Top Tips for helping your child learn a new language

Are you on the search for ways to help your child learn a new language? Overtime, the introduction of learning a second language for children has become more and more popular around the world, and for good reason. With the number of benefits that come from being a bilingual individual, parents are picking up on this and are trying to give their children the opportunity to learn a second language. However, not everybody knows the right way to go about this. Parents who already come from an ethnic background, have the advantage of being able to teach their children a second language as it is their mother tongue, and incorporate it when they communicate with their child from as young as birth. Unfortunately, for those parents who don’t have additional language skills, it can be difficult to teach your child a foreign language from scratch. The good news is, this is not a challenge that cannot be tackled. Below are some top tips for helping your child learn a new language, as advised by this private school in Oxfordshire.

Start as young as possible

Many have argued that there is a critical period in a child’s life where their ability to learn a new language eventually diminishes as they grow up. While this doesn’t mean that they will be unable to learn a new language after the critical period, it does mean the process of it may be a little more difficult. With this said, introducing a new language into your child’s life as early on as possible will give them the best chance to become fluent in a foreign language. Research has also shown that attaining a second language can help boost critical thinking skills and can improve memory, concentration as well as the ability to multitask. Naturally, a young person’s brain is constantly working on building these skills, so giving them a boost through learning any language is always an advantage. The recommended age to help your child learning a new language is from 2 and up. This is because it is easier for them to learn the language as well as understanding diversity and the culture that surrounds it. 

Begin with the very basics

Learning a new language is difficult enough as it is, so be kind to both you and your child by introducing the very basics to begin with. From the understanding of basic household objects to numbers, colours and even actions, there are plenty of simple ways to slowly introduce a new language into your child’s life. Once your child has become accustomed to the new vocabulary and is using it confidently, you can begin to introduce them to music, books and tv shows to help them learn in an entertaining way to keep them engaged. This is something that can be done together and can double as a bonding activity.

Study with your child

Whilst the introduction of this new language will be something that will mainly benefit your child, it doesn’t mean that you cannot study with your child and encourage them. This is especially important if your child is struggling with learning the new language as doing it alone can end up with them giving up altogether. Learning something together is a brilliant way to bond and build a connection with your child. The idea that you are both on the same level with this task can be comforting to your child as you take turns to teach each other. Incorporate as many activities as you can when it comes to this as it will help your child stay afloat and find learning the language to be something fun and exciting. Don’t forget to praise them for their achievements no matter how small as this is what will help them reach the finish line.