Turbulent teenage years and multilingualism: this can be a challenge for any parent! Xiao-lei Wang shows us how to navigate through the adolescence years by sharing her own personal experiences in raising multilingual teenagers. Personal anecdotes are balanced with scholarly research and practical advice. This is an informative and enjoyable read for any parent with teenagers!
Alice Lapuerta, mother of three trilingual children and former editor of Multilingual Living Magazine Colin Baker once compared parents of multilingual children to gardeners, who need to make sure the garden gets sufficient sunlight, water and nutrients. Xiao-lei Wang (2008) showed herself to be an accomplished gardener for her pre-teen biracial and trilingual sons. In this book she describes how her efforts and strategies paid off with her sons entering adulthood as smart, open-minded and articulate multilinguals.
Jean-Marc Dewaele, Birkbeck, University of London, UK Xiao-lei Wang is our own personal tour guide on the journey of raising multilingual children during their adolescent years. She shows us that it is possible for our children's multilingualism to not only thrive during these years, but to grow and develop into an even richer linguistic and cultural tapestry. This book is more than a study of one family's experiences raising multilingual teenagers. It is a road-map, backed by research and common sense, filled with specific tips, suggestions and insights which we can use to further our own family's multilingualism. It is a joy to read and will leave you feeling more empowered in your ability to continue raising your children multilingually during a time when they may be eager to spread their wings and fly.
Corey Heller, Founder of Multilingual Living