Learning languages can be fun too
Your children can learn languages successfully and it can be very easy and fun for them, like this!
Learning languages is essential today, but when they are imposed on children they can even hate this learning. Children learn very differently from adults – their young minds are not trapped by years of structured learning, and therefore they absorb information with unfettered curiosity and freedom.
The malleability of a young mind is one of the reasons why children have such an enormous propensity for language learning. This is also why many parents encourage their children to learn a language other than their mother tongue from the beginning.
However, teaching a child another language can be difficult in a monolingual family, as they do not benefit from passive learning . Instead, you should make an effort to gradually introduce other languages into the conversation. This can be daunting for some parents, but with these tips and a little diligence on your part, you should be able to teach little ones new languages.
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START EARLY
Although this may seem like a no-brainer, you may be surprised how soon a child can begin to learn a new language … from babies! Babies show signs of language comprehension before they can speak. Which means you could be laying the groundwork for your baby’s bilingual form before they say their first word!
If you are not a bilingual person, a simple and effective way to accustom your baby to the sound of another language is to sing to them. Learning a nursery rhyme or two in a foreign language is also relatively easy.
SPEND TIME WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS
Nothing nurtures a child’s understanding of a new language like listening to a native speaker. Their cadence, intonation, and even their gestures are often unique to the language and help your child create a picture of what it means to communicate in that language.
Babies can discriminate the sounds of all languages … and that is extraordinary because we adults cannot do that. We are listeners linked to culture. We can discriminate the sounds of our own language, but not those of foreign languages.
In this sense, exposing your child to native speakers early on can help them learn and retain a language. The simple ways to do this are by contacting family members who are bilingual or by arranging appointments with friends or neighbors who know both languages.
ENJOY ANOTHER LANGUAGE AS A FAMILY
Although not as good as learning from a native speaker, immersing your child in another language using a variety of different mediums is invaluable and often more achievable. Listening to music in the target language is an easy way to introduce it into your child’s life, whether it plays in the background while preparing dinner or to the music in the car while traveling.
Another form of entertainment that is useful, although a bit more difficult to integrate into everyday life, is television and movies in other languages. There are children’s channels that you can hire and that are in another language, such as English or French.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Extracurricular activities can also be a good resource, especially those activities that are aimed at learning the language in a fun and playful way. It could be taking your child to a tutor or group class. Your child’s school may offer the after-school English learning resource a couple of times a week.
LEARN WITH YOUR CHILDREN !?
Although it is not the simplest option, it is ideal to set a good example for your children. Learning a new language has many advantages. First of all, learning together can be a wonderful bonding experience and will give you hours of fun . It also means that you can answer questions your child has about the same language.
As you begin to incorporate language learning into your routine, for example at the dinner table or before bed, you will also see a big jump in your child’s confidence, which is great for their overall development.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.