How to teach a foreign language to a child: How to Teach Your Children a Second Language: 14 Steps

What’s the best way to teach children a second language? New research produces surprising results

People often assume that children learn new languages easily and without effort, regardless of the situation they find themselves in. But is it really true that children soak up language like sponges?

Research has shown that children are highly successful learners if they have a lot of exposure to a new language over a long time, such as in the case of child immigrants who are surrounded by the new language all day, every day. In such a scenario, children become much more proficient in the new language over the long term than adults.

But if the amount of language children are exposed to is limited, as in classroom language learning, children are slow learners and overall less successful than teenagers or adults. How can we explain this apparent contrast?

Researchers have argued that children learn implicitly, that is, without conscious thought, reflection or effort. And implicit learning requires a large amount of language input over a long period of time.

As we get older, we develop the ability to learn explicitly – that is, analytically and with deliberate effort. Put differently, adults approach the learning task like scientists. This explains why more mature classroom learners have greater success: they can draw on more highly developed, efficient, explicit learning processes which also require more effort.

Which is best?

When it comes to learning a language, however, it is not a question of either implicit or explicit learning. They can coexist, so it is more often a question of how much of each approach is used.

In our new study, we asked whether younger children who are generally thought to learn implicitly had already developed some ability to learn explicitly as well. What’s more, we looked at whether the ability to analyse language can predict foreign language learning success in the classroom.

We worked with over 100 Year 4 children, aged eight to nine, in five primary schools in England. The children took a number of tests, including a measure of their language learning aptitude, which assessed their ability to analyse language (language-analytic ability), to memorise language material (memory ability) and to handle language sounds (phonological awareness).

Over one school year, the children participated in language classes for 75 minutes per week. For this purpose, they were divided into four groups.

In the first half of the school year, each group was taught, respectively, German, Italian, Esperanto or Esperanto with a “focus-on-form method”. This method involved the teacher drawing the children’s attention to regular patterns in the language, asked them to think about what particular parts of words might mean or how sentences are put together in the language, for example. In other words, the children were encouraged to use their language-analytic ability, taking an explicit approach.

In the other groups, language was taught in a way that is typically used at primary school, that is, entirely playfully with games, songs and worksheets. This method is more likely to result in implicit learning.

How important is memory to a child’s ability to learn a second language?
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In the second half of the school year, all groups experienced the same type of language class: they all learned French, taught with a focus-on-form method. For our study, we assessed the children’s progress in French over the second half of the school year and then looked at whether any components of their aptitude – language-analytic ability, memory ability, phonological awareness – would predict their success in learning French.

If children learn implicitly, we would expect that memory ability would be most important. In other words, the ability to pick up language material as you hear and see it is most relevant. If children learn above all explicitly, we would expect that language-analytic ability would be most important.

The results

Differently to what people might expect, we found that the children’s language-analytic ability was most important, followed by phonological awareness. These two abilities contributed to predicting the children’s achievement in French, while memory ability was only marginally relevant. This suggests that children as young as eight or nine years can indeed learn explicitly to some extent, if the teaching method they experience encourages them to engage in analysis of the language to be learned.

Our results are in line with a previous study which directly compared children and adults experiencing different teaching methods. Here the researcher also found that learners’ use of an explicit approach in the foreign language classroom did not exclusively depend on age, but on how learners were taught. This means that even younger children can approach a learning task like scientists.

Of course, it is important to note that children of primary school age are still developing their ability to learn explicitly. Therefore, we cannot expect to teach them languages in exactly the same way as we would teach teenagers or adults. But some activities that encourage children to consciously reflect on and analyse the language material to be learned can be introduced to make best use of the limited class time that is available for foreign language teaching.

How to Teach your child a language you don’t know.

My son Kevin with his Spanish speaking nanny Maria in Playa Del Carmen Mexico.

I think I know why you’re here. You had a baby — and then you had feelings that you never would have imagined. And today, you want this wonderful child to learn a foreign language. Right?

I’m going to tell you how to teach your son or daughter a foreign language — even if you don’t speak it yourself. But first I’m going to tell you what doesn’t work.

