Question: “Is multilingual education compatible with the Montessori method and if so, how should it be approached?”
Answer: There is an abundance of scientific proof available of an observable fact that has without a doubt existed since the very inception of language as a human instrument. It is the unique phenomenon that children, in the first six years of life, absorb effortlessly and perfectly the language of their environment, with all its complexities and nuances. Furthermore, if a child is born in a multilingual environment, it is capable of absorbing, also without effort and to perfection, two or more languages.
Another phenomenon is that children come into the world with the vital urge to communicate with those around them. In consequence, language, the most explicit means of communication of the human species, holds an irresistible attraction for children, from the very moment they are born. If we wish our children to become multilingual, these two phenomena are the essential elements to keep in mind, i.e their capacity to absorb languages and the forceful inner drive to communicate.
Therefore, it is necessary that in the child’s environment there should be persons with whom the child wishes or needs to communicate, who speak different languages. The children will learn these as a matter of course.
There is, however, a very important peculiarity to take into account: all persons must address the children in their own particular language and no other. This is a sine qua non if they are to absorb the structure and patterns of each different language. For instance, in a family if the father is French and the mother English, the father must communicate with the child in French and the mother in English.
In a Montessori Prepared Environment there should be people with different languages in order for the children to become multilingual. Sporadic lessons are of little use, for learning names, poems and little use, does not bring the full impact necessary to take in the totality of a language.
Furthermore, longitudinal studies comparing children who received formal foreign language classes from an early age (six) and adolescents who were first introduced to foreign languages at age fourteen to sixteen show similar levels of language proficiency at age eighteen.
Children are insatiable where language is concerned. It is imperative that the language addressed to them convey meaning, have a context and be rich, accurate and beautiful. To use sparse and simplified language with children is an affront to their intelligence and shows disrespect to their inherent aesthetic sensibility. It also undermines the intrinsic pursuit of perfection that causes precision and exactness to irresistibly attract them.
It is useful to realise that until six years of age children absorb language effortlessly. From six to twelve they are capable of attaining a language to perfection, with relative ease, provided they are immersed in an environment where that language is spoken. Beyond twelve it requires considerable effort to learn a language.
Another interesting fact is that children who are bi- or multilingual from their earliest years will retain a facility for learning new languages throughout their life.
There is very much indeed to be said for multilingual schools, for each language brings with it the ethos of its human group. Our world is in dire need of understanding other voices, other views.
AMI Communications – 2002/2-3, page 67-68
