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How To Teach Your Child a Second Language
Teaching a child a
second language can be an immensely rewarding experience,
and can open their young minds to a whole new world
of sights and sounds. Even if you’re not entirely
fluent in another tongue, here are five simple ways
you can help your child learn to speak a second language
confidently and easily.
1. If you can, start early. The sooner
the better. By the age of two, a child’s brain
is sucking up and processing all the information he
or she comes in contact with, so it’s an ideal
time to start learning a second language. You may think,
“But he hasn’t even mastered ENGLISH yet!”
That’s okay! Believe it or not, children can easily
juggle two (or more) languages at once without the difficulty
that their adult counterparts may have if they try to
learn the same language when they’re older. Learning
two separate languages will also not hinder your child’s
reading or speaking ability. In fact, it will actually
improve and broaden their vocabulary as they get older,
since many foreign language words are used in English
as well.
2. Just like with learning English,
start your child out on simple words and basic greetings.
Learning a language does take time and repetition, so
only move on when your child feels comfortable and confident
in using what he or she has already learned. If you’re
not completely fluent yourself, but still want your
child to have the benefit of a second language, purchase
a good dictionary and work book to reinforce what you
already know so that you can teach it to your child.
3. Set aside a special “Language-Only”
time. Practice the language together with your child
through music, books or videos and use this time to
speak and play together using only the second language.
It’s a great way to build up the child’s interest
in another culture and will help him learn the language
more completely and thoroughly.
4. If your significant other speaks
a foreign language, consider having him or her speak
only in the foreign language to the child, while you
speak to them in English. This will quickly help the
child understand each language’s structure and
differences, and he won’t be as likely to get confused.
Remember though, language learning is a slow by steady
process. Let your child know not to worry about making
a mistake or sounding silly. That’s the only way
he or she will become confident enough to speak the
language on a regular basis.
5. Whenever possible, immerse your child
in the second language as often as you can. Taking trips
to the place where the language is spoken is a great
way to make a language feel “real” to a child.
Children mimic what they see, so seeing others speak
and use the language in their day-to-day lives will
show him that he can do the same!
Above all, treat learning a second language
like a fun “adventure” rather than a tedious
chore. If you keep these tips in mind, it won’t
be long before your child is equally comfortable and
proficient in both languages! Good luck!
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