School Language Programs Don’t Work

I really should say that school language programs in English speaking countries almost never work.  School language programs do work in some parts of Europe. And they usually work the best when they are teaching highly related languages, such as Danish schools teaching their students English,  since Danish and English are highly related.

School language programs in the USA have an almost 100% failure rate to produce high school graduates who can competently use the languages they have studied.

Occasional Immersion Programs Don’t Work

Taking your children to France once for two weeks in the summer so your children can learn French won’t work either.  For immersion to be effective, your son or daughter, needs a lot more time than two weeks.  What would work is to spend three months every summer in Paris and a month in the French Alps during the holiday season.

Vocabulary Learning Games Don’t Work

My brother speaks Spanish well.  He speaks it well enough to use it daily in his work as a physical therapist.  He would like his two daughters to learn Spanish.  His method of teaching them Spanish has been to tell stories (mostly in English) and then plug in an occasional Spanish word.  The result is that his daughters know about 100 words in Spanish, but they can’t say, “What’s your name?” or “Where is the bathroom?”

All language learning systems that do not teach the learners complete useful phrases fail.  No exceptions.

My brother is a great example of the many people who are competent in a language but have no idea how to teach it.

Most Spanish for Kids Programs are Useless

BBC Muzzy Spanish is one of the many useless programs for learning Spanish out there.

Imagine how easy it would be to sell Spanish learning programs to parents who don’t speak any Spanish? It’s impossible to tell if the program is good or not and all the parent can really tell is whether there is some Spanish in the program. Almost all of the programs that you buy are a 100% waste of money.

Grammar Training by Itself Doesn’t Work

Many language learning programs have such a strong focus on grammar that they might as well be 100% grammar.  This doesn’t mean that there isn’t some value in having your child learn some grammar, but wait until your he or she is conversational in the new language before studying grammar.

Weekly Tutoring for One Hour Doesn’t Work

Don’t waste your daughter’s time and your money on once per week tutoring.  One tutoring session per week isn’t nearly enough to yield effective results.

Tutoring is a slow language learning method, but it definitely can work and it should be part of your learning plan even if you or your child is also using effective learning software like Language101.com!

However tutoring should ideally be done for two hours per day seven days per week with one hour per day, five days per week, being a minimum below which, you simply shouldn’t bother.

Hire a Spanish Speaking Nanny

This absolutely will work for children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years. It certainly could work for older children too, but you need to be 100% sure that the nanny has the personality of a teacher.

If you can, it would be nice if your Spanish speaking nanny has an educated accent from some place like Mexico City or Bogota Columbia. Having said that, having an imperfect accent in a language you speak well is still a very good thing. If you find a great nanny with a regional accent in her Spanish from some small town in Mexico, hire her anyway.

You may want to record a sample of your prospective nanny’s voice in Spanish and then have another native speaker of Spanish check her accent and tell you if it’s good enough or not.

There are some Spanish accents, just like there are some English accents, that are not understandable to speakers of the standard language.

Music and Movies Will Help

Make sure that your child listens to a LOT of music, and watches a lot of movies, and videos in their new language.  If you play music at home, make sure the vocals are in your son’s new language.  When you watch movies, watch foreign films in your child’s new language with English subtitles.  Remember that subtitles are notoriously inaccurate, but the more hours your child spends in her or her new language, the better.

Watching Enough Stories on Television Will Work for Some Children

I’m not a big fan of having children watch television, but so many of you are going to do it anyway, that I might as well tell you how to have it be an effective learning method for your children.

Starting from Age 6 months and up to about 6 years, many children have learned languages effectively by watching a LOT of children’s television in their new language.

Ideally you should find shows produced in Spanish for example, rather than American English shows dubbed in Spanish.

I’ve watched the video below, “The Gingerbread Man” at least a hundred times and I have now had our Spanish teachers turn it into two lessons on our web site with both good and literal translations.

Your children need to be watching this for several hours per day. If the stories are simple enough, translation and subtitles probably aren’t necessary. Humans are hard wired to learn stories and videos about fairy tales and similar stores are easy to understand even if you don’t know the words.

