Early language learning can be very fun, spontaneous and easy, if you take it like the game. In addition, taking into account our advice, you can gain good communication habits and improve your conversation skills with your child.
This will help the child in the long run to improve social and communication skills. At the same time, he will learn new words, phrases and if you are consistent and persistent of the new language.
Of course, we have tried all the tips in our family, and there are a few of them on the agenda in our everyday life. We provide 10 tips for early language learning:
1. TALKING WITH CHILDREN
Talk with your child in a foreign language for at least 15 minutes a day. Use also non-verbal communication. At the beginning, speak first to your child in a foreign language and then repeat the same meaning once again in your mother tongue. Begin with simple phrases. Repeat!
2. MUSIC AND SONGS FOR CHILDREN
Sing songs in a foreign language with your children. Children learn faster and more spontaneously while singing, as melodies and rhymes take over … And it’s super fun!
3. GOODNIGHT READING
Read the multilingual fairy tales and stories before bedtime. Depending on the child’s knowledge of a foreign language, adjust in which language you will read first.
Pay attention to the children’s attention by combining mother tongue and foreign language and asking questions. A child can quickly get tired because it does not fully understand the text in a foreign language.
4. MOBILE APPLICATIONS FOR CHILDREN
Today’s children love technology. Choose quality multilingual mobile applications for early language learning. It is extremely important that the use of the tablet / mobile is limited and that you explain to your child how the application works. And of course, you can monitor how the child reacts to it.
5. PLAYING WITH CHILDREN
Play board games in another language, deal with both pantomime and classic table games. Both can be a great fun while learning individual words and phrases in a foreign language.
6. TOY THAT SPEAKS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Give the child a new toy and tell him that he understands and speaks only in the chosen foreign language. This can be a robot, doll, sewn or plush toy. Of course, you can also make it yourself. Play with your toy by talking to them and playing in a different language only. The child will quickly start to imitate you.
7. DIALOGUE WITH CHILDREN
Talk to your child and ask questions in both mother tongue and in a foreign language. First speak to the child in a foreign language, and then, if necessary, in the mother tongue.
8. SKYPE PAL FOR CHILDREN
Find new friends who do not speak your child’s mother tongue. It’s easiest to start talking via Skype, as you can talk to anyone from anywhere. You can easily find families with similar interests that speak your preferred language. Arranging for a Skype call is important, both for the adults who will coordinate the conversation as well for the children who need to stay focused and interested in the other party. Parents are interested to whom they will talk to and they know about what their children want to talk about.
9. UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF KNOWING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Explain to the child the benefits of knowing a foreign language (for reading, talking, traveling). Once the child understands the benefits of knowing the foreign languages, he/she will start enjoying the learning process more.
10. QUALITY TIME WITH CHILDREN
Be spontaneous, go with the flow, learning the language at home is not as rigorous as in a class. The more original you are, the more you will laugh and have fun with your child and vocabulary will build up faster! This applies in the field of language learning and in other areas as well.
Start with all activities slowly and apply them for a short period time on daily basis. As the time goes by you will gradually extend the time you devote to activities in foreign language.
If you add our suggestions to the time you spend daily with your child, you will surely build a healthy and trusted relationship. It is important that you talk directly to the child and not that the child is a passive listener. It’s even more important to listen to your child! Often children tell things in their own way, and since each one of us has a little different, parents should learn to understand each child individually.
Be spontaneous and trust your gut! Do things the way that you think it is the best for both of you. The most important thing is that you and your child are having fun and bonding.