How to Learn a Language With Your Kids

Engage Your Kids in Language Study

Many of our readers have home-schooled their kids during the pandemic. They are looking for things to do with the kids.

Working from home, supervising the kids’ learning, keeping the family entertained without going outside, and feeding everyone can make it simple for parents to put on hold until this is finished.

That is not necessary!

We can let you check off two of those items at once.

Lockdown is telling us that changing strategy is easier than we think. Why not include your kids in your language study to entertain them?

Studying your language with your kids has many benefits. Here are some perks for you and your child.
Language Learning Benefits Kids

Language-learners do better academically.

Language acquisition teaches problem-solving, creative thinking, listening, and critical thinking, which will aid them in life! Second-language learners score higher on standardized tests.

Kids learn languages easier than adults.

Why do children who live abroad learn the language faster than adults? The “window of opportunity” is why. The brain learns sounds best in childhood. It is strongest in under-5s and closes by adolescence. To maximize their talent, involve them today.
Improve academically

Teaching younger kids a second language could help them learn French, Spanish, German, or another language in high school.

Tutoring and enrichment

Include high schoolers in your Pimsleur practice to aid them with schoolwork.
Adult Language Learning Benefits
Teaching encourages learning

Teaching your kids in your second language reinforces your information and improves your memory. People recall:

We read 10%
Audiovisual cues teach 20%.
90% of what we teach others

Family education

If your kids like learning with you during lockdown, they may catch the language bug and become future study partners!
Parent-child time!
Top Language Learning Strategies for Kids

Just be creative to incorporate your kids in language studies. Lockdown ideas:
Play games.

Make your favorite English-language games bilingual. Many games use basic vocabulary:

Simple card games like “Snap”, “Cheat”, “Twenty-one” (Blackjack), or “Go Fish”.

This could sneak arithmetic practice into your child’s day!

The simplest memory game involves matching pairings by flipping over two cards at a time.

I-Spy improves vocabulary.
Nursery rhymes.

Some nursery rhymes on Youtube have videos. They include simple words and melodies and often a plot, making them appropriate for beginners to experienced.

Bake or cook with a recipe in your target language.

You can practice your English skills by following a recipe for grilled cheese. Kids adore cooking and learning about household chores.
Learn some second-language tongue twisters.

They will improve your pronunciation and make word-mixing enjoyable!

Cartoons in your target language.

Disney movies are great for this because you probably know the story. Many streaming platforms offer titles in multiple languages.

Make a grocery list in your target language and shop.

Teach your child the vocabulary before the trip and read items from your list to them at the store. Let them show you the aisle!

Play language-learning games.

To improve your English, play computer games with your kids in another language.

Sing karaoke.

Youtube has translations of popular songs. Sing the lyrics online!
Get a tutor.

Ask your high school-aged children to tutor you. This will boost confidence, soft skills, and coaching, and help them revise F.