According to the American Community Survey, more than one in 5 individuals over the age of 5 (21%) speak a language other than English at home. That number of bilingual speakers is projected to increase in the coming years.
Children who are learning to speak two languages follow patterns of learning. The sounds of the first language can influence how children learn and use a second language. It is easier to learn sounds and words when the languages you are learning are similar. Over time, the more difficult sounds and words will be learned. If a child has a speech or language problem, it will show up in both languages. However, these problems are not caused by learning two languages. If you know a child who is learning a second language and you have concerns about speech and language development,