Learning Spanish For Kids
Spanish is the second most common language in the United States. Depending on which state you live in, anywhere from 8% to over 40% of the population speaks Spanish as a primary language.
If your kids learn Spanish, they will be able to communicate with friends, teachers and other members of their community.
Learning Spanish for kids will train them for their future where this extra knowledge might help. Don’t think your kids will not learn English properly because they are also learning Spanish.
They will understand English as well since they will hear it all around them at school and at the playground and knowing another language will increase your child’s intellect. Learning a language can help even when the child gets older with her ability to learn anything.
It could also just be a sense of accomplishment for the child to know a different language.
Learning Spanish for kids really isn’t that difficult if you follow the five easy tips below. If you don’t know Spanish, you and your kids can learn Spanish together.
• Start Young – The earlier you start teaching a second language, the more quickly the child will pick up on it. There is thought to be a window of opportunity between the ages of one and twelve when children learn foreign languages almost effortlessly.
If you or the child’s caregivers speak Spanish, you can teach Spanish right along with English as the child learns language.
• Make It Fun – Children often come to resent activities they perceive as chores, so make learning Spanish for kids’ fun. Use songs, for instance, or language CDs made especially for children, or read aloud Spanish bedtime stories at night.
• Teach Useful Phrases First – Kids want to know useful things like phrases they can learn in every day conversation, so teach them the words they are most likely to need to know.
This can include how to order popular foods, how to ask for and understand directions to common places (e.g., the bathroom), and names for common objects and various parts of the body.
• Set Aside a Special Learning Time Each Day – Good times for kids include right after getting up in the morning, before or after meals, or right before bedtime.
The lessons don’t need to be long—half an hour of practice is fine. Choose different activities to fill this time so your child doesn’t get bored.
• Offer More Praises Than Criticisms – Children want to please by their parents and enjoy receiving positive strokes, so offer praise whenever you honestly can. Learning Spanish for kids must include admiration of the efforts as well as results.
Teaching Spanish to your child should be a fun, bonding experience, not a trial. If you follow these five easy tips, your child should soon be speaking like a native.