Switch Your Socializing to Your Son’s New Language

Say for example that your son wants to learn Spanish.  If you are religious, switch to a Spanish church.  If you aren’t religious, join secular organizations for Spanish speakers.  If your son makes friends in his new language he is much more likely to learn it well.

Language Immersion School or Daycare

This can work, if your child is motivated and likes it.  There are some very good French immersion programs in the English speaking parts of Canada.  People who stay in these schools until they graduate, come out speaking pretty good French.  They have a strange accent, but they completely master French.

All large American cities and most small American cities have Spanish day care available.

Remember That It’s Learning Minus Forgetting That Counts

Your daughter will forget everything that she doesn’t use.  So remember that you need a method of fast review to retain the knowledge for a lifetime.   Language101.com has a fast review method like this.  So when your daughter forgets, and she will forget if she doesn’t continue to use it, she can quickly re-learn what she has forgotten.

Have One Parent Talk to Your Son Exclusively in His New Language

This absolutely works 100% of the time.  For example, if a father only talks English to his son, while his mother only talks to him in Spanish, the boy will speak two languages with native proficiency.

If the parent teaching the second language is NOT a native speaker, don’t worry about your daughter picking up a bad accent from you.  Children will always adopt the accent of other children when they have the opportunity to play with other children.

If you have a baby who isn’t talking yet, you may want to learn the language yourself and teach it to her when the right time comes.

Do NOT worry about your child not learning English or whatever is the dominant language around you. You child will pick up the dominant language around you just fine, without needing to hear it at home.

Language101.com Can Help Children Who Can Read Well

If your son is old enough to read and understand a newspaper, then Language101.com can be part of his language learning plan.  Make sure he watches and understands the video directions and the interactive instructions.  Also make sure he studies fast.

I want to stress that your son will need more than Language101.com to become proficient.  He will need practice with native speakers that is fun for him.  Your job as a parent is to arrange pleasant interactions for him in his new language.

If your boy isn’t old enough to read English well, then Language101.com is not a good choice for him.

Learn the Language First and Then Teach it to Your Children.

It definitely is possible to learn a language that you do not now know and then teach it to your children. I’ve met at least two people in Ukraine and a few in Mexico whose parents talked to them in English from a very early age and they grew up bi-lingual.

Learning a language first, and then teaching it to your children, can work.

Have Your Child Try Our Free Demo

If your daughter or son is old enough to read English well and if she or he is old enough so that studying on a computer for 30 minutes would be a good experience, then you can also have your child try our free demo without interruptions for 30 minutes.  See how much your child can remember after the lesson and then the next day.

If they like the free demo and remember what they learned, then our program is right for you.

How to teach children a foreign language: 5 tips for parents

At the first lesson with an English teacher Ekaterina Nigmatulina, we figure out how and when to start teaching a child a language.

Many of my acquaintances and friends have become fathers and mothers, and for me, as an English teacher, this means one thing: many, many times to answer the same question: how and when to teach a child a language? Let’s figure it out together.

To begin with, let’s remember how children learn their native language, because, despite the difference in the study of native and foreign languages, there is still one subject under study – language. If you know these basics, then all your further actions in this matter will be more meaningful.

When does a child start talking? Many will say – in a year, others – in one and a half, others will boast – in 9 months. But this is a delusion. Children begin to speak much earlier, in their heads, trying to correlate numerous images with our words. While the baby is silent, he is silent for a reason, he listens – he learns to concentrate, to distinguish sounds, to recognize them when they are repeated.

There have been several studies that have looked at children’s reactions to different sounds. For example, newborns who were only one day old were played by the mother’s voice, the same voice, speaking in a monotone, and the voice of a stranger. The children reacted only to the mother’s voice, speaking normally. From which it was concluded that listening to starts in mom’s stomach!

The very important initial stage of listening should not be left out of the educational process. Intonation plays an important role. Between two and four months, children learn to distinguish the intonation and mood of a person, and it is by intonation characteristics that children can be distinguished for the first time by nationality in terms of language.

