BLOG #8 Bilingual Activities

Bilingual activities offer the possibility of maintaining the ability to speak a second language fluently. These activities are available through schools, churches, and of course, at home. Parents invest a substantial amount of time, dedication, and money to keep their children bilingual. Conducting this survey and gathering people's ideas was a great experience. I have gathered successful ways of teaching and sustaining a child's bilingualism to share with parents and people who are interested in this. 

The church where I conducted my survey is a special place not only because it offers masses in both English and Polish, but because it is a community. There are four Polish dancing groups; depending on your age and experience. There is a Saturday Polish School and religion classes. There is a soccer team called the Polish Eagles that young boys and men aspire to join. The Polish Scouting Organization holds their weekly troop meetings in an adjoining building. There are also various festivals, bazaars, dinners, dances, fundraisers, and groups of interest to join. So many opportunities to speak Polish! 

The Waldorf School, Oakland Steiner that I visited, offers each grade the opportunity to study German for their entire elementary school career. The Waldorf schools attract families that have recently moved to the United States from Germany, France, Austria, and Spain because Waldorf schools are very prevalent in those countries. Parents show interest in creating parent groups that meet often. They knit, crochet, and felt toys for their children's classrooms. Their conversations revolve around exchanging recipes, stories about their culture, child rearing advice, and trying to assimilate into a new culture while keeping ties to their native culture. They and their children have opportunities to speak different languages with each other. The teachers often invite parents into the classroom to share stories, show items, and make recipes from different countries and cultures. 

The French School of Detroit attracts families who are serious about their child becoming fluent in French through an immersion program. This school also attracts people who move to the United States from France and Germany for a 1-3 year contract and then return home. These families need a support system in helping their children maintain their fluency of French. They also search for a community which will allow them to feel connected to their culture, goals, and language. 

Does your child attend any bilingual activities?

Second Language School	44	27%
Dance	18	11%
Religion	25	16%
Sports	6	4%
Tutoring	8	5%
Scouting	29	18%
Traveling	20	12%
Other	11	7%

Second Language School seems to be the most popular bilingual activity! It was interesting to learn that people consider traveling as a bilingual activity because it was not something that I had thought of to give as a choice on the survey. I am glad that I added the "other" choice. 

Scouting is the second most popular bilingual activity. Growing up, my sister and I were a part of it. Belonging to the Polish Scouting Organization has been the most important instrumental activity in supporting me with remaining bilingual. I have traveled to most states and countries joining other scouts from all over the US and world and participating in trips and jamborees. I have met friends from all over the world and have traveled to visit them over the years since I have been sixteen years old. Being able to speak Polish has allowed me to fully enjoy the rich cultural experience of scouting such as singing beautiful songs and communicating with scouts of all ages.

I understand that people's lives are busy and that finding a comfortable rhythm in life is an art that is always changing. My parents choosing scouting as a bilingual activity was a wise choice. My parents were both scouts in Poland as children. Both of my parents have an immense appreciation for nature, travel, and making connections with new people. Belonging to scouting was a way of life for m family. My mom came to camp as the camp nurse when we were under ten years old. My dad came to visit on the weekends and led lessons that involved learning the names of trees and building a fire correctly. We were able to spend time together as a family and use our native tongue in speaking, reading, singing, and teaching others. When choosing the right bilingual activities for your child and family, it is important to keep in mind how it's going to enrich life. 

Other than English, does your child study a language other than English at school?

Yes	62	74%
No	22	26%

It was encouraging to see that 74% of people said that their child studies a language other than English at school. All of the schools I have taught at offered a second language but I know that many schools cut language programs when funds become scarce. I wish more schools saw language programs as something essential instead of unnecessary or debatable. 

		If so, what language or languages? Ukrainian 9 10% Polish 5 6% Chinese 7 8% American Sign Language 1 1% Hebrew 1 1% German 15 17% French 17 19% Spanish 27 31% Russian 1 1% Japanese 2 2% Arabic 3 3% Google Drive only listed the languages that are studied at school. I went through all 117 surveys and tallied all languages studied. I had to make a new survey using only the question "If so, what language or languages?".  The results are depicted in the pie chart above.  How many times a week? 1-2 days a week 16 26% 2-3 days a week 8 13% More than 3 days a week 38 61% These results show that language programs at school seem to be successful because 61% of people stated that their children study a language other than English more than three times per week. This has been the most encouraging piece of data so far!