Teaching Your Child Another Language
/With extra one-on-one time, now is a better time than ever before to teach your child a new language. When it comes to language, you want to expose your babies as early as possible. This is why parents are encouraged to talk to their children as soon as they’re born, and to start explaining things as they’re experienced.
Whether you’re a bilingual family, or you just want your child to be bilingual, there are so many things you can do without a professional teacher. Here is a list of ways to boost your child’s language skills while you’re at home. In our examples below, we will use Spanish, but any language can be applied.
DJ, TURN THAT MUSIC UP: One of the most fun activities you can do with a child of any age is have an impromptu dance party. Next time, turn up the Spanish tunes. The more exposed to the language and the more repetition, the better. Music is actually proven to help children learn other languages.
SPANISH TELEVISION: While it is recommended to limit screen time, not all screen time is created equal. There are shows like Las Leyendas, 31 Minutos and Atencion Atencion that can be great for toddlers.
BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS: At story time, try going back and forth between English and Spanish. Try to point out similarities in meanings and words that might sound the same in both languages. This type of back and forth is extremely valuable for adding context to new words.
EDUCATIONAL APPS: Yes, there is (truly) an app for everything. If you can make it fun, teaching your toddler a new language should be smooth. Children like games, and they love technology. So when you combine their love for fun with an educational opportunity, you get a winning combination.
FAMILY FUN NIGHT: It’s time for everyone’s favorite…Bilingual Bingo! By doing a quick Google search, this activity isn’t only entertaining, but it can be free too.
OUTDOOR COUNTING GAMES: Take a leisurely stroll around the community or a scenic drive. Choose an object that you know you’ll see along the way and count with your child. Uno, dos, tres. Additionally, you can also encourage your child to point out anything he or she sees and recite the Spanish name. (ie: if your child sees a dog, he or she can point and say “perro”).
TRADITIONS: Learning the language is one thing, but understanding the culture behind the language is just as important. Even if you don’t have a personal connection to a Spanish-speaking country, you can still celebrate the culture by celebrating a specific holiday, learning traditional dances or feasting on traditional Spanish foods.
AT HOME SIGNAGE: Pick one room a week and create signage for the different pieces of furniture and different parts of the room. This type of at home stimulation really helps reinforce the English and Spanish language equivalents.
ENCOURAGEMENT: It can be easy to forget, especially since a lot of us aren’t professional teachers, but encouragement is key. You want your child to feel empowered and confident enough to start speaking in a different language.
GO SLOW: Learning a new language is hard, especially when you’re in the process of trying to learn two at one time! There’s no rush here, and your best bet is to follow your child’s lead. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm them since this could lead to confusion and frustration.
Do you have any tips for teaching a child a new language? Let us know in the comments!