Image Credits: raisingchildren.net.au
How many languages can your child speak fluently without translation aids? According to an article by the Washington Post, half the world speaks more than one language. While this is a good trait, it takes time and commitment to master two languages simultaneously.
Children must learn to distinguish between the two languages to avoid confusion, especially during schoolwork. So, how do you boost your child’s bilingual confidence to ensure they keep up with monolingual peers?
Below are the best tips to guide you in the process. Experts assure parents that following this guide will make children more confident and, thus, more successful.
Tips to Use to Boost Your Child’s Confidence
Anyone that speaks more than one language proves they have task-switching abilities and are more likely to get employment. Still, parents must be aware of the challenges to guide their kids better.
Here are strategies to get it right:
1. Help Your Child Face Their Fears
Being fluent in two languages needs a lot of work. Kids trying to master two languages fear failure or peer mockery. After all, learning a new language is a challenging task. Perfecting the skill needs constant practice.
Sit with your child and discover what keeps them from fully grasping a language. After overcoming fear and building psychological strength, the learning process stops being daunting.
2. Study the Language with Your Child
If your first language is Spanish, it becomes easier to guide your child as they learn to speak, read and write in Spanish. The case is different if the language is new to a child and their parents.
Take up the language and teach your child that it is alright to make mistakes and go through difficulties while learning new things. You will be acting as an example, so your kid learns practically.
Still, getting your child lessons in a language you already understand is great since you will coach them on conversing. Within a short period, your child will improve their skills thanks to your input.
3. Allow Your Kid to Talk
It is normal to want to help when you see your child struggling with something. Unfortunately, that does not apply when learning new languages. When you see your child struggling, allow them to go through the difficulties since it enhances their skills.
On the other hand, always jumping in to help when your child has issues speaking makes them over-reliant. They need to think more quickly and critically. Prompting a child or cheering them on is allowed. Finishing their sentences takes away their thinking and responding abilities.
4. Maintain a Good Balance while Praising and Criticising
Praising kids after achievements is acceptable, but overdoing it does more harm than good. Comparingly, over-criticising them diminishes their confidence, making the learning process less successful.
How do you know what’s enough when praising or criticising your child’s progress?
Look at how your child responds to your comments. If they portray fear or discomfort, you need to back off.
5. Make the Learning Process Fun
If your child grew up in a Spanish household and is now learning the language, they are more likely to get bored since they’re familiar with everything.
In this case, you must switch things up by trying the following:
● Buying books with your child’s favourite cartoon characters
● Using songs and rhymes to boost memory
The aim of doing this is to make the learning process interesting, do your kids look forward to lessons in school?
6. Find Study Groups for Your Child
Team effort makes it easy to learn a new language. Although you’ll help by guiding your child and helping them study, groups with their peers increase love and understanding of a new language. Most private schools offer after-school programs, but you can check local recreational centres for additional language lessons.
7. Use Online Tools
Kids love working on their gadgets, so it is best to include applications that help them master a new language. Fortunately, several child-friendly apps and online tools are available to encourage your child to perfect their written and spoken skills.
The Benefits of Learning a New Language at an Early Age
Learning a new language is fun. The activity promotes brain development and has social benefits that last a lifetime.
Here are more reasons to encourage your young one to take up a new language while young:
- It gives them a head start. Besides, younger learners are less afraid of making mistakes.
- Learning at an early age helps children to interact with a culture and language, thus developing a deeper connection.
- Children who speak more than one language show mental flexibility and creative prowess.
- Bilingual children have improved reading, writing and comprehension skills. So they perform better in academics.
- Learning a new language promotes cultural sensitivity, tolerance, and empathy.
- Improved problem-solving skills.
Unfortunately, not all children do well at learning one or two new languages on top of their mother tongue. Besides, kids have different learning abilities. Only introduce a new language if your kid shows interest.
After looking at the advantages, it’s only fair to point out some disadvantages of introducing a new language early.
The Disadvantages of Learning a New Language While Young
Firstly, most schools need the best curriculums to teach foreign languages. At the same time, schools that lack the proper tools and instructors must be better suited for young readers.
Thus, always check a school’s facilities and make inquiries during the Singapore school fees and admission process to ensure everything is understood.
Other things to worry about are:
- Confusion
- Delay in language development due to exhaustion from learning two languages simultaneously.
Don’t worry, though. By allowing your child to learn at their pace, you avoid the stress and confusion involved in learning new languages.
Experts advise parents to teach their kids new languages to expand their knowledge and appreciation of cultures. On top of that, kids learn problem and task-management skills. They must differentiate between their mother tongue and one or two other languages, which takes skill and patience.
That said, finding the best school is the first step. Go for those with suitable curriculums and good instructors to allow your child to thrive.
