Multilingual Child Doesn't Speak in Kindergarten: 5 Tips

This article provides guidance on how to best support your child during this phase. If your child still isn't speaking after six months in kindergarten or the situation worsens, seeking professional help is essential. It could indicate selective mutism, an anxiety and communication disorder that requires therapeutic intervention. You can find more valuable information on this topic in a guest article by specialist Niloufar Jamali.

Tip 1: Observe Carefully and Be Patient

When your child is learning a new language, it’s completely normal for them to remain silent at first. Give yourselves time.

The most important thing during this phase: Don’t pressure your child. Their silence isn’t intentional—it simply means they’re not ready yet. Positive reinforcement and patience are key.

Tip 2: Continue Speaking Your Family Language(s)

If your child doesn’t speak in kindergarten, you might feel tempted to speak more of the surrounding language (e.g., German) at home. This advice is also often given by professionals to parents of affected children. However, this would be a mistake.

Your family language is a source of security and competence for your child. If you stop speaking it, you take away an important resource.

At the same time, you can show interest in the new language. Perhaps you can learn new words together in a playful way.

Tip 3: Encourage Your Child and Avoid Pressure

A child who isn’t speaking needs one thing above all: support and reassurance. Show your child that you’re there for them and that everything is okay. Avoid repeatedly asking why they aren’t speaking or pressuring them to do so. This will only create additional stress, potentially reinforcing the silence.

Tip 4: Collaborate with Kindergarten Staff

Working with kindergarten staff is a cornerstone of addressing the situation. Here's what you should do:

• Inform the staff: Explain how your child behaves at home so they can better understand and handle the situation.
• Build a linguistic bridge: Provide the staff with a list of essential words from your family language that your child actively uses (e.g., "su" – Turkish for water). This helps create a familiar bridge for communication, giving your child a sense of security.
• Simplify the language: Especially for children aged three and older, it’s helpful to start with simple language to ease their entry into the new language.
• Encourage normal treatment: Urge the staff to treat your child like any other child, fostering a sense of normalcy and belonging.

Tip 5: Convey a Positive Attitude

Children pick up on their environment’s attitude toward a language or situation with remarkable sensitivity. Displaying a positive attitude toward the new language can help your child feel more secure and comfortable in their new surroundings. Avoid negative comments or unnecessary worries in front of your child, as they can exacerbate insecurities.

Conclusion: Patience, Understanding, and Collaboration Are Key

With patience, support, and collaboration with staff, you can help your child feel secure and gradually develop their language skills. Should the silent phase turn out to be selective mutism, therapeutic measures are available to help you and your child overcome it.