5 Language Learning Tips by Gina from Gina B Homeschool #TopTipTuesday #Top5LanguageLearningTips
Another Tuesday in February is here so let’s see what are next guest blogger has to say about her ‘Top 5 Language Learning Tips’
As said at the beginning of the month, I feel that it is important to not just promote your own ideas but to also look at your mentors and peers to see what advice and tips that they can also offer.
When starting on a language learning journey it is extremely important to do your research and see what other families, experts etc are also performing in order to achieve their goals.
With this in mind I have contacted a number of experts, homeschooling families and bilingual parents to give their ‘Top 5 Language Learning Tips’ to feature as guest Bloggers during the month of February. This will also help you all on your language journeys to gather advice in order to support you on your way.
This week we are hearing from Gina from ginabhomeschool
Meet Gina
“My name is Gina and I am a working Canadian homeschooling mom of 3 kids. (ages 7, 3, and 1) We are a bilingual family and speak both English and Portuguese.
My husband is Brazilian and came to Canada when he was 14. I was born in Canada and my parents always spoke their native tongue with myself and my brothers and sisters. My first language was technically Portuguese. My parents only spoke Portuguese to us so it was quite easy to be fluent in Portuguese growing up.
I’ve lived in Brazil for 1 year and I first learned how to read in Portuguese. I met my husband at Church and it was a Portuguese/Brazilian Church. So we were always around people who spoke the same language and shared the same culture. My husband and I; when we met we spoke primarily in English which became a habit and currently a hard habit to break especially when we want our kids to speak Portuguese.
We currently incorporate speaking Portuguese in our home but it’s not easy when we are so used to speaking English. Having said that, my kids understand Portuguese and are continuing to build their vocabulary in Portuguese and we incorporate our culture and language in our day to day life, and in our homeschool.”
How do you currently use languages?
“We try to speak in both English and Portuguese. When my kids were learning simple things like counting, body parts, the ABCs we always recited them in both English and Portuguese. We really want our kids to learn our mother tongue so we try to speak it in our home daily and incorporate different activities and in our homeschool.”
Projects that you are currently working on
“I have an Instagram and Youtube channel where I share my homeschool journey but I also share how we are a bilingual family who lives in Canada.”
Subscribe to Gina’s Youtube Channel
Follow her on Instagram
Gina’s 5 Top Tips for Language Learning plus a short explanation
1) Speak
Speak the language as much as you can. If you are fluent, that is the best way for your child to learn and pick up the language. Start speaking the language from when your child is born… children are like a sponge. The more your child is exposed to the language the more they will learn. I am guilty of sometimes not speaking it as much as I would like. It’s never too late to start speaking another language but the earlier the better!
2) Screentime
If you allow screen time in your home; find series and videos that allow your child to learn your second language. During our family worship time (mornings and evenings) we use Youtube videos that allow our kids to sing songs in Portuguese. It seems like something so simple but the kids really do learn! If you don’t allow screen time; sing songs and nursery rhymes in your 2nd language… This is a great way to incorporate a 2nd language. Exposing your child to your second language will make a huge difference!
3) Books, Books, Books
Books in your second language! We love incorporating books! Portuguese books can be hard to find but I have found a great amount of books on Amazon through the company “ABC Multicultural” . They have a great selection and the kids love all the books that we have bought so far.
Here are some links to ABC Multicultural from my Instagram page Instagram Link ABC Multicultural
Look for books by ABC Multicultural on Amazon
4) Community
Find a community that speaks the same language – Most places in the US and Canada have communities that speak the same language. For example “China Town” “Italian communities” “Portuguese communities” etc. You can find a facebook group that connects people with different cultures in your area. Find a church that speaks the language where you connect with others that share the same culture. We go to a Brazilian/ Portuguese church and have many friends that speak the language. We hear sermons in Portuguese. We sing Portuguese songs in Church. There is a children’s program at church that is in Portuguese. It really helps to expose the kids to a second language if you really merge into the culture and language.
5) Repetition
Repeat words in both languages – Whenever you are speaking try to repeat the words in both languages. Whenever I am teaching my kids, numbers, ABCs, body parts, colors, etc. my kids will know these concepts in both languages.
See these Tips in more detail on my Youtube chamnnel here 5 Tips to Raise Bilingual Kids
Huge thanks to Gina for being our Guest Blogger this week. Books are also a huge part in our bilingual journey and was one of the reasons that I wrote my book The Outdoor Bilingual Learner available in all countries on Kindle and in paperback.
Check out, connect and subscribe to Ginas Social Media accounts here Instagram Youtube
Look out next Tuesday for yet another Guest Feature Blog where we will be meeting Ronja from Raeuberkinder, a homeschooling mother and business owner helping german homeschooling families plan and document their homeschooling days and much more, with her 5 Top Language Learning Tips!
In the meantime if you are looking to start a new language and need some support with planning and implementing a new langauge into your home or homeschooling routine here is a link to my course Start Your Language Journey . It is bilingual in English and German and although the starter pack is in those langauges the course can help you plan whatever language you wish to introduce.
Other language learning advice here on my website https://outdoorbilinguallearner.com
Have a good week
Rachel x