It is difficult to imagine what a huge amount of information a child needs to learn: vowels, consonants, syllables, stress, intonation, rhythm of the language. And I’m not even talking about countless verb conjugations and noun declensions! Nevertheless, by the age of three, a child usually has a language base, and after five, there is almost nothing to learn, we have before us a skillful virtuoso of his language.

Learning a language is a complex process. Much more complex than simply learning the numbers one through ten, cramming the alphabet, and reciting three rhymes. Don’t expect your child to immediately respond to you in class with long sentences. The child needs time (in their native language up to 3 years old!) to get used to the language.

We talk a lot. Every day, every hour, sometimes every minute. We don’t have weekends or lunch breaks. By the time the baby begins to speak the language, a lot of work has already been done, which does not stop for a single day.

In one study, a mother who was trying to get her 3-month-old baby to burp air after a feed used over 100 phrases (Where is he? Come on! Oh no, I don’t believe you!). And all this is very important, since the basics of dialogue are being laid. Moreover, it is noteworthy that mom does not just speak in a stream. Basically, her statements are questions, after which there are pauses, and in these pauses answers are expected. Moms only talk to their kids when they know they could theoretically answer. For example, when a mother feeds, she is usually silent, as she subconsciously understands that the baby’s mouth is busy.

Until the age of 7, all children are right-brained, they think in images, and the “imprinting” tool works well in their heads. Imprinting is a process when a language is perceived and remembered in blocks. Unfortunately, due to the peculiarities of a person’s physical development and the active planting of a logical model of understanding the world at school, this ability soon dies out.

If you know English well and would like to teach your child, but don’t know how, Ekaterina Nigmatulina’s book Becausebook will help you – a self-study course for children from 2 to 6 years old.

Read other articles with Ekaterina Nigmatulina’s advice:

• Courses, tutor or home schooling?

• How to find a good teacher?

• Should Russian be used in the classroom or not?

At what age is a child ready to start learning English?

Contents:

• 1. Theory №1. The child should start learning English as early as possible
• 2. Theory №2. The child should be taught English no earlier than 7 years old
• 3. Where to teach English to a child
• 4. How to teach a child English at home

Each child is individual, so it is difficult to name a universal age to start learning English. In the article, we considered two options for teaching children and asked the opinions of experts – teachers of our school.

Theory №1. The child should start learning English as early as possible

Adherents of this theory say that children from birth to 5-6 years of age can easily learn any language. To learn their native language, they do not need a school, so they can also easily learn English.

Positive aspects of this approach:

1. The child learns the language unconsciously

   Parents believe that babies learn English as a native language: they listen passively, and then reproduce words and phrases in speech. By the age of 7, any child speaks Russian well, despite the fact that he does not understand what the subject, noun, present tense are. The conclusion follows that it is also possible to learn English – naturally and without rules.

2. The child is not afraid to speak

   Children are not afraid to make mistakes. Toddlers do not have a language barrier, because they are spontaneous and less constrained than adults. They speak without paying attention to their pronunciation or errors in speech. Adults correct them, and gradually the child gets used to speaking correctly.

3. Children have a good memory

   There is a theory that by the age of 5 every person has an above average ability in languages. Children repeat everything they hear and quickly memorize new words. Every adult has had such an embarrassment: you pronounce an abusive word in front of a child, and he instantly remembers it and begins to use it in his speech.

4. It is easier for a child to develop a good pronunciation

   It is also believed that it is easier for a child to learn to pronounce English sounds, since he quickly remembers the correct pronunciation and more easily catches combinations of sounds.

Disadvantages of this approach:

1. Need a language environment

   The success of the approach is possible if a suitable language environment is created. The child should hear English speech from others every day. This is possible if he lives abroad, one of the parents constantly speaks English or the child has an English-speaking nanny. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. in Russia, representatives of the high society knew French better than Russian. And all because in those days it was customary to invite governesses and tutors from France.

2. The danger of mechanical learning

   The child still does not know his native language well, he pronounces sentences automatically and does not understand what new words mean and how they fit together. Mechanical memorization of English phrases is not the most effective method of learning a language. Think about it, maybe it’s worth waiting until the child grows up and learns English consciously.

