New Language for Adoptive Children

Many adopted children not only have to adjust to a new family and culture but they also have to learn a new language. Both my boys have had to do that. AJ had a very difficult time learning English because of his auditory processing difficulties. He was also severely delayed in his own Russian language because of his first two years in the Russian orphanage.

According to John Klosek, Phd. the severity of a language delay can depend on a child’s age, native language, and the culture. In the Maine Adoption Placement Service’s Musings, Summer 1992, Klosek has some helpful tips to aid parents in teaching their children the new language.

1. Talk about everything that is going on as it is happening. Make everything understandable but don’t oversimplify. “That is a blue balloon” works just as well as “That blue balloon”.

2. Speak a little slower but not so slow that it is distorted.

3. If your child is old enough to read and writed label common objects in the house just like if an English speaking child were learning to read. They will pick up print faster this way.

4. Make language learning reciprocal if they speak the other language. You can learn too!

5. Play games like Hangman, Simon Says, Go Fish, etc.

6. Get computer games.

7. Find other children with the same language background for them to play with. It will make them more comfortable.

8. Make sure your school has a bilingual program AND that they are tested in their native language.

9. Understand that most children will go through a silent period.

AJ went through a very long silent period due to trauma and stress. It is very common with children who are learning a new language. Many will come out of the silent period with many words because they have been soaking up language. AJ did not, unfortunately. He just did not understand language at his young age.

I believe that most of his first two years were silent due to ear problems and because his care-givers spoke at him so he never truly understood Russian. To make a language transition would have been much too difficult for him. He had to start at square one. And, I believe he did.

Now, at age 5 his language skills qualify at about age 4.5. He has been home with us for almost 4 years.