The perspective I have gained from this experience is immeasurable. There has already been some awareness brought to speech-language pathology regarding the sensitive period for language acquisition and culturally inclusive practices, but the insight I gained from face-to-face conversations with parents was extremely valuable. I witnessed children thriving while immersed in an environment where multiple languages are spoken. It is possible for preschoolers to grasp and differentiate between languages, in Spain, it’s the norm for children to acquire several at a time. It’s so impressive that young children have the ability to learn and understand multiple languages. It is highly encouraged, and not only are the parents on board, but the schools have curricula in more than one language. My goal from this experience has been to build a model backing up the idea that children can succeed at learning many languages from a young age. The brain is more plastic, meaning it has the ability to retain what seems like an overload of information. It’s vital that children take advantage of this capability, and I hope this can spark change in school systems and parenting practices in the US as well. While my study focused solely on families in Spain, research shows this is typical of other countries too, mainly in Europe. The ability to speak several languages provides countless opportunities in employment, travel, and connecting with others around the world. A sense of community and commonality through language brings people from different countries together for collaboration and even friendship. Overall, in terms of my field specifically, speech-language pathology — I hope to contribute to the larger conversation on the sensitive period for acquiring multiple languages, as well as practices for cultural inclusivity. It makes a huge difference in a client’s progress when you motivate them and incorporate aspects that are personal to them. I believe speech-language pathology is deeply personal, and each client brings their own uniqueness to the table. I will strive to connect with each of my clients and make speech therapy something they look forward to.

As the summer comes to a close, I look forward to returning home and sharing the takeaways from my experience with others at FSU! I can’t wait to begin putting together my presentation for the President’s Showcase, as well as my creative piece, I’m floating between the ideas of creating a comic or a cartoon to share the interactions from my interviews. Aside from preparing for the showcase, I will also be applying to speech-language pathology master’s programs, staying involved in the MAP-R research project, and beginning to work at the childcare center on campus, engaging with the children there. This experience has really set me up for success, not only in applying to programs, but also in improving my interviewing and communication skills, which will be beneficial both in graduate program interviews and in my future work as a speech-language pathologist assistant. I also have a deeper understanding of people’s different backgrounds and the diversity that exists in the communities I’ll be working with as a practicing assistant and speech therapist. Cultural inclusivity practices are crucial in the hospital, clinic, and school. It is my responsibility to do the best I can to find practices and techniques that work best for each individual client based on their background. My goal is to bring compassion and empathy to every session and to make the experience as fun as possible. All the tips and tricks I’ve learned from the parents I interviewed will allow me to do just that, I’ll definitely be incorporating the games, songs, books, and tools I picked up to make speech therapy a motivating, comfortable environment.

Signing off, saludos!
Chloe

Every question I ask, every follow-up I choose to pursue or let go, every reaction and response I give, all of it becomes part of the data. I came into this project wanting to be a completely neutral medium for gathering other people’s stories. What I’ve learned, sitting across from parents in Valencia and Seville and Barcelona, is that neutrality was never really on the table. I was never just recording. I was always also present.

During an interview in Valencia, mom turned a question back on me and asked about my own background. I told her that my family is from Cuba, and that I didn’t speak any Spanish growing up. I didn’t think much of it at the moment, but she then told me that she feels like it’s a disservice for parents not to pass on another language to their kids, that it cuts them off from feeling connected to their heritage, and closes doors to opportunities they’d otherwise have.

This only happened because of who I am and what I disclosed. A different researcher, someone without a Spanish-speaking parent, or someone who chooses not to engage in back and forth exchange while asking questions, would not have gotten some of the answers I’ve gotten. My identity wasn’t a neutral backdrop to the interview. It was part of what shaped the data I collected. That’s what “active role” means to me now: not performing objectivity, but recognizing that my presence, my disclosures, and my follow-up choices are actively co-creating the conversation.

