Tips for Teaching Your Child a Second Language

Teaching children a second language from a very young age has become an increasingly popular trend among parents. From enrolling youngsters in specialized language learning programs, to using at-home programs, videos and tapes to help children pick up an ear for foreign language, no one doubts that another language is a good skill to have, but getting started can be difficult.

Don’t pick an off-the-wall language
If you plan to teach your child another language, don’t pick an obscure or dying language. As one blogger points out, “Why should I learn Quechua? I shouldn’t… I have no need to know the language; and, therefore, I shouldn’t learn it.” When choosing a language for your child, choose one that is practical and makes sense. Perhaps you adopted a child from China. Teaching that child Chinese could help preserve his or her sense of culture. Perhaps you live in a region with a high Latino population. In that case, learning Spanish is a practical choice. Don’t select a wild and crazy language just because it sounds cool. There is no point to learning a language that can never be used.

Don’t rush it
Don’t stress about teaching your child a second language from the very beginning. Although young children and babies are likely to learn second languages with much more ease than older children and adults, it is also important that your child is able to grasp and understand his or her native language as well. My own daughter suffered a speech delay in her early years, and although we initially wanted to teach her a second language early on, it became less of a priority. Take your time and don’t rush it. There is always time to learn a new language.

Remain laid back
When you decide to teach your child a second language, make sure you’re laid back about it. Your child is much more likely to enjoy it and have fun if they don’t feel pressured or stressed. Turn language learning into a game and you’re much more likely to see results than if you drill and quiz your child relentlessly.

Start slowly
One of the easiest ways to begin teaching your child a second language, is by learning the name of an object in that language, one at a time. The best words to choose, are words your child uses frequently. For example, if you want to teach your child Spanish, you could tell them that everything has two names; one in Spanish and one in English. “Milk” and “leche” are the same thing, just in different languages. Try to research the proper words or keep a foreign language dictionary on hand to assist you when presenting your child with the various names for something.

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