3. It is difficult to create the right mood

   For a preschool child, the right mood is important both at home and in the classroom, but it is not easy to create it. In addition, you will need to find a teacher who knows how to teach through play and instills in the child a love of learning the language.

4. The risk of spoiling the pronunciation of Russian sounds

   Some speech therapists believe that the study of English sounds can cause poor pronunciation of Russian. They do not recommend learning English until the child has a good pronunciation of the sounds of his native language.

The opinions of our teachers on the question “At what age is it better to teach English to a child?”

Teaching experience: 16 years

Englex experience: 10 years old

Julia

A child can start learning English from birth, if the family speaks several languages.

My daughter showed interest in various videos with songs and rhymes in English at the age of 2.5 (naturally, it was I who suggested them to her). She immediately chose certain ones and then simply demanded to turn them on 20-30 times in a row. Just a couple of weeks later, I started singing them. At this age, children absorb new words and pronunciation at an astonishing rate. But the time came when she was tired of her favorite videos in English and there was an interest in cartoons in Russian. When she was 5, I tried to turn on the same videos, she immediately recognized the picture, the motive, and even sang excerpts, but she could no longer fully reproduce, as before. Which confirms the well-known fact: without constant practice, the language is forgotten.

It seems to me that the earlier a child is introduced to a new language (this is the task of parents), the easier it will be to learn it in the future. The desire of the child himself is also important – do not try to impose at an early age what is not interesting to him, otherwise the result will be negative.

As for learning a language as an activity, from 3-4 years old children can be sent to courses, but always in a group, and not individually (this is my subjective opinion). At the same time, it is worth weighing the pros and cons very well, taking into account the nature of the child, his readiness to learn and communicate with peers and the teacher. The first experience is the most important!

Teaching experience: 11 years

Englex experience: 4 years

Julia

I can not say that I am an expert, but this topic is close to me. My first education is an elementary school teacher, specializing in English.

You can start teaching a language from the cradle, because that’s what happens in bilingual families. And the result is magnificent – the child speaks two languages, as if they were native. But this, of course, is an exceptional option.

In teaching my child, I follow the principle of “do no harm”:

• do not torture the child and do not cause negativity in relation to the language;
• do not disturb the psyche and the process of development of speech in the native language.

When my son was one and a half years old and I made sure that he is developed, sociable, cheerful and already speaks phrases in his native language, I added children’s poems, cartoons and songs in English to his program.

Up to 6-8 years old I would recommend only counting rhymes, songs, cartoons and games with parents or in language clubs. It is also important to remember that the pronunciation in these audio and video or the teacher must be at the level, otherwise it will be difficult to correct what has been memorized. Naturally, there can be no question of any writing and grammar with such crumbs.

When can one begin to teach a child a language consciously, albeit fun, but systematically? is an individual question. There are children who are more assiduous and less assiduous, someone begins to talk at the age of one, and someone at three is laconic. There are many nuances, and first of all, parents themselves need to assess what their child is now ready for.

It is worth teaching your child English from infancy if:

1. You live or intend to live in an English-speaking country and your child needs to know the language to communicate with others.
2. At home, someone constantly speaks English: one of the parents, grandmother, nanny. In this case, the child will realize that he needs English to communicate with a specific person.
3. You know how to teach your child knowledge in an unobtrusive and interesting way or you have found a tutor who knows how to do it.

Theory №2. A child should be taught English not earlier than from the age of 7

Adherents of this opinion believe that foreign languages ​​should be taught at a conscious age, and not torment the child with words incomprehensible to him. Supporters of learning from the age of 7 agree that a child up to 5-6 years old easily learns a language that he constantly hears. But if the child is not in an English-speaking country or his parents do not speak English as often as they do Russian, then a foreign language will not be able to be learned on its own.

Positive aspects of this approach:

1. The child gets used to learning

   At the age of 7 years and older, the child goes to school, so he gets used to the routine. Children become more organized and able to learn, do homework, listen to the teacher.

2. The child has a good command of his native language

   School-age children have a wide vocabulary – they do not need to explain the meaning of words, it is enough to provide a translation into Russian.