Going into this project, the gap I expected was cultural. I grew up in the US, and everything I knew about multilingualism in Spain came from articles, journals, and secondhand accounts, I had never lived it. What surprised me wasn’t a contradiction, it was a confirmation. Being in Spain, hearing these families talk about raising multilingual children as something abundant and almost expected rather than exceptional, matched what the research had told me. The literature said multilingualism thrives there and sitting across from these parents, I got to witness that firsthand. The gap between my personal (American, monolingual-household) perspective and the community’s lived reality was real, but the theoretical literature turned out to be a pretty accurate depiction of the country.

My process of documenting is intentionally simplistic for the moment. I record every interview just using my phone, always with the participant’s consent, specifically so that I don’t have to split my attention between scribbling notes and actually listening. I want to be present enough to catch the follow-up question that matters, being fully present is part of my method.

The trade-off is that the analytical work happens later. Once I’m back in the U.S., I’ll transcribe every interview and begin analyzing the findings for my presentation. That’s where the real organization begins, turning nine conversations recorded across different cities into something concrete.

Looking ahead, a few strategies I want to bring into that phase:

• Transcribe soon after returning, while the tone and context of each conversation is still fresh, rather than letting all nine pile up before I start.

• Coding by region and theme — pulling out recurring ideas (heritage, region, opportunity, emotions) across interviews to compare and contrast rather than just treating them as separate case studies.

• Keeping a running reflection log alongside the transcripts, so my own reactions and biases, like the Valencia moment above, stay visible as data

  Being the reasearcher and connecting all of these stories into something meaningful means that the story doesn’t end when the recorder stops. There have been several times, in fact, when the conversation has continued for an hour or even hours after we stopped recording. Getting asked to share my own life story meant so much to me. So did getting to ask about theirs beyond raising children. I even learned from one of the moms in Barcelona, who once lived in Sevilla, about the Feria de Abril, the spring festival where the whole city comes together in the fairgrounds for a week of parading in traditional dress, flamenco dancing, and celebrating late into the night. Each conversation with the families was enlightening, and even learning about their everyday life was valuable. Having the responsibility of being the researcher and interviewer makes me feel ecstatic, because I get to be the one to share the stories of others and portray everyone’s voice so that they are heard by people across the globe. My hope is to have an impact on parents, educators, and speech pathologists in the US, and to shape future policies and practices for a more culturally inclusive and language-rich atmosphere.

Before heading to Spain, based on the environment I grew up in, in Florida, and the research I’d read, I hypothesized that parents who feel strong pride or attachment to their dominant regional language may be less likely to promote bilingualism at home. Additionally, I thought a lack of exposure to others who speak the minority or second language could discourage parents from maintaining it within the household. Some parents, I assumed, might find learning or teaching another language too difficult or time-consuming, further limiting bilingual opportunities. And finally, I expected some parents might hold the perception that learning two languages could confuse children or inhibit their proficiency in one dominant language.

In all honesty, although that was my hypothesis, I had wanted it to be proven wrong. I believed there were other cultures out there with multilingualism implemented in everyday life. Spain has proven to be one of these existing models, with an attitude toward multilingualism largely different from that of the US. In Catalonia specifically, the Linguistic Normalization Law of 1983 mandates that Castilian (Spanish) and Catalan be taught at all levels and grades of non-university education. This has evolved into more of a multilingual focus rather than just a bilingual one, as the Pla per la Llengua i la Cohesió Social policy, implemented in 2004, favors societal multilingualism in response to international immigration, transcending the earlier law’s narrower bilingual aim. Multilingualism is the norm and a part of everyday life in Spain. Around Barcelona, there are individuals from a multitude of backgrounds, and you can hear a whole gamut of different languages spoken on just a quick outing.

Back home in the US, there are no federal multilingual education mandates. Instead, there are policies that have historically prioritized English over minority languages. English-only instructional policies that restricted bilingual instruction have contributed to a loss of well-trained bilingual teachers. And per Colorín Colorado’s analysis, even as bilingual instruction was being restricted for English learners, two-way dual immersion programs have offered an opportunity for parents who want their children to speak more than one language to stay competitive in an increasingly globalized world. But while these dual immersion programs have expanded for higher-income families, the same instructional support hasn’t been extended to heritage-language-minority families.

