Singapore Tamil Youth Conference 2018 Toolkit Toolkit 2018 Final | Page 11

Families • As the domains for Tamil use continue to decline, the home is one of the few domains remaining in which native speakers of the language are found (Kadakara, 2011). Therefore, families play a critical role in shaping one’s mindset towards Tamil and in encouraging the speaking of Tamil in their children. • • • Studies have shown that the period from birth through age 10 is the best time to introduce new languages to a young child (Ghasemi and Hashemi, 2011) Although the family is not the only stakeholder responsible in ensuring that future generations continue to speak a language, (Canagarajah, 2008), language use within family members is the most critical factor in determining language transmission across generations (Dorian, 1981; Edwards, 2004; Fishman, 1991). • In 2017, the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee kick started a two-day programme titled “Thamizhodu Inaivom” in which parents and children from non-Tamil speaking families participated. A favourable attitude towards the language becomes important for a successful bilingual policy and practice. Thus, it remains the responsibility of the family and community to preserve the language for intra-ethnic communication and intergenerational language transmission. • The programme placed high emphasis on how Tamil should be spoken at home first for it to continue to live as a language and how parents have a huge role in influencing their children to speak Tamil. When English becomes the first language children are exposed to at home, their lack of exposure to Tamil makes it difficult for them to cope with Tamil in school. • • Moreover, if children do not learn to speak a mother tongue at home, there is little probability that they will learn to speak it fluently, given the age limits on language learning (Krashen, Long, and Scarcella 1979; Pinker 1995). Even when parents adopt the “One Person, One Language” strategy, children often only become passive rather than active bilinguals (Döpke, 1992, 1998; Yamamoto, 1995, cited in King & Fogle, 2006). Exposure to Spoken Tamil at home makes it easier for children to learn the formal language as Tamil is a diglossic language. • This lack of exposure to Tamil, results in them losing interest in the language and lacking the appropriate vocabulary to speaking the language well. For instance, if a parent speaks to his/her child in Tamil, the child only listens to the parent speak but does not actively respond to the conversation in Tamil. Given the right motivation, most youth will be able to continue communicating in Tamil without forgoing their abilities in English. 8