It’s that time of year again when many people start to consider new goals and ideas. So, what about starting or restarting your child’s language learning journey?
Now, I write and post about this theme quite a lot because instead of just starting a language learning journey with your child on a whim, I think there are a number of so-called ducks we need to get in a row first.
Here is a video that I posted for the Homeschool Sumit in 2022. In it, I discuss whether you are ready to introduce a foreign language into your home or homeschooling routine, including the why, what, how, where, and when.
So did you watch it all the way through? Have you now got a clear picture about how you are going to start your language learning journey in 2025? If not take a further look and I will walk you through the steps.
Why do you want to introduce a language into your home?
It would be best if you were clear about your WHY. It cannot be just on a whim; there needs to be solid reasoning for why you wish to venture on this language journey. If the answer to this first question is not straightforward, please take the time to answer this in detail.
What do you wish to achieve?
Do you have a specific goal that you want your child or family to reach regarding language level, or do you have a particular vision that you want to realise?
How are you going to integrate the language into your home?
Are you going to be using a specific bilingual/language learning method, or will you set specific times of the day/week where the new language will be used/learnt? The systems or processes that can be used are endless. but here are some examples;
OPOL (One Parent One Language)
This method is used if the mother tongue of both parents is different or if one parent is fluent in more than one language. When using this method, one parent speaks a language all the time, and the other parent speaks another language. This encourages children to only talk to specific parents in certain languages.
I find this method needs a lot of consistency; otherwise, when the child catches on that a parent can speak both languages, the dominant language tends to be used predominantly by the child regardless of what language the parent is speaking. Remarkably, they understand everything, but you also want your child to converse in the second language.
ML@H ( Minority Language at Home)
This method is self-explanatory. The minority language (the language that is not used in the country where you live) is the only language spoken at home. This method is often used by families who have moved to a foreign country.
Situational Method
This is one method used by families where the parents are not bilingual themselves. Situations are created when the language could be spoken, e.g. if the family has a nanny and the nanny speaks the new language. This means that the child becomes used to hearing and using the language when the nanny is in charge.
Time and Place Method
This is the favourite method for families to use that introduces a new language to a child without being bilingual themselves, or being bilingual but not having used this method since the child was born.
You can decide when and where your language learning takes place, for example, read-aloud time, bedtime stories, bathtime, a special weekly language tea-time. You could choose the time a place together as a family; this method is highly flexible.
What resources are you going to use?
The internet is so full of free resources and pronunciation videos that if the language is entirely new to the family, there should still be plenty of resources to help you on your journey.
When are you going to start with the new language?
Why not NOW!! If all the answers are clear for questions 1-3, why not start straight away. The resources that you can find can be planned along the way, but a quick start is a treasure hunt within the home /garden/forest with pictures on a piece of paper (and if you are not knowledgaeble in the language the words can be written in both languages. and available in your pocket!) When the item is found, say the word in both languages, and the children should repeat them.
Get the Ready to Start Your Language learning freebie here!
S0 what now?
There can be so many challenges when starting out or restarting a journey that can turn into frustrations. Ensuring you and your child are on the same page regarding the language that you wish to start and how you are going to go about it can diffuse some of those frustrations upfront.
One of the questions I ask you to consider is the how. This is another really important topic for me, and as the Outdoor Bilingual Learner, I think you all know what is coming. Yes, you have all guessed correctly. Let´s learn the language using the Charlotte Mason approach and also using nature and the great outdoors!
So, what is the Charlotte Mason approach? How can I introduce this into my home? Also, how can I use nature and the great outdoors?
In basic terms Charlotte Mason stated the a person/child should learn a language the same way as they learnt their native language through listening and speaking and not through reading and writing. I am fully onboard with this approach; if is also the same m,ethod that bilingual families use to teach their child the second family language. Also she talks about learning simple sentences through actions, for example;
Task – Making a glass of squash
- I take a glass out of the cupboard
- I pick up the bottle of squash
- I pour some squash into the glass
- I go to the sink
- I turn on the tap
- I fill my glass with water.
By performing these actions and stating what they are doing, look at all the words they have learnt! You can also change the form and talk about some making the squash. She is taking a glass out of the cupboard etc.
If you want to learn more about the Charlotte Mason approach, look at this Pinboard.
So letś start looking at the how you are going to introduce the new language using nature and the great outdoors, and for this I have another video for your that I used for the Homeschool Summit. You can have a look at it here,
I also have several articles that go into great detail about learning languages with nature. Here is the link to them.
I hope this article, the Videos, and other Blog posts will give you lots of ideas to restart or Kickstart your child’s language learning journey. If you need any more inspirations check out THE ENGLISH ACTIVITY VAULT which gives you a number of free resources for you to download.
If you have any questions at all, please leave a comment below.
Happy language learning!
