Does my child need to know how to read him their native language before learning a second language?
Simple answer: nope!
Reading and writing in a language is only part of fluency for that language.
Would you still consider your six-year-old fluent in English even though they can’t read yet?
It’s the same concept for a second language!
Foreign language goals
While ultimately, the goal is for them to be able to read, write, speak, and listen in a foreign language and their native language, all those skills take time.
Reading and writing are learned skills compared to speaking or listening. Your brain has to be trained to read or write, and most brains don’t need to be trained to speak or listen. That’s inherent to our neurobiology.
Besides, as I talked about in this post on defining fluency, most people consider somebody who can speak like a native, fluent.
So with that definition, reading in your native language is not required before learning a second language.
It can help by opening more doors and opportunities, but it’s not required.
Reading before language lessons?
The best age to learn a foreign language, see more in this post, is actually preschool age, before they learn to read.
This age group has the most flexible brain and that metaphorical door for learning another language is wide open.
It’s the same reason we start school at this age so they can learn math, reading, writing, social skills and more.
If you still don’t believe me, I learned French in kindergarten before I learned to read.
Reading for me did not click until the second half of first grade.
Regardless, I was still taking French 3 to 4 times a week all through kindergarten, first grade, all through high school.
Bilingual households
Another example, children who are raised in bilingual households. My own children understand German and English.
My four year old is loving learning German because daddy speaks German too. We have not yet started formal lessons for him.
So the long answer is your child’s ability to learn another language is not dependent on their reading skills in any language.
