What is bilingualism?

A bilingual person is someone who can speak and understand two languages fluently. In areas like Morzine, Montriond, and the Vallée d’Aulps, this is more common than you might think. Many children grow up speaking English at home while attending French schools during the day.

These children effortlessly switch between English and French, often without even thinking about it. Watching them do so can feel like witnessing a kind of superpower in action.

Obvious Advantages

One such bilingual ‘superhero’ is Debs Mairie, Directrice of PDS Formation. We spoke about the reality of growing up with two languages : the advantages and the challenges.   Debs’ mother is English, her father French, and she speaks both languages fluently, and without accent : a skill that (when witnessed) is both impressive and a little disconcerting!  It’s a little like watching someone switch characters.

When asked about her childhood, Debs says her bilingualism felt entirely natural to her—at first. “Growing up bilingual, you don’t realise it’s special.  At primary school however, I was the only kid with parents who spoke different languages, and it could be quite isolating and lonely.  You want to be like everyone else when you’re little, and I wasn’t.  It was only when I got older that I began to consider it as an advantage.”

Debs says that looking back, living in France with a native English-speaking mother, gave her an awareness of life beyond France.  From a young age, she felt drawn to learn more about her British heritage.  She remarks this curiosity occasionally felt uncomfortable, because it left her less settled than her school friends from monolingual families.  As an adult however, and with the benefit of hindsight, she recognises that it encouraged an openness to new experiences that gave her the confidence to explore further afield than she may otherwise have done – something many bilingual adults appreciate as an advantage of their mixed heritage.

Cultural Confusion

This ‘wanderlust’ lead her to the UK for university, and it was here she learned language fluency doesn’t equate to, or guarantee, cultural fluency.  She had assumed her fluent English would make fitting-in easy. But the reality was different.  University study was a shock :

“In the UK, university lectures weren’t mandatory like they are in France, where university is more like an extension of school.  UK Students were expected to supplement lectures with independent research, and form their own arguments. In France, this doesn’t happen.”

Socially it was even more jarring because she had a sense of cultural disconnect with her university peers.  She explains : “I didn’t have a French accent, so everyone assumed I was British—but incredibly sheltered. I hadn’t grown up with EastEnders, Britpop, or British political satire. I could speak the language perfectly, but I couldn’t keep up with the in-jokes and cultural references.”

To catch up, she immersed herself in British culture. “I started watching EastEnders to understand different accents. I got hooked on Have I Got News For You, which helped me grasp satire and current affairs. That’s when I realised there’s so much more to fitting into a country than just speaking the language.”

She has since built on this understanding by developing culture courses for Upper Intermediate and Advanced learners at PDS Formation.  These equip participants with a more in-depth appreciation of the nuances of French culture, going beyond vocabulary and grammar and exploring the reality of living in France.   

Straddling Two Worlds

Debs now sees her bilingualism and outward looking curiosity as a gift—but it took time to get there. “To the English community here, I’m French. To the French, I’m English. I don’t fully belong in either world,” she says. “But I’ve learned to see that as a luxury, not a loss. It means I can hop between cultures and be open to both. It’s a privilege—but I have only recognised this by reframing it as one.”

Given the number of bilingual children living in this area, and the current recognition of bilingualism as a benefit rather than something to be suppressed (speaking two languages as a child used to be seen as having the potential to inhibit learning – this is no longer the case), it’s unlikely that kids here will feel isolated in their bilingualism.  However it is worth preparing them for culture shock should they explore other areas

Advice for Parents Raising Bilingual Children

Based on her own experience, Debs offers a few practical tips for parents:

• Understand the cultural context: Even if your child speaks fluent English at home, their education and social environment are culturally French. Expect some cultural clashes.
• Prepare for culture shock: If your child decides to live, study, or work in an English-speaking country later, they may feel out of place despite their fluency.
• Support their written English: Kids schooled in French may not develop strong English writing skills without extra help. Reading books in English, writing stories, or even watching English media can help bridge the gap.
• Don’t force the language: Encourage your child to use both languages, but let them find their own relationship with each one. Debs, for instance, didn’t speak English comfortably with her mum until she was a teenager, and it wasn’t until college that she truly embraced her bilingual identity.
• Find role models: A great teacher or mentor can make all the difference. For Debs, it was her English teacher in secondary school who helped her see bilingualism as an asset and gave her the confidence to embrace her British heritage.

In Conclusion

Bilingualism may seem like a superpower, and for the most part it is.  However there are complexities that should be acknowledged – especially for children who may feel caught between cultures. When this is recognised and the right support is received, bilingual kids will grow up to recognise the many possibilities, increased confidence and cultural agility afforded by their competence in two languages !