Every language that a person knows opens up new doors for them to prosper and achieve in life. Given that most of us are aware of this, a lot of parents these days desire their kids to learn a new language for social and academic purposes. But parents frequently don’t know whether it’s the perfect moment to start teaching their child a new language or how to do it effectively. Fortunately, there are some useful solutions to these frequent problems described below:
When should they begin their education?
Though there is a great deal of disagreement on this topic, if one conclusion could be made, it would be to begin as soon as feasible. But, during the early stages of life, a child’s mind is constantly being built and organized so that it can process the vast amount of information and stimuli that surrounds it. For this reason, it could be preferable to hold off until your child is at least three years old to prevent overstimulation and confusion.
It is common knowledge that kids who take up a foreign language before they reach adolescence have a higher chance of learning any language’s grammar and sounding like native speakers. Nevertheless, it is still preferable to give children enough time to completely learn and comprehend one language before exposing them to another, even if their minds are really like sponges that absorb everything. If not, they may end up misinterpreting the languages and experience a period of not knowing how to communicate effectively.
How and where are they going to learn?
Being around individuals who speak a second language fluently is the best method for a youngster to acquire it, so if your family speaks two languages, you’re in luck. Try the “one person, one language” approach, in which one adult speaks to the child exclusively in one language and another adult speaks the other language, to assist the youngster learn the language fully rather than just bits and pieces. Don’t panic if your youngster uses terms from two languages in the same phrase or has some initial difficulty with word order. They will grow up with two mother tongues and swiftly pick up the ability to distinguish between the two languages.
If you’re not fortunate enough to live in a bilingual household, your best bet would be to enroll in a top-notch school with innovative curricula and knowledgeable teachers. It is essential to have enthusiastic, fluent teachers who can make learning enjoyable and who know just how to work with young children at the right pace to teach them more than just new vocabulary or grammar rules. Individuals such as this commit their entire time and energy to equipping kids with the useful skills of a language so that they can use it successfully in every part of their lives in the future.
How can you assist me?
There are still methods to assist your child in learning a language even if you are not fluent in it. First and foremost, you must support your child in beginning to learn a new language. Next, you must locate a top-notch school or teacher to sustain your child’s interest and motivation to learn. It is crucial that your youngster hears the foreign language spoken as much as possible. Therefore, to ensure that your family members are exposed to the language even while they are at home, try finding songs, cartoons, and kids’ TV shows in the language that they can watch on TV or even search the Internet. If none of your family members speak the language, try locating it and playing it in the background. The best way to make sure your child is genuinely enjoying the process of learning a new language is to never push them too hard; instead, let them take their time and feel no pressure.
A youngster will become more adept in a language the longer they dedicate themselves to learning it and the more use they make of it. Thus, make it a point to get started as soon as you can, and be there for your kids at all times to encourage and support them.
