As a language educator, parents raising children in a multilingual setting frequently ask me: “How can I raise my child to be multilingual?”
Yet each time I hear it, a more fundamental question comes to mind: Why do you want your child to become multilingual in the first place?
I have long felt that discussions around language learning are overly dominated by mechanics, about content and methodology. We debate what should be taught and how. Researchers dissect curricula, teaching approaches and assessment systems, while parents seek advice on language exposure, literacy and pedagogical strategies. Much less attention is paid to the deeper issue: What is language education for?
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