As babies and toddlers, the human brain experiences what is known as a ‘critical period’ in language acquisition, particularly when it comes to learning a second language.
During this time, due to a combination of rapid neural connections and increased elasticity, we can acquire a new language much faster than we would be able to as adults.
Often, this language-learning capability comes in very handy, particularly when children move to a new country at a young age and have to pick up another language.
If your own family circumstances make it important for your young child to learn a second language – or if you’re just keen to improve their cognitive development with the help of language learning – you may be wondering how best to nurture their remarkable learning capabilities. Read on for some helpful tips on how to encourage your young child to pick up another tongue in no time.
Start With The Fundamentals
Arguably the best way to help your child to start learning a new language is to begin with basic words. These range from simple greetings and numbers, to colours, the names of animals, and the familiar household objects that you have all around you in your home.
By starting them off with these fundamental elements of language, you will create a firm foundation for them to build on as the months go by. Then, as they grow in confidence, they can progress to simple songs and stories, and gradually increase the complexity of their knowledge at their own pace.
Give Speech Technology A Try
Technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and child-friendly educational software of various kinds has been developed to make the most of our offspring’s active young minds.
For example, if you would like to introduce some helpful tech tools to help your toddler or young child learn their new language, you can seek assistance from SoapBox Labs. They have been successfully using tech in speech therapy and language learning for a decade, and have created a range of highly lauded voice-enabled learning tools to help children master various language tasks.
Learn A Little Each Day
Even with their elastic, quick-learning brains, children can still become overwhelmed by too much information. Rather than conducting lengthy language-learning sessions, make their education a small but important part of their daily routine. This will make it easier for them to recall what they have already memorised, and add a little extra knowledge each day.
Learn Right Alongside Them
We all know how tedious it can be to learn something on our own. Finding motivation can be difficult and you may be more likely to give up. If you feel like this as an adult, why should your young child experience things any differently?
To help make the language-learning process more enjoyable and fulfilling for your child, why not learn alongside them? If you are moving to a new country, then learning the native language will prove helpful anyway, and your child is much more likely to stick with the learning process if they have someone to practice with.
Have Patience
Perhaps the most important thing to remember, when encouraging your child to learn another language, is to always remain patient and supportive. If they get confused, forget some things, or make mistakes, remind them that this is a natural part of the learning process and they shouldn’t get discouraged.
Invest in their future
Learning a second language is an invaluable investment in your child’s future. Not only does it broaden their communication skills, but it also enhances cognitive abilities and increases the likelihood of success in life. When it comes to language learning, it’s essential to choose the right instructor. Learn with Language Trainers to receive personalized guidance and support, and help your child become a confident and fluent speaker. Start their language learning journey today and unlock a world of opportunities for them.
With enough time and plenty of practice – not to mention your help and support – they will soon become fluent in their new language.