Throughout the interview process, I learned from families that implementing the learning of multiple languages in the home can be much simpler than we think. One of the moms I interviewed in Barcelona, bilingual in Spanish and English, expressed her excitement about learning Catalan alongside her daughter, taking on the challenge together. Resources as accessible as books, music, toys, and TV programs, you name it, can be a huge support in navigating multiple languages.

Since the start of the Global Scholars program, I think the biggest shift in me is that I came into this summer with a hypothesis built mostly from secondhand research and my own frame of reference growing up in Florida, where multilingualism often felt like the exception rather than the rule. Sitting across from nine different parents forced me to hold my own assumptions a little more loosely.

My relationship to my community-based initiative (CBI) has changed too. I came to relate to some of these families in a way, meeting parents who sometimes felt left out of conversations in their own families too. Growing up not speaking Spanish has made me feel the same way at times. One of the families I interviewed was a Bulgarian mom and Catalan dad, whose children are learning Spanish, Bulgarian, Catalan, and English. Dad expressed that Bulgarian is often the dominant language in the household between the kids and mom, so he can feel left out of conversations at the dinner table. Having a more dominant language is completely normal and expected; while he feels this way sometimes, the parents compromise so that mom can feel close to her heritage and so the children can have as many language opportunities as possible.

The relationships that formed along the way are shaping my Capstone as much as the interviews themselves. Working with Dr. TC and Dr. Wood back at FSU gave me the scaffolding, the IRB process, the literature review, the research design, but the people I met traveling across Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville are the ones who gave that scaffolding something to hold up. The family I had the pleasure of interviewing in Sevilla, who moved there from Florida just this past January, make it seem like anything is possible as they navigate a new environment and new languages.

The decisions I’ve made so far, choosing to interview parents across multiple regions rather than just one, focusing specifically on the sensitive period of language acquisition (ages 0–6), and pushing to complete nine interviews instead of settling for the minimum, are already shaping the direction of my Capstone. Each of those choices was about wanting the most extensive picture possible, rather than a confirmation of my original hypothesis.

As for what’s next: the interviews are done, but the Capstone is really just beginning to take shape. There’s more analysis ahead, more conversations with my mentors back at FSU, and a presentation I’ll create to portray my findings to others in the most creative and understandable way possible!

Especially, being in new and unfamiliar territory with lots of factors that are uncontrollable, namely people. Obtaining qualitative data means relying on individuals to recount their own personal experiences. First of all, why share their personal life story with a complete stranger? I didn’t have many connections in Spain and my method for outsourcing participants was through cold-emailing preschools and daycares in Barcelona and the Basque Country. I heard back from a couple in Barcelona while still in Tallahassee, with each morning that I would wake up with an email from a school or parent making my entire day. However, I did not hear from any of the schools in the Basque Country and had some schools in Barcelona tell me they’re too busy or uninterested in participating in my study. I’ve let it roll off my back and that’s because like anything in life putting yourself out there means accepting rejection at times. The IDEA Grant application, did I know that I would actually come out of the process with the financial resources to support my research question? No, but I do believe in manifestation, working towards your goals, and that everything happens for a reason. I had the mindset that if this research question that I have is worth pursuing, then I will get the funds to support it.

Even out of the interviews that I was able to “score”, not all of the parents that had initially reached out to me were unreachable once I actually arrived in Spain. This is honestly what surprised me the most. Expressed interest and then falling off of the face of the earth? I admit I was concerned the first week before having conducted any of my interviews that maybe I wouldn’t have enough participants. While the study is qualitative aka quality over quantity, I still needed a minimum of 8 participants to conclude my study. I had a few lined up with the couple first weeks I had arrived but there were many dates that kept changing. Parents have hectic schedules, I understand this completely and happily adjusted to them, because I was here for them. I had the flexibility to meet at the time best suited for them as long as that time wasn’t never! I even provide the option to parents to do interviews virtually. However, while one of the prospective parents had taken me up on this offer, it was almost impossible to coordinate. The parent would give me one time that they were available due to their busy schedule, then change that time to give me again one option to meet. This would change about four more times, until I politely declined and let them know I would no longer be able to coordinate a time to meet. This was also a little worrisome for me, because all of the parents that I have spoken to have given me such different and extremely valuable perspectives. I didn’t want to miss out on another viewpoint. However, at this point in my study I am excited to announce that I have surpassed the target goal with nine parents interviewed so far, and I may have a couple more lined up! I am especially looking forward to these interviews, as they are parents from additional, one-of-a-kind regions, Tarragona and the Basque Country. Although I will not be traveling to the Basque Country due to not hearing back from the schools or gathering participants through that avenue, I will be meeting with a parent who originates from the region.

