Top Tips for Teaching Your Child a New Language

Helping your child learn a new language doesn’t have to be as tricky as it sounds, even if you’re not fluent in the language in question. There are various technique you can try to help make the process easier, as explored below by a pre-prep school in Gerrards Cross.

Use Labels

Labelling frequently used items around your home in the language your child is trying to learn is a fantastic way to help your child learn new nouns. Regular exposure to these words will help your child retain the vocabulary so that they can associate the words with visual cues and eventually include them in written and verbal sentences. So, while you may not appreciate having post-it notes all over your house, it will benefit your child’s learning. 

Create Cue Cards

Cue cards are another great way to help your child with their vocabulary and it’s something that you can practise with them. Hold up the card so that your child can see one side and you can see the other and ask your child to read the word aloud and recite the translated alternative. Keep practising until they perfect the cards, and then create some new ones. 

Watch Foreign Films

Watching foreign films is an entertaining way to help your child become more familiar with the language in a more conversational and natural manner. You can put subtitles on at first, until they become more fluent. Essentially, it’s a way to help them learn without being too boring. 

Look for Learning Apps

There are lots of smartphone/tablet apps that can help users learn a new language, and the great thing about these is your child can practise wherever they are. For instance, if they are waiting in the reception of a doctor’s surgery, they can have a quick play on the language app. After all, what kid doesn’t love playing on their phone?