3. The child has formed pronunciation

   By the age of 7, the child has already formed the pronunciation of the sounds of his native language, so he will not confuse them with English sounds. Moreover, at this age a person has good phonemic abilities, so he can quickly learn how to pronounce the sounds of foreign speech correctly.

4. It is easier to motivate children

   At this age, children develop hobbies, so you can offer your child a bonus system that will motivate him to learn the language. In addition, it is easy to find advantages in learning English: the ability to watch cartoons in the original, read interesting fairy tales and stories, play online games. Find something that will captivate your child, and you will not have to force him to the next English class.

5. Variety of courses

   Finding courses for children from 7 years old will be easy: they have learned to concentrate on the subject being studied, they have developed interests. With children under 7 years old, it is a little more difficult: it is not easy to attract and hold the attention of a small child, it is even more difficult to get him to do something consciously. Not every teacher will be able to find the right approach to teaching a child.

6. It is not difficult for a child to overcome the language barrier

   Children at this age are not afraid to make mistakes, they willingly carry on a dialogue with the teacher, they do not think about the accent.

Disadvantages of this approach:

1. It is more difficult to captivate a child

   If a child can be captivated to learn English by playing, then with a child older than 7 years this approach may be ineffective. You will have to figure out how to motivate the student to learn English. Keep in mind that long-term goals like getting into a foreign university or getting a well-paid job are weak motivation for a child.

2. Less time for language learning

   Some students are overwhelmed with a large amount of homework, so there may be very little time left for English. However, you can also find a way out of this situation: enroll your child in courses where learning takes place in a playful way.

Our teachers’ opinions on the question “At what age should a child be taught English?”

Teacher experience: 10 years

Englex experience: 3 years

Irina

I think that from the age of 7 you can start teaching a child, since at this age the vocabulary of their native language is quickly enriched in children, they actively communicate with their peers. The child already has a sufficiently large stock of knowledge about the world around him, and therefore there are no difficulties in learning new words of the English language if the child already has an idea about this subject or concept.

Teaching experience: 18 years

Englex experience: 8 years

Julia

My personal conclusion: if there is time and opportunity, then why not send the child to a language studio from an early age. However, do not wait for him to suddenly speak. This is a general development that may take off in the future. If it is worth highlighting priority classes, I would give preference to the development of motor skills, music, aesthetic and physical development, and from the age of 6-7 I would connect the study of languages. I now mean the majority of children who learn a language without daily contact with it and regular immersion in the environment.

I see many examples of early language learning. There are children who come after many years of training from the age of 3, and they do not hold a group lesson with children of their age, with whom we have been working for the second year. It happens that in the process they adapt quite quickly and excel the rest, and it happens that they lag behind or simply remain at the level of the rest of the students.

As you can see, we found more advantages in the second approach, but it should be remembered that this is not a hard and fast rule. Every child is different, so the final decision about the best age to start learning English is up to you.

Where to teach English to your child

So, you have decided to start teaching your child English. What to choose: homeschooling, courses or private lessons?

Home schooling

Home schooling with a parent is the best option for a child. If your child is not yet 4-5 years old, try to teach him at home. At the end of the article we will tell you how to do it.

You can teach your child English at home if you know the language yourself at least at an intermediate level and use fun learning methods. The child is just starting to get acquainted with a new language, so it is important that this acquaintance is interesting. You do not know English? You can try this option: you go to courses and begin to transfer your knowledge to the child. In our school, many adults learn the language for exactly this purpose: they want to teach English to children, help with homework, etc.

Teaching English in courses

At the age of 3-4 years, the child can be sent to a special kindergarten or early development center with English lessons, and after 7 years – to children’s courses. At this age, it is important for children not only to learn English, but also to communicate with their peers, expand their social circle, and perform interesting tasks in a competitive environment.

The main point that you should consider is the level of knowledge of the children in the group. It is important that all children know English in approximately the same way, otherwise the child may be uncomfortable in the classroom.

When your child reaches an intermediate level of English, you can try to send him to a special language camp. This will be a great encouragement and good motivation to further study English, and it will also allow the child to make friends from different parts of the world.

