because he is not exposed to other children or carers who speak arabic. However when we go to Morocco on holiday, after a few days, he will start chatting to his cousins and instictiveluy fills the gaps in frenche because he knows that's their other common language.
I say do not worry too much about method. Just be happy to communicate a lot and try joining play groups to expose him to his other language in a playfull environement.
Maybe I was just lucky?
Good luck.

Hi Slim, that was an interesting post.. I think your experience is very much affected by your background. I´ve seen in N Africa how Arabic and French can be completely mixed together in a conversation and that there is normally a lack of awaremness that this is happening. In this environment this is fine; it´s something of a norm.

But in the UK, I would be worried that as he gets older and will be expected to talk coherently, that he will have problems using only one language in a conversation with monolinguals. This is definitely something to bear in mind if you spend a lot of time with multilingual people. On a certain level, it makes the mind a bit lazy when you don´t have to be disciplined enough to find the word you want in one language if you can just add it in in another. What do you think?

hi,
do agree with everything you said potty.
However, evironement is key as you said.
DH and me have both been educated at the french lycee + law school and lived 12 years in Paris. So our command of french is more than adequate. Intellectually, we are completely immersed in French culture. This was always going to be something that we would naturally pass on to our children.
It happens that 8 years ago we moved to London and settled here. Our son was born here and is likely to be schooled here for most part of his young life. We work in english and "live" eryday life in english (yes we do dream in english sometimes)so this also comes aturally.
As I said before my only problem is arabic. No consistency there, so not much improvement.

I have only one tip.
Speak german consistently at home and during one on one conversations.
that's what we did. French and some arabic at home, and english to communicate with outside world.
Of course, now that he has started nursery and systematically engages in play in english. What we tend to do is follw his lead when he intiates the conversation. But when we start a conversation it's always arabic or french and we guide him to repond likewise.
Good luch....and persevere.

sorry for typo mistakes, it's early and i'm multitasking. good day!

I'm pleased and proud that both dc (6.5 and 3.5) are bilingual as they speak English at home and French at school/nursery/with friends. It's true that ds is not as fluent a talker as he might have been with just one language but he's progressing nicely.

Dd uses "si" instead of "if" as in 'Is it okay see we go outside now?' Which I think is cute. She'll grow out of it, like saying mistick instead of lipstick.

You too! Thanks for messages!

To answer the question directly, they both began hearing French at 18mos, when they were sent to a maman de jour, who spoke no english. I sent them 3 days/week and French & English came completely naturally to both. I never worried about it.