Learning languages from childhood: when to start

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Foreign language lessons for children are in demand and very popular. Children of celebrities manage to master 2-3 languages even before school, and “ordinary” mothers share the successes of their young polyglots on playgrounds and on social networks. How not to get lost in the stream of news and bragging of acquaintances?

When a child is ready to learn a foreign language

You can start at least from birth. It is customary for us to feel sorry for children whom parents force to learn English, French or another language. But children from mixed marriages, where one parent is a foreigner, no one protects from learning a second language. In fact, these two situations are very similar: in any case, the child learns two languages at the same time, and the load is the same for him.

It only seems to us that a foreign language is a complex subject that will overload the brain of a small child. In fact, it is not so important what language the kid learns: English, Chinese or Russian. More important is how you present the new information to the child: whether in an interesting form, in an adequate volume.

The ideal moment when a child is already able to learn something is the age of 5 years. But this is not an ironclad rule. There are techniques that help to learn languages both with younger kids and with schoolchildren. You just need to properly plan your classes - taking into account your age.

Which language to choose

It is equally important to choose the right language. Let's leave English out of brackets: without it it is impossible to realize oneself professionally, so learning it is mandatory. When the child is drawn into English, it is worth introducing the lessons of the second foreign.

It is better to choose from those languages that will be in demand on the market in the near future. For example, Chinese or Japanese. It is up to you to choose, but do not forget to ask the opinion of the baby himself. Do not rush to get scared and conclude that we are depriving your child of childhood. The main thing is to choose the right technique and dose the load.

How to plan lessons

It is important to understand that a child has psychological capabilities and limits. Children's attention easily changes focus, and you need to greatly captivate the baby so that he sits in place for at least 15 minutes.

Excessive exertion will turn into stress, so it is better to divide the process into blocks. In addition to "lectures" and exercises, it is worth including in the program outdoor games using a foreign language, watching cartoons and educational videos, reading children's books with subsequent discussion.

We organize the process

Individual lessons are preferred: in person with a teacher or via Skype. Group activities distract the baby too much. In addition, if a child is sick and missed a lesson, he is unlikely to be able to catch up in the group.

Read also

Career | 2017-13-12 Top 10 YouTube Channels for Learning English

It is possible to arrange short lessons with an online tutor if the child is small and it is difficult for him to endure an hour of lesson. You will be able to put together a program with short but frequent meetings.

It is worth consulting with the teacher about extracurricular activities. He will advise on cartoons, helpful YouTube channels, and books that you can read to your child at night.

There is nothing difficult and scary in learning foreign languages if you accept a child and listen to his needs. Try new techniques, change the program, adjust the schedule as needed - and everything will work out.

Julia Green, Preply.com startup instructor and blog on learning English