Individual education

We do not recommend that children under the age of 7 begin individual education. Firstly, it is difficult for a stranger to attract and hold the attention of a baby. Secondly, a child may not be interested in such activities: it is one thing to learn a language with the same kids, and quite another to be alone with a stranger.

Individual learning has significant disadvantages: you will need to take your child to a tutor or invite a teacher to your home, which creates certain inconveniences. However, they can be avoided, because there is an alternative – from the age of 9, children successfully begin to learn English via Skype. If you want your child to try this way of learning, sign them up for a free trial lesson. You will be present at this class and will be able to understand if this way of teaching is suitable for him.

How to teach your child English at home

If you know English at least at an intermediate level and you have a desire to teach your child the language at home, follow our recommendations.

1. A playful approach to learning

It is up to you whether your child will love the English language or whether each lesson will be perceived as hard labor. Therefore, do not impose anything on the child, find such exercises that he will perform with pleasure. Use a game form of learning, not lessons from textbooks. If you can’t get your kid interested in learning a language, try waiting until he grows up.

2. Proper motivation

Define a learning goal appropriate for the child’s age. For example, watch cartoons and play games in English, read English fairy tales.

3. Short lessons

It is difficult for a young student to sit through 45-60 minutes of studying English, so break the lesson into small segments of 10-15 minutes. A variety of exercises related to movements will also come to the rescue, for example, you pronounce a word in English, and the child performs the specified action. Also, change activities: study words for 10 minutes, watch a cartoon for 10 minutes, sing a song for 5 minutes.

4. Illustrative pictures

Use Glen Doman’s cards, with objects drawn and signed. Find beautiful images of fruits, vegetables, animals on the Internet, print and sign. Children usually remember words easily by associating them with a picture. In addition, you can use the ready-made online dictionary in pictures on the site anglomaniacy.pl. The child will enjoy the game form of learning.

5. Useful games

Today, even 2-year-olds can easily manage their phones and laptops. They enjoy playing simple games and coloring pages. Such entertainment can be turned into a mini-lesson in English, just go to learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org and invite your child to play one of the mini-games. This will not take much time and will allow you to learn a couple of useful words.

In the article “English learning sites for kids” you will find 9 more resources where your child can learn the language in a playful way.

6. Educational cartoons

Watching cartoons is the best way for a child to develop listening skills. Try to offer your kid an educational cartoon about Gogo. The characters speak slowly and clearly, using simple phrases. With fascinating cartoons, learning English for children will definitely not be boring. In the article “How to Learn English from Cartoons: Tips and Useful Links”, we told you why this learning method is interesting and where to watch cartoons in English for free.

7. Short rhymes

By memorizing English verses, the child will expand vocabulary and develop memory. Simple poems for children in English can be found at kenglish.ru.

8. English songs

It’s probably hard to find a kid who doesn’t like to sing. Lyrics for children’s songs work in the same way as poems: the child has fun, develops memory, and remembers useful words. Many simple songs for kids with lyrics and translation can be found at english5kids.russianblogger.ru. If your child is still small, you can include songs for him to listen to. So the baby will get used to the sound of foreign speech from childhood, and some psychologists believe that in this way the baby can even unconsciously memorize some words.

9. Educational videos

Educational videos for kids are bright and interesting video tutorials. Today on YouTube you can find dozens of channels with exciting and educational videos. We can recommend KidsTV123 and Busy Beavers.

10. Interesting exercises

Older children can do simple tasks and tests. It is important that the exercises are not too difficult and are presented as a game, then the child will not perceive them as another boring homework. Have him do the exercises at englishexercises.org or easygrammar4kids.

11. Fairy tales and short stories

If you are fluent in English yourself, you can read books to your child, for example, good and fascinating stories about Paddington Bear. And if you want your child to listen to exemplary English pronunciation, you can turn on an audiobook. Free materials for children are available at bookbox.com and storynory.com.

12. A good textbook

To prevent your child from associating the word “textbook” with a boring book, choose materials appropriate for his age and interests.