Between Languages: The Power of Multilingualism

In bi- and multilingual homes, parents sometimes struggle with the decision which language(s) they should use with their children. Outside of the family, at least since the 1960s when the first bilingual programs were introduced in schools in Canada, there has been a heated debate in many countries around the world as to the pros and cons offering bilingual education programs. In this presentation by Dr. Beata Schmid, she will review the recommendations given to parents, caretakers and educators, the history and the various iterations of immersion and other types of programs, as well as the impact that public opinion and referenda have had on multilingual education and upbringing. Participants are welcome to share their own experiences as well. We will also provide some insights into language acquisition theories and what more recent findings tell us about the positive impact of multilingualism, not just on children. Saturday, October 3rd | 1pm | This event is FREE with registration Dr. Beata Schmid has a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Brown University. As a practicing applied linguist, she studies how people learn and use language(s) in the real world.Now retired, she previously worked as a senior academic officer at EF Education, based in Cambridge. Now she does occasional school compliance visits and enjoys gardening, traveling, cooking and playing with her dogs.