Now that I’ve returned to Barcelona from my thrilling travels to Valencia, Seville, and Madrid, Luka my boyfriend has arrived too! We met at Florida State which I still think is crazy, he actually grew up here in Spain. Luka learned Spanish, English, Catalan and Basque in school. I’ve gotten the opportunity to learn a lot more about his upbringing as well from his parents who I got the chance to interview. I’m looking forward to spending time together and having an unforgettable summer of research, fun, and exploration!

Speaking of research, in a recent interview, here in Barcelona, I got to meet with a mom in her home where her daughter showed me their fascinating book collection and even more interesting, the Toniebox. Maybe you’re unfamiliar with what a Toniebox is, I know I was. A Toniebox as well as the FABA, which they also have to use in the car, are essentially music boxes that can play songs when activated by different character toys. Each toy can play songs, get this, in different languages! What an innovative and fun way for children to learn languages through music and engagement! Their library was super resourceful too, including books in Spanish, English, and Catalan even featuring a fart book that had different (good) smells such as strawberry and coffee when scratched, super cute and funny!

All in all, I luckily have been able to find parents that believe in my project and are interested in the results of my study. They’ve expressed that they are invested because they value multilingualism and the benefits it provides for their children. In taking the time to get to know these parents, I’m gathering tons of insight on the materials and methods used by individual, unique families. By the end of my time here, I will have a myriad of techniques that can be shared with parents and of course used in sessions with speech therapy clients to make learning languages fun, interactive, and a piece of cake. The more (languages), the merrier!

Gracias por leer, hasta luego!

Let’s start from the beginning with Valencia… where my initial impression of Spain was formed and my first destination after leaving Barcelona, where I had spent the previous two weeks. My ties to Valencia stem from the memories and friendships I made there. My visit to Valencia started in a hostel with nineteen others in a shared room, before switching to an Airbnb with no AC, yet it was largely met with comfortability due to the familiar face that was there, Hanna, my roommate from study abroad. She happens to be in Valencia for the summer as she is working as a Program Assistant. It was so fun to spend time together back in our old stomping grounds, and productive too. Of course, I told her about my study and luckily she was able to point me in the direction of a librarian in the program who has raised her son multilingually in the region. A new perspective on the influence of Valencia on multilingualism! I truly enjoyed interviewing mom and she gave me great insight into growing up in Valencia herself as well as raising her son and speaking Valenciano alongside Spanish and English. Valenciano is actually a dialect of Catalan, which means that they are essentially the same language but have their special nuances such as vocabulary, sentence structure, pronunciation, and even spelling. “It is so beneficial for children to learn many languages because it opens doors for them, encourages open-mindedness which is a valuable quality, and can provide enriching opportunities abroad” —Mom. She studied English in the UK for a few years and believes this experience helped her English speaking abilities immensely, which I can attest to, as her English is fantastic! Valencia is a fun city that has become increasingly touristy, which has also led most locals to speak English. It is the city of arts and sciences featuring incredible museums. I had the chance to check out the science museum and loved it!

