What Is English as a Heritage Language and How Is It Different?

Understanding English as a Heritage Language

One common misconception I see among bilingual families is that hearing and speaking English at home means literacy will naturally follow. But as educators and parents, we know from experience that speaking fluently is not the same as reading and writing fluently.

This is exactly the challenge we saw in our family and in so many multilingual children I’ve worked with over the years. Despite growing up surrounded by English, many children struggle when it comes to structured literacy. That’s because English isn’t just another language, it’s a language with unique literacy challenges that require a completely different approach.

The answer lies in understanding English as a heritage language and it's distinction from how others are often learned.

A heritage language is a language a child has some exposure to at home but is not the main language of schooling or society. Some children grow up fluent in speaking their heritage language, while others may only understand it passively—but in both cases, literacy is not guaranteed without structured support.

For families raising bilingual children, this can create unique challenges. Unlike common heritage languages such as Chinese, Arabic or Russian, which are rarely taught in public schools, English is often part of the curriculum. This can sometimes lead to a false sense of security—parents may expect school instruction to be enough, only to find that their child struggles with reading and writing despite speaking fluently.

So why does this happen? And what makes English literacy different from learning to read and write in other languages?

What Makes English a Challenge for Heritage Learners?

A typical reading homework in Catalan with consistent letter sound relationship

If you've ever seen one for these you'll know that, unlike Spanish or Catalan—our community languages—English isn’t phonetic, which makes reading far harder. In Spanish and Catalan, words are spelled exactly as they sound, making it easier to decode new words.

English, on the other hand, is full of inconsistencies:

🔹 Irregular spelling patterns –

• Words like through, though, and thought look similar but sound completely different.

  
  

🔹 Silent letters everywhere 

• Why do we write knight when we only say night?

  
  

🔹 Same letters, different sounds

• The ough in tough, though, cough, and through all have different pronunciations!

  
  

🔹 Unfamiliar sounds

• English has sounds that don’t exist in Spanish or Catalan, like the th in think and this, making pronunciation harder for bilingual learners.

  
  

🔹 Borrowed words from many languages

• English has taken words from Latin, French, and Germanic languages, creating an inconsistent mix of spelling and pronunciation rules.

Even native English-speaking children spend years mastering phonics just to read fluently. Now imagine being a bilingual child learning English without structured literacy instruction—without the same phonics foundation that native-speaking children receive.

This is why spoken fluency isn’t enough. Without structured support, bilingual children can fall behind in literacy, even if they sound fluent in conversation.

Common Myths About Bilingual Children Learning English

Many parents notice that their child is comfortable speaking English but struggles with reading and writing. However, the method and materials offered in many schools—like ESL (English as a Second Language) classes—are not always the right fit for heritage learners.

With consistent practice our son started to improve (Feb 2023)

💭 Myth #1: "They do English at school, so they don’t need extra support."

✔️ Reality: Many bilingual families can’t be blamed for assuming that school English lessons will be enough. But having worked broadly across both ESL and English literacy education, I knew this wasn’t the case. Most school programmes focus on vocabulary and grammar—important, but not enough to build the phonics and reading fluency needed to thrive in English literacy.

💭 Myth #2: "They speak English fluently, so reading will come naturally."

✔️ Reality: Unlike speaking and listening, which children pick up naturally through exposure, reading and writing in English must be explicitly taught. English is not a phonetic language, meaning children cannot simply "absorb" literacy skills the way they acquire spoken fluency. Without structured instruction in phonics, spelling, and comprehension strategies, bilingual children can struggle to bridge the gap between spoken and written English.

💭 Myth #3: "They’ll catch up on their own."

✔️ Reality: Here in Barcelona, Spanish- and Catalan-speaking children typically reach reading fluency in 1-2 years, while English takes 4-6 years due to its irregular spelling and complex phonics rules.

English literacy takes longer to develop and requires consistent, structured support to build reading and writing confidence.

Inspire a love for reading from the start

Final Thoughts: Helping Your Child Build Strong English Literacy

✅ Start early—don't wait! – The earlier you introduce reading in English, the better. Children do not get confused by learning multiple languages, and early exposure helps them develop confidence and fluency without negatively affecting their school language.

✅ Choose quality resources wisely – Not all materials are created equal! Opt for engaging, ad-free books, games, and media that make learning fun and immersive, rather than passive screen time.

✅ Recognise that school alone isn’t enough – Even if your child has English lessons at school, structured reading and writing practice at home is essential to building long-term literacy skills.

✅ Be patient—progress takes time! – English literacy develops more slowly than in phonetic languages like Spanish and Catalan. The key is to stay consistent, keep it fun, and create a positive, encouraging environment where children feel motivated and confident.

There’s so much more to explore when it comes to helping bilingual children thrive in literacy. In my next post, I’ll be sharing our personal journey from multilingual parenting to supporting families through Next Level English, and how our experiences shaped the way we support bilingual children today.

If you're navigating this journey with your child, you’re not alone. Keep exploring, keep learning, and let’s build a strong foundation for your child’s English literacy—together.

📩 Have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you!

Drop a comment below, or join our community to connect with other multilingual families!