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Learning a foreign language is not an easy task for both adults and children. One way to ease this process and relieve stress is to study English together. We tell you how to do it.
Having fun in English
Reading your favorite books, watching cartoons, and playing in English are great habits that can be introduced gradually. If children constantly hear oral speech, they will be able to intuitively learn grammar rules and memorize words.
The child does not immediately understand foreign words, but the emotions in the voices of the characters, their facial expressions, intonations and music help him. Often children repeat funny expressions from cartoons in English.
Here are some things to keep in mind when watching cartoons and movies together:
- Choose stories that are familiar to your child.
- Start with short tapes and gradually increase your viewing time.
- Watch videos with Russian and English subtitles: at first we involuntarily cling to Russian words, but gradually it becomes easier for the brain to perceive foreign speech, and we stop reading Russian text.
- Learn with your child funny songs and words from the books you read and the videos you watch, come up with different intonations and integrate what you have learned into everyday life. For example, a child managed to do something – you can cheer him up in English: “Wow, that’s cool!”
We do little, but regularly
Experts believe that it is better to do a little, but every day. But even here it is important to observe a reasonable line: if you missed a day or a week, you do not need to reproach yourself and the child. It’s just learning: children don’t have to be fluent in English and read Shakespeare in the original, it’s enough to learn the sounds and syntax.
To make it interesting for your child to learn, give him the opportunity to choose what to listen, watch and read.
We form successful installations
In one study, high school students were divided into two groups. All wrote essays and received feedback from teachers, but only half were completed with the phrase: “I am writing this review because I believe in you.” A year later, the children who received such reviews achieved great success. This suggests that it is important for children to be reminded that we believe in them, and to give the right attitude.
In order for intelligence and thinking to develop, the child can be helped by wording. For example, if he says he can’t learn a rule, reformulate his words: “You mean you haven’t learned how to do it yet?” This will let him understand that nothing is impossible, you just need to study, and everything will work out.
Integrating English into everyday life
Try to include English in your daily activities. For example, make lists of products in English – this may take longer, but the child will be able to learn how to use new words.
Go shopping together and remember every word from the list – it will be fun and interesting. And the child will feel that parents also may not know something and learn with him.
Modern schools of foreign languages make the learning process as convenient and adapted to real life as possible. For example, in an English school you can play vocabulary games, learn words through apps and your favorite movies, and chat for free in a conversation club.
Guide your child to discover on their own and encourage their curiosity. If you don’t know something yourself, admit it openly and invite the child to figure it out together. This will help you not to be afraid of your ignorance, and continue to be interested in the new.