Tips And Benefits Of Learning A New Language As A Child | Bright Classroom Ideas

Whether monolingual or bilingual, you’ve probably considered introducing your child to a second language. Most parents put off the idea of teaching their children a second language for various reasons. However, knowing the best time to introduce a new language to your child is important if you are for this idea.

It’s never too early to introduce a new language to your kids. Be it Korean, Spanish, or Chinese, several studies have found that teaching new languages to kids boosts intellectual and cognitive development. Unlike adults, introducing a new language to your child earlier makes it easier for them to pick up and become fluent. Below are a few tips that can ease the introduction:

1. Get started early

Surprisingly, infants are born with an innate ability to mimic general sounds of languages. By 10 months, they can narrow down to specific sounds they can hear around them. If you want to ease your child into a second language, consider introducing it in their first year of life.

For bilingual families, one parent can start introducing the second language to the baby slowly. If you prefer introducing the new language to your toddler later, waiting until they are 18 to 20 months is best.

2. Find a good class

While you can teach your child the new language at home, enrolling them to an online class simplifies learning. Online classes provided by World Kids School and other tutors make it easy for toddlers to learn new languages. You should consider the following when looking for a school:

• It should be taught by native speakers — Most children who learn a foreign language before puberty can speak it with a near-native accent. However, ensuring that a native speaker teaches the language is important as it helps learners learn the correct words and phrases.
• Fun and engaging — A good class should integrate various learning aspects, such as songs, games, and arts, to makelearning fun and engaging for children. For instance, if kids are learning Mandarin, the teacher may use games that can teach children songs in Mandarin. Cooking, dancing, and other activities also help kids build their vocabularies.
• Type of program — You should also inquire about the schools’ teaching programs. Depending on your child’s learning ability, you can opt…