Next, Seville. Seville is absolutely stunning. Just walking around the city getting from one destination to another I couldn’t help but stop and take a million pictures and yes, my jaw was on the floor the entire time. Another fun cultural aspect of Seville is that flamenco originated from there. I had the chance to watch a show and it is absolutely breathtaking, again jaw on the floor. The music takes over the dancers’ bodies as they rhythmically execute each and every step. Aside from these amazing tourist moments, I had the opportunity to interview two parents in this city. They are actually originally from Florida and had recently moved to Seville to raise their daughter and baby on the way! Mom is monolingual, speaking only English, while dad speaks both Spanish and English, reflecting the Puerto Rican heritage he brings to the family. Mom believes it is so important that their daughter learns Spanish as well so she can feel completely in touch with her identity and her Puerto Rican heritage from her dad’s side. They moved to Spain because the quality of life here is exactly what they were looking for. They value a life that is slower with less of a career-driven focus.

The biggest success of this process has been the connections I’ve been able to establish in the various regions of Spain. Parents play a huge role in this, not only as the subjects of my interviews but also in carrying the weight of how their children learn languages and which ones. Of course the children are also a huge part of this and getting insight into how they learn, the methods used that vary from family to family including the TV shows, songs, and books is so exciting for me. It gives me new ideas that I hadn’t thought of such as picking up a fourth language by watching Japanese cartoons!

An interesting topic that I have discussed with interviewees is that many people my age in America, myself included, have parents who speak Spanish from various countries, yet those parents made the decision not to teach their child Spanish. Meanwhile, research shows that it is much easier to learn languages at a young age, supported by the sensitive period for language acquisition theory. The benefits of learning multiple languages may have not been in consideration for these parents, which is why I am exploring parents’ motivations for teaching their children different languages. In addition, the tools and strategies used by the parents so that I can spread awareness of the advantages and implement these methods in the US as a future practicing bilingual speech-language pathologist.

After Seville, I hopped on a train and traveled to Madrid, the capital of Spain! I absolutely loved Madrid. A big city with so much to do and see. Honorable mention: El Retiro Park. It is worth the hype, so beautiful and a lovely place to escape from the chaotic but exciting city environment for a stroll. I also came across a shop called La Tienda de los Deseos which essentially means The Shop of Wishes, and of course I made a stop and wrote my wish to hang up. It was so nice to see everyone lined up to write their wishes, I hope they all come true!

I’ve enjoyed traveling to all of the different regions and believe the interviews conducted in these various parts of the country add value to my work. Some perspectives I intend to include as well are those from parents in Tarragona and the Basque Country. The more regions, the better! Diversity is the goal after all and I love learning from all of the unique families.

I’ve now returned to Barcelona, halfway done with interviews and ready for the next round. So far, I intend to maintain all of the connections I’ve gained through conducting interviews. Many of the parents have expressed interest in the results of my study and I will definitely share once the presentations come to fruition. They have all been genuinely kind, welcoming, and helpful. I’ve received many recommendations about places to go in the city, including sights, spots for food, and even fun things to do in other cities in Spain. The possibilities for exploration here feel endless. Get ready for more content as I gather new perspectives. Thanks for following along!

My mom and abuela (grandma) came to the U.S. when my mom was just eight years old. When they arrived, my mom went to a school with a trilingual education system where she learned English as well as French in addition to Spanish. Although I wish I had learned Spanish at a younger age, I am extremely grateful for my upbringing. Honestly, at this stage in my life I would not change a thing. I believe that everything happens for a reason and who knows, maybe if I had learned Spanish at a young age, I would’ve never had the inspiration for this research. I began learning the language when I had the opportunity to take my first Spanish class in middle school at thirteen years old. I loved Spanish class. It came relatively easy to me, it felt natural and it was fun to learn. Of course, until I got to past tense and future grammar, yikes! But, in all seriousness, practice makes perfect, so I’m told. Therefore, continuing to speak and make mistakes will be my method of advancement.

During this summer experience as I mentioned in my previous blog post, a goal of mine is to have conversations with the locals. Practicing my Spanish will benefit me personally by improving my overall conversational skills, and it will also help propel my project forward by allowing me to conduct valuable interviews leading to more detailed findings!

