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Raising bilingual kids is a popular topic in recently years.  How to raise bilingual kids at birth?  How to start raising a bilingual child in early years?  What method to use? Is the bilingual parenting approach you have chosen working for your family?  When should I start?

A year from now you may wish you had started today. –Karen Lamb

Raising Bilingual Kids

You might have heard different methods of raising bilingual kids, such as One Person One Language (OPOL), Minority Language at Home (ML@H), Mixing languages or Time & Place/Context Method.  But, which method to follow?  Where do you start?

The Zookeeper

Adam Beck, founder of Bilingual Monkeys and Bilingual Zoo, shares his insight of raising bilingual kids from his teaching background, his own bilingual family experience, and his amazing collection of resources from his blog and his forum, Bilingual Zoo.

Adam with his daughter, early in their bilingual journey

His debut bilingual parenting book, Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability-Ideas and inspiration for even greater success and joy raising bilingual kids is a guide, a compass for parents who are new to this bilingual parenting journey.  This book is also an anchor, a spirit booster for parents who have been on the bilingual parenting journey and need more inspiration as children grow older.

Adam is passionate about raising bilingual kids.  Our two families have kids in similar age group.  We both started our bilingual parenting journey when our children were born.  Adam and I  both have taught in the international schools.  We both are passionate about bilingual education.

I have the great pleasure to interview Adam and have such an in depth conversation about raising bilingual kids.  Adam’s great sense of humor reflects in his writing, you know that very well if you have followed his blog, BilingualMonkeys.

Without further ado, let’s follow the bilingual family story of Adam Beck, author of Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability!

Enjoy.  Smile. Be Inspired!

Adam’s two bilingual children in action

Bilingual family profile of Adam Beck

Majority language: Japanese.

Minority (target) language: English.

Method used for Adam’s family: OPOL (One Parent/Person One Language) since birth of the children.

Location of this bilingual family: Japan.

Adam is raising his children in English and Japaneses in Japan.  Adam only speaks English to his kids.  His wife is Japanese and she only speaks Japanese to the children.  The children go to the local Japanese school.  The language used by the siblings when they are together is Japanese.  Adam speaks English to his wife.  His wife speaks Japanese to Adam.  Adam’s children have native proficiency of English at their grade level in speaking, reading, and writing.  Adam’s children are currently 12 years old and 9 years old. (2016)

Watch this extensive conversation with Adam Beck, author of Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability: Ideas and inspiration for even greater success and joy raising bilingual kids now right here.  If you are raising a bilingual child now or if you are thinking about raising your child in more than one language from birth you will  enjoy this lively talk with Adam Beck, the entertaining and creative founder at Bilingual Monkeys and The Bilingual Zoo.

Adam shares his bilingual education expertise with us as a writer, a coach, a teacher, and a parent.  You will get to know the highlights from his new book on raising bilingual kids, his personal language background, his bilingual family story and how you can not only stay strong on the bilingual journey but expand the horizon and maximize your child’s bilingual ability with joy!  Quick takeaway: Be serious and be very playful!