Bilingual Therapy (Spanish/English)
Culturally responsive therapy that supports language development in both Spanish and English speaking environments.
Supporting Your Child's Multilingual Development
As a bilingual Spanish/English speech-language pathologist, we provide culturally and linguistically responsive therapy that supports your child's communication skills in both languages. Growing up bilingual is a tremendous advantage, and speech therapy should nurture—not limit—this valuable skill.
Advantages of Bilingualism
Research consistently shows that bilingualism offers significant cognitive and social benefits:
Bilingual Speech Therapy: What to Expect
Our approach to bilingual therapy recognizes the unique patterns of language development in dual-language learners:
Comprehensive Bilingual Assessment
Evaluation of skills in both languages to obtain an accurate picture of overall language abilities.
Cultural & Linguistic Consideration
Therapy that respects cultural communication patterns and incorporates relevant cultural references.
Cross-Linguistic Strategies
Techniques that leverage knowledge in one language to support development in the other.
Family Language Planning
Guidance on creating a consistent language environment at home that supports both languages.
Common Myths About Bilingualism
Myth: Learning two languages causes speech delays
Reality:
Research shows bilingual children develop language at the same rate as monolingual children, though vocabulary may be distributed across both languages.
Myth: Children with speech disorders should focus on one language only
Reality:
Children with communication disorders can successfully learn multiple languages with appropriate support. Limiting to one language can impact family relationships and cultural connections.
Myth: Mixing languages is a sign of confusion
Reality:
Code-switching (mixing languages) is a normal and sophisticated aspect of bilingual development, showing a deep understanding of both language systems.
Resources for Bilingual Families
Books & Reading
- • Bilingual: Life and Reality by François Grosjean
- • Raising a Bilingual Child by Barbara Zurer Pearson
- • The Bilingual Edge by Kendall King & Alison Mackey
Websites
- • Bilingual Monkeys (bilingualmonkeys.com)
- • Multilingual Living (multilingualliving.com)
- • Colorín Colorado (colorincolorado.org)
Local Spanish/English Groups
- • OC Bilingual Playgroup (Facebook group)
- • Hora de Cuentos (Spanish storytime at local libraries)
- • Spanish Heritage Language Programs (check schools)
SunRise Resources: As part of bilingual therapy, We provide customized resources in both languages, including book recommendations, language activities, and guidance on language exposure balance.
Bilingual Therapy Success Story
About Sofia
Age: 4 years old
Languages: Spanish at home, English at preschool
Challenge: Limited vocabulary in both languages, unclear speech
Family concern: Previous SLP advised "English only" approach
Our Bilingual Approach
Comprehensive Bilingual Assessment
We evaluated Sofia's skills in both languages, revealing stronger conceptual knowledge than either language showed individually.
Language-Specific Articulation Practice
We addressed speech sound errors specific to each language, as Spanish and English have different phonological systems.
Core Vocabulary Development
We identified high-value words needed in both languages and created a consistent practice plan for home (Spanish) and school (English).
Parent Language Planning
We created a structured plan for language use at home, maintaining Spanish as the primary language while supporting English development.
Results After 6 Months:
- • 200+ new words across both languages
- • Improved speech clarity in both English and Spanish
- • Increased confidence in both language environments
- • Parents report stronger family communication in their native language