Mapping out the right language route for your family

Expert advice to simplify the complexities of language acquisition with practical, easy-to-understand guidance tailored to your family’s needs.

 

 

Essential guidance for your multilingual family, from birth through the teenage years.

Raising a multilingual child is a journey filled with unique challenges and rewarding milestones. Our comprehensive guidance supports your family every step of the way:

  • Early Childhood (Birth to 5 years): Establish a strong foundation in multiple languages with our expert advice on language exposure, family language plans, interactive activities, and effective communication strategies.
  • School Age (6 to 12 years): Navigate the complexities of formal education in a multilingual setting. We offer tips on balancing school language requirements with home language use, integrating language learning into daily routines, and fostering a love for languages through engaging resources.
  • Teenage Years (13 to 18 years): Support your teenager in achieving fluency and cultural competency. Our guidance includes advanced language skills development, preparing for language exams, maintaining motivation, and embracing bilingualism as a valuable asset for their future.
Assistance with the transition to a new language environment.

Transitioning to a new language environment can be both exciting and challenging for your family. At Bilingual Compass, we offer comprehensive support to ensure a smooth and successful adaptation:

  • Pre-Transition Preparation: Get ready for the move with our pre-transition resources. We provide practical tips on familiarizing your child with the new language and culture, addressing potential anxieties, and setting realistic expectations for the transition.
  • Arrival and Adaptation: Once you’ve arrived in the new environment, our guidance continues with strategies to immerse your child in the new language while maintaining their native language. We offer advice on integrating into the community, finding local language support resources, and creating a balanced language routine at home.
Resources to maintain and nurture your heritage language.

Preserving and nurturing your heritage language is a vital part of your family’s identity and cultural heritage. At Bilingual Compass, we provide the tools and resources you need to keep your native language thriving:

  • Family Language Plans: Develop a customized family language plan that integrates your heritage language into daily life. We offer practical strategies for consistent language use at home, including setting language goals, creating a language-rich environment, and involving extended family members.
  • Educational Resources: Access a wide range of educational materials designed to support heritage language learning. From age-appropriate language workbooks and interactive apps to online courses and language tutors, we help you find the right resources to enhance your child’s language skills.
  • Ongoing Support and Monitoring: Stay on track with your heritage language goals through regular check-ins and progress assessments. We provide ongoing support to address any challenges, adjust your language plan as needed, and celebrate your family’s language milestones

Behind Bilingual Compass

¡Hola!

I’m Irene: Linguist, second language teacher, expat and mom

With a background in Philology and Linguistics (MA), experience and knowledge of language acquisition, and multicultural experience (4 countries and counting!), I’m here to help your family successfully navigate the bilingual journey.

I combine my academic expertise and practical insights to provide the best guidance for raising bilingual children. I understand the unique challenges and rewards of multilingualism, and I know how to put effective strategies into practice.

 

Services

(Honestly, there is no need for you to read all these thousands of books)

1:1 LINGUISTIC CONSULTANCY

Do you have specific questions or doubts about how to deal with the bilingual challenges in your family?

In our 1:1 session, I will work directly with you to identify these challenges and create a practical, research-backed, step-by-step plan to address them.

Whether you’re managing multiple languages at home, transitioning to a new language environment, or maintaining a heritage language, this session provides personalised and actionable guidance that you can apply from the very first moment. 

After our meeting, you’ll receive useful materials, guides, and ideas to support your family’s bilingual journey.

BILINGUAL NORTH PROGRAM

You are unsure of what’s the best linguistic journey for you and your loved ones?

The Bilingual NORTH Program offers up to 6 personalized sessions, a customized family plan, 24-hour feedback, evidence-based strategies and much more. 

Designed for families committed to lasting bilingualism, this program helps you set clear expectations, achieve literacy, and ensure your family thrives in your unique language setting situation, from early childhood through teenage years.

Chart your course with exclusive access to resources, strategies, and community support that will enable you to achieve your linguistic goals. 

A blog that goes straight through the academic blah blah

Multilingual vs. Bilingual: What’s the Difference?

In our increasingly globalized world, the ability to speak multiple languages is a valuable skill. But what’s the difference between being multilingual and being bilingual? Let’s explore these terms and what they mean for language learners and speakers.

What is a heritage language?

A heritage language is the language that is associated with a person’s cultural background, typically passed down through generations within a family or community. It’s the language spoken by their ancestors and often used in their home environment, but not necessarily the dominant language of the society they live in. But what are its characteristics and why it is important?

Acquiring a Language vs. Learning a Language: What’s the Difference?

In the world of bilingualism, distinguishing between acquiring a language and learning a language is vital. However, misconceptions often cloud this understanding, leading to confusion. While language acquisition is a natural, subconscious process that occurs during early childhood through immersion in a language-rich environment, language learning is a deliberate, structured endeavor typically associated with formal education.

Let’s chat!

Do you have a question about how to transmit your heritage language to your children?

Is there anything you’d like to know about before migrating to another speaking country?

Or are you already in your multilingual path and need help with specific problems?

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