When not to start to teach Children languages
The truth is all times and ages are good to start a child with a language. However, the question is do you want them to speak like a native or like a foreigner. I live in Krakow, and many parents say they will start their children young with learning English, like 8 years old. I think this is great. Bravo, as few American do this. I know I am an American, and although my parents were native Polish and Ukrainian speakers as well as English of course, they only taught me English, this is America.
When are the most important years for a child to learn? -5 months to 0 to 3 years old. I remember when I was 2 and 3 years old I was already conscious and I have clear conversational memories to this day. Children grow brain cells before they are born. Their brains are complete before they are born. At the age of 0 to 5 years they prune away brain cells not needed. But no new cell growth really occurs only connections. Therefore, teaching a child a new language at 8 is like teaching a person at 28 almost. So why not start when the child’s brain has no pruned away the brain cells and can still naturally differentiate sounds. I would rather give my kids a tutor speaking to them as babies then a Ivy league education. IQ is formed very early as are many talents and the first 8 years are very important to a babies cognitive development including language skills. I think from conception to age 8 at most, IQ is formed and from 8 to 18 emotional intelligence is formed. So if you want your children to speak a language as a native – start early. Many people are busy with their jobs, but my reply is what more important job in the world could there be than raising a child. And although being bilingual is not a must for a child, its a nice gift to give your children.
Tags: babies, bilingual, children, language-learning, languages
8 responses to When not to start to teach Children languages
When can start conversation ? Children don’t know a lot of words – it’s difficult.
It depends how you define conversation. I remember understanding most conversations at 2, however, I could not express myself. The reason I know I was two year old and understanding what adults were saying around was we moved a lot when I was young and I can associate conversations and events with the particular house we lived in when I was young. At 2 I lived in Newtown square, PA for example and I recall my older brother’s friend ‘Skippy’ trying to scare me and explaining that every child after the first one in a family, the government will take away because of over population. I was child number four out of five, so I was scare and I understood everything he told me which in turn I told my older brother about it. So I could understand and communicate at about 2 or 2 and a half I think pretty well. But 8 I was talking about history and politics and science, so I think conversation develops on a continuum from age 2 to 8, and after 8 you are really just maturing.
Polish- I’ve no time :
Przez rozmowę rozumiem pełną wymiane informacji i naturalny tok wypowiedzi. W przypadku dzieci dwujęzycznych z doświadczenia wiem,że problem praktycznie nie istnieje lecz gdy chodzi o naukę języka zupełnie obcego dziecku pojawia sie wiele trudności : można uczyć ale efekt stale wydaje się niezadowalający. Natomiast zgadzam się z wcześniej wyrażana opinią,że nauka języka (rzetelna nauka) jest bardzo rozwijająca – dla dzieci szczególnie. Odnośnie kolejnego wpisu na blogu o nauczycielach języka – sądzę, że są nauczyciele lepsi i gorsi właśnie dla dzieci bo dorosli radzą (o ile chcą) sobie z językiem sami bardzo dobrze.
@A Your right about the teacher, for children if you have a nice teacher you will learn if you have a mean teacher you will not learn.
I started teaching english to 10-12 year old children about 1 year, but I want to start teaching 2 kids who are 3 years old. And I think it’s too hard. I don’t have any books for them and I want to teach them in a private class. I have some cds,flash cards, posters.my mother tongue is Persian.
Is it good for them to hold a class in their house?
What is the first step to teach them?
Do I need any books? What kind?
You know I just need to know how I can start. Then I can get along with this situation. I think I’m talented in this job.
thank you.
Something else,I life in Iran and all people around my students speak Farsi. I think it’s one of the important problem. am I right?
If you are starting them at 3 years old. My daughter is taking Chinese at 1 1/2. This is when the brain is formed not at age 15 during high school language classes. At a young age you should just play and speak with them. They will be native speakers. Your main focus is to talk and entertain them so they really enjoy it. Then for homework give them things to listen to or YouTube to watch something to keep them interested. But they do not need homework of course, but I watch Chinese cartoons with my daughter. They just need exposure to the language not grammar. Grammar is abstract and they will not even understand the idea until at least the age of seven or eight. Their brains will not even be able to grasp it.
So yes flashcards, read stories and play with them. The teach them basic nouns after they are use to use and then add adjetives and verbs like ‘yellow ball’ Give it to me etc. They are native speakers and you can not teach native speakers to speak with grammar, only by over exposure to the language. Persian is certainly and interesting language to learn.
It is a problem only if you perceive it as an issue. Do not worry about it, just make it fun and cool for them to use Persian. If it is a game to use Persian than kids will learn it.
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