Contents:
- Medical Video: Teach Your Children (Two Languages) Well - First With Kids - UVM Children's Hospital
- 1. Don't speak baby language
- 2. Singing, reading and playing
- 3. Father and mother speak two different languages
- 4. Make sure you are also fluent
- 5. Keep using it so you don't forget
- 6. Use technology
- 7. Visit grandpa's grandmother
Medical Video: Teach Your Children (Two Languages) Well - First With Kids - UVM Children's Hospital
Being someone smart in two languages will build brain power. According to a study in Singapore about six-month-old babies, babies who understand two languages are likely to have better learning and memory skills than those who only understand one language. The following are 7 ways you can do each day to introduce your mother tongue and other languages to your child:
1. Don't speak baby language
Even though the baby cannot speak a word, the first year of his life is the most important time to build a language foundation. Babies process the structure and meaning of language long before they start learning to speak. So please chant your babbling with real words and chat. Even though your baby cannot understand the meaning of these words, the part of his brain that regulates speech and language is stimulated when we talk to him. The more languages they hear, the more developed parts of the brain.
When he has begun to learn to speak, he will already be able to understand the differences in the languages you use when talking to him. Children who are exposed to two languages from birth will more easily master these two languages fluently. However, if the introduction to a foreign language starts only after the baby is 6 months old, he will have a little more difficulty distinguishing which language is A and which language is B.
Research also shows that as babies grow, their adaptation to sound and language will continue to decline. Over 6-7 years, it is very difficult for him to create connections with new languages. Therefore, it is more difficult to teach other languages to children in elementary school, compared to children of age preschool or even toddlers.
2. Singing, reading and playing
Make your child interested in fun activities. Fill your home with music and songs, chat, read books aloud, and so on. If words are related to rhymes and melodies as in poetry or songs, children will remember them more easily. So, please "talk" with your baby, join in singing your favorite songs and children, and introduce your little one to various language vocabulary and expressions in a fun way. As your baby grows older, expand activities with artistic activities such as dancing, calligraphy, and so on.
3. Father and mother speak two different languages
The most important thing to remember to make a child fluent in two languages is: make sure he is exposed to these two languages with the same amount of time. So, if you speak Indonesian and your partner speaks English, be consistent in talking to your child