Living Languages: Multilingualism across the Lifespan by Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
Book Description
Globalization is on everyone's tongue, and
the discussion is not only limited to economic exchange, but expands to
the intermingling of cultural values. To be truly successful in the
international arena, whether as an immigrant, student, businessperson,
or tourist, openness toward other cultures is vital and the most
obvious door to those cultures is through language. Learning a second
language is no longer an option for many, it is both a survival tool
and an opportunity. This book is an aid to parents, educators,
researchers, and individuals who want facts about foreign language
learning in order to apply concrete tools to maximize their potential
in this area, independent of their age. This book examines the various
factors in successful multilingualism across the lifespan, discussing
groups such as those lucky enough to enjoy bilingualism from birth to
those who become foreign language learners in adulthood. Special
attention is paid to a critique of the academic critical years concept
and the question, how long does it take a non-native speaker to become
fluent? While many are concerned with bilingualism, millions around the
world live with three or more languages. For those considering adding a
third language, this book looks at the benefits of bilingualism that
transfer to trilingualism. Finally, the book establishes methods for
teaching foreign languages and hints for home support that maximize
each person's potential for languages.