Presentations

One Parent, Many Languages: 12 Strategies for Raising a Bilingual Child as a Solo Parent

Sophie Werheimer, Evaluation and research consultant

The One Parent / One Language approach is often touted as a strategy to support language acquisition in bilingual households. Not only does the approach’s efficacy remain inconclusive, but it problematically assumes that all children grow up in two-parent households. As the solo parent of a toddler, I have committed to raising a bilingual child through a “One Parent / Many Languages” approach.

Drawing from diverse sources, this presentation offers twelve strategies for raising bilingual children in single-parent households. The strategies are organized into four categories: parental mindset (including an evolving family language policy); childcare and education choices; socialization (through intentional participation in cultural activities, friendships, and travel); and media consumption (including books and television).

The work is informed by my lived experience as a parent, popular discourse from podcasts and “mommy blogs,” and academic literature in sociolinguistics, education, and communication studies (see King & Curdt-Christiansen, 2021; Kirsch, 2012). For instance, the writings of De Houwer (2020) and HaBilNet researchers provide rich evidence-informed strategies to foster harmonious bilingualism at home.

The presentation offers practical ideas that parents can utilize, while making a modest contribution to the conversation on language and parenting that moves beyond assumptions about what makes a family.

The Bilingual Recipe: What Research Tells Us about Supporting Early Bilingualism

Krista Byers-Heinlein, Concordia University

Across Canada, 18% of children grow up in bilingual homes, with rates reaching 25% in urban areas. Yet families, educators, and practitioners continue to grapple with how best to support children's development in multiple languages during the early years.

This presentation synthesizes key insights from two decades of research on early bilingual language acquisition, introducing the "bilingual recipe"—a combination of high-quality and high-quantity language exposure that supports children in developing proficiency across their languages. The session will address how infants are born ready to learn multiple languages, what distinguishes bilingual from monolingual developmental pathways, and how caregivers shape children's bilingual experiences.

Participants will learn practical implementation strategies for diverse family structures, as well as methods to assess current language exposure patterns and language development. Common concerns will be addressed through an evidence-based lens, including whether children experience confusion from hearing multiple languages, which family language strategies prove most effective, and how to support families navigating language delays or trilingual development.