Self-sufficiency is another skill that I’m developing more. Traveling solo is definitely thrilling, but at times can get frustrating or be uncomfortable. There was a bit of a learning curve at first, maps can be stressful, at least for me! But now I feel a lot better about getting around and it definitely feels rewarding to figure things out independently. I feel capable of having any experience with my own company and I’m genuinely thriving. Leaning into uncomfortability leads to growth!

I am also working on remaining unbiased in interviews, especially when asking follow-up questions. As I dive deeper into a topic being discussed and deviate from my structured questions I have to remember to stay neutral. The outcome of the interview must be entirely based on the opinions of the parent without influence of my own. Nonetheless, I am ready to take on interviews and implement this skill now so that I can use this in my practices as an aspiring researcher at the graduate level in the near future. I feel so fortunate to have participants that are willing to share their personal narratives with me contributing to my meaningful collection of viewpoints.

Another component of traveling for me as a self-proclaimed foodie, is of course the variety of dishes a destination has to offer. This is a huge aspect of culture as well. Spanish cuisine consists of endless delicious and unique foods. Olive varieties, paella, hams, cheeses, patatas bravas, classic toast with tomato spread, and in my opinion, the best, crema catalana. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a sweet tooth and crema catalana is a dessert that does not disappoint. It is very specific to the region and Catalans take pride in this dessert, rightfully so!

While in Spain, I am also drawn to exploring my surroundings. I’m taking this a step further by going outside of Barcelona to return to Valencia (gosh, I miss it), where I studied abroad two summers ago! After Valencia, my plan is to visit Sevilla and Madrid both for the first time! I actually have an interview lined up in Sevilla that I’m looking forward to and my trip to Madrid is simply for adventure and curiosity for what the capital has to offer. I will keep you posted on the journey ahead, look out for upcoming blogs!

“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” -Morrie Schwartz

My mom recently read and then gave “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom to me so that I could have something to read while traveling. While getting through the pages on the plane, the metro, and while sitting at restaurants, I am soaking up lots of valuable lessons centered on being present and living life to the fullest. This quote in particular resonates with me, because I am grateful for the love and support of my family, friends and community at Florida State. I would not be where I am without them. Ultimately, I am here to pursue research that aligns with my passion and what I believe to be my purpose, and it makes me feel so alive.

The route that I am taking to pursue my study aimed at gathering the perspectives of parents on their children’s language use and development is through the use of semi-structured style interviews. Semi-structured interviews integrate the professional skills of being organized and formulated while allowing room for personable interactions and building an authentic connection. I believe this method is most effective for the outcome that I want, which is for the results of my study to reflect the real opinions and personal motives or intentions of the participants rather than consist of simply black and white responses. In addition to maintaining professionalism and working towards these goals in English, a language that I feel comfortable and confident in, I will be navigating a handful of my interviews in Spanish.

The resources I am using for this project are minimal materialistically. I have a pen, a notebook, and my phone for audio recording. The focus of my research requires more mental preparation including structured questions, attentiveness, follow-up questions, social skills and not to be redundant but to be resourceful. Resourcefulness is the key to success. Establishing connections by not being afraid to put myself out there, introducing myself to individuals in my field, and to those who can provide insight on my curiosities is how I have gotten this far and how I intend to persevere throughout my study and beyond.

Throughout this summer, I will work towards continuing to improve my Spanish speaking abilities as well as develop my pragmatics (social skills) in the language. This will benefit me by allowing me to conduct high-quality interviews by connecting with the parents on a deeper level. However, I do perceive this aspect of language learning as a challenge, because it requires not only the basics and terms that I can read in a textbook, but also cultural participation. I am seeking out conversations with locals and learning from observation. So far in my time here, I view the Spanish people as friendly and warm. It’s exciting for me to have conversations, because Spain’s culture is very social.

As I get acclimated to my new environment and to speaking in Spanish prior to interviewing I have been walking around the city a lot, visiting several incredible attractions. Let’s see if you can recognize this famous building in Barcelona!

