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Ways to help your child learn French
or Spanish
- Go to France
or Spain on
holiday. Yes, a bit obvious, but when you've actually booked and
paid for a holiday it can be so motivating! Imagine your
child ordering their own 'croque monsieur' or 'tapas' in a lovely café!
Small, out of the way places are better for practising your languages
as they are less likely to have people speaking English. Try to
go self-catering and do all your food shopping in the local market or
small shops where you and your child will get to interact with local
people.
- Build up a little
collection of simple French or Spanish children's books to keep by
your child's bed. Even if you don't understand it word for word you're
showing your child the first steps in deciphering foreign words.
'Lucie Chat' books (b small publishing) have a useful
pronunciation guide at the back for French or the 'I can read Spanish'
books are great fun too.
- It can take years to
learn to recognise French or Spanish numbers quickly; give your child a
head start by getting into the habit of counting things like stairs,
cars, buses etc in French or Spanish.
- Choose
one day of the week to be your language day eg French on Fridays as
this will help you get in the habit of trying to use the language
regularly.
- When you're
abroad on holiday try and pick up a CD of nursery rhymes. The Early Learning Centre do one for
about £5.00 which is fairly easy on the parental ear, even after the
20th playing...
- Have a
look on You Tube for some great children's TV programmes eg 'Tchoupi' or
'Oui Oui' (Noddy) or 'Bob el constructor'
- Have you thought of
changing the language option on your child's favourite DVD to French
or Spanish? (A bit sneaky but worth a try!)
- Hire an
au pair from France or Spain - he or she can teach the family some
useful key phrases and provide very reasonably-priced childcare.
- Host a
foreign student; local language colleges are always looking for
families to act as paid hosts. Although the students are here to
learn English this can be a great way to understand cultural
differences and similarities and show your children how other people
go about language learning
- Use the
language learning games on your Nintendo DS
- Buy or
make a set of word cards. Put a new one on your fridge every
day. At the end of the month you'll have learnt 30 new words!
- Try and remember that
learning a language is about being prepared to make mistakes.
A sense of humour is required at all times.
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