It is not as difficult as you may think to teach English to kids. If you adopt a child from a non-English speaking country or if English is not the primary language spoken in your home, then you will need to teach your children or grandchildren how to speak English. The younger the child is when you start the teaching process, the faster they will learn the language.
Learning a second language has a ton of benefits for your younger children. It is a great way for them to develop better critical thinking skills, become more efficient problem-solvers, and boost their memory and concentration skills. One of the languages universally accepted and known to be the benchmark for conversations is English. The language is spoken by over one billion people worldwide. Though it seems more widespread, teaching it as a second language involves a lot of work. However, that doesn’t mean it is entirely impossible. Teaching your children how to speak English requires a lot of patience, especially since every child has different learning approaches. Here are. some ways you can teach your kids English that they would enjoy.
Immerse them into the language
Your young ones will be more capable of grasping basic English language concepts once they learn in an environment that makes room for that to be possible. Using the immersion technique, you can help them better grasp the language by only speaking in English around your child. To further deepen the immersion, only watch television shows and movies that are in English. Make sure that the music and podcasts you listen to are only in English. If English is not the primary language spoken in your home make sure you spend as much time as possible around English speakers. Kids can much better assimilate and grasp the language by giving them real-world exposure. Immersion is also a great way for them to learn more about English culture or at least the various English-speaking cultures. It also exercises your kids’ minds faster, and they can pick up new words and phrases at a faster pace.
Speak only English at home
It might be difficult for kids five years or younger to construct full sentences or express their thoughts fully in English, especially if they’ve been speaking another language since birth. That’s why it is super important that you encourage them to always communicate what little English they know. You can practice this by talking to them about their daily activities in English. It could be as simple as asking if they’ve brushed their teeth or wanting to know what they’ve had for dinner. You can also help them phrase questions, especially when they make requests.
Turn English learning into a fun game
Learning English does not only involve reading books or speaking it around the house. Fun games and activities can help your children to have a solid grasp and deeper understanding of the language. Activities like Pictionary, for example, are a great way to help them translate pictures into words. Playing charades using facial expressions, body language, and hand gestures is another excellent way of expressing themselves using non-verbal cues. Another fun game like Hangman will also help them know how to take out unwanted letters and also teach them how words are formed and pronounced. You can designate one night of the week for fun English-based games and activities. Not only would it be an excellent bonding time, but it would also help them learn new words and express themselves better.
Use online resources
If your child enjoys playing fun games on the computer or tablet, you can use that to encourage them to learn English. Fortunately, many online resources are dedicated to teaching young children how to learn and speak English better. Plus, it allows your children to learn multiple skills at once, including brushing up on English and becoming more tech-savvy. There are also resources where you can download tasks and assignments for your kids. If you have a child between the ages of 4-6, you can download kindergarten worksheets to help them practice English reading and writing.
Use repetition
Teaching your kids how grammar works is no small feat. Adults sometimes get confused with all the rules and formats of constructing sentences, so it’s no surprise that kids can get easily overwhelmed. The best way to help them fully understand grammar is by using the correct form in all conversations. When they make mistakes and use the wrong grammar, give them the chance to hear what they said in the correct format to help them understand which phrase sounds better and is correct. The more you use this technique, the easier it is for them to understand how to construct sentences correctly.
Teach them how to speak through singing
Songs can be a great way to engage kids in learning and help them recollect their memories much better. That same method also helps them understand English, and it’s a great way to switch things up from the regular textbooks that can get boring too quickly. You can start by teaching them English songs and reciting poems when they listen to how the words and rhythm flow; your kids can become more familiar with the sounds of the language and learn some new words too. You can even translate a few songs from your native language into English for them.
Use storytelling to teach English
Kids have active and vivid imaginations, and you can use that to your advantage while teaching them how to speak English. If you’re a great storyteller, you can create different stories to tell in English. Alternatively, you can rely on illustrated storybooks to help them understand how words can help spark their imagination and create environments. You can incorporate sounds to make your storytelling more exciting and ask them to recount the story to test their speech and comprehension skills. Fill your house with English story books and make them available for your child to look at whenever they choose. Read to your child in English every night before bed or have them read to you. Plus, it’s a great way for them to use the language to express themselves creatively, so keep this in mind.
Kids can grasp concepts fairly early, and English is one of the languages they can easily learn when taught correctly. To make it more interesting, it would help to vary your lessons to make learning more interesting, and you can also encourage your household to speak English more regularly. Your kids will start to have a solid grasp of the language, and soon, they will be able to express their thoughts all by themselves.