Skills I’ve had coming into this, writing and reading in Spanish have been no obstacle for me for quite some time. The ability to have a free-flowing conversation is where I would get stuck. However, immersing myself in Barcelona has allowed me to put myself in situations where I converse with the locals, each interaction building my Spanish-speaking confidence. I am only one week in and I am not only at ease but eager to engage in conversations. It’s helped me feel more prepared to meet with participants and it feels fulfilling to have small wins along the way. Exposure is the way to go!

Speaking of, my first interview happened to be this week, in Spanish. The interview was great! It was truly amazing to meet a mom who speaks Spanish, English, Catalan, as well as a little bit of Italian and French. Impressive, am I right?! Additionally, the dad speaks those languages along with German. Their daughter is learning Spanish, English, Catalan, and German in an environment where she has a little exposure to Italian and French as well. What a diverse family! “Learning multiple languages provides someone with many opportunities for work, travel, and connection with so many people” -Mom. I felt at ease while asking her questions as well as follow-up questions and afterwards engaging in conversation about myself and my research goals, in Spanish. Still can’t get over it. While I will conduct interviews in English as well, I am so appreciative of the opportunity for growth when conversing in Spanish. This experience has been great thus far and I’m looking forward to meeting more parents and hearing their stories!

Overall, this project is equipping me with many tools that I will use while conducting, analyzing, and creating my capstone project as well as when I am in graduate school and as a future professional. Speech-language pathology is fundamentally working with others to improve their confidence, comfort, and literacy abilities, and in my case in more than one language. By putting myself in an uncomfortable environment and immersing myself in a culture different from my own to develop language skills in my L2 (second language), Spanish, my hope is to be better prepared in helping children in the future during the pursuit of navigating multiple languages.

Hasta luego!

Language is such a fundamental part of how we connect with others, and I’ve always been fascinated by the way children learn to communicate. This summer, I will be taking that curiosity a step further through a research project focused on multilingualism in early childhood. Specifically, I hope to better understand the perspectives that parents have on raising preschool-aged children in environments where multiple languages are spoken every day.

My research is grounded in what is known as the sensitive period theory, which suggests that there is a window in early childhood when the brain is especially receptive to learning languages. During this time, children have an incredible ability to absorb and differentiate between multiple linguistic systems. However, despite what research tells us, there are still many misconceptions about multilingualism. Some people believe that learning more than one language at a time can cause confusion or delays in speech and language development. These myths can sometimes discourage families from exposing their children to multiple languages early on.

Through my project, I hope to challenge these misconceptions and advocate for the benefits of multilingualism. I am particularly interested in highlighting successful models of multilingual education, where children not only learn multiple languages but thrive socially, academically, and culturally. By listening to parents and understanding their experiences, I aim to bring more awareness to the realities of raising multilingual children.

To carry out this research, I will be traveling to Spain this summer, an opportunity I am incredibly excited about. I am extremely grateful for the generosity of the IDEA Grant-Tyler Center for Global Studies and the Deborah and Fred Tresca Global Scholars Fund, whose support has made this experience possible. My enthusiasm for this trip is rooted in a passion for language and culture that has grown over the years, strengthening significantly during my sophomore year when I studied abroad in Valencia through FSU. That experience sparked my love for the Spanish language and opened my eyes to the richness of multilingual communities.

This summer, I will be conducting interviews with parents in Catalonia. In addition to Spanish and English, many families speak Catalan in Catalonia. This environment provides a unique opportunity to observe how multiple languages coexist in everyday life and how children navigate and learn within them.

By gathering these perspectives, I hope to contribute to a broader understanding of multilingual development and help inform future practices in speech-language pathology. As I continue my education at Florida State and eventually pursue graduate studies, I plan to use this research to support children and families from diverse linguistic backgrounds. My long-term goal is to continue researching language development in bilingual and multilingual populations, ultimately helping to shape more inclusive and effective practices in the field.

I am so appreciative of the opportunity to pursue this project and can’t wait to share what I learn along the way. This summer will not only be a time of research, but also one of personal and professional growth as I immerse myself in new cultures, languages, and perspectives.

Stay tuned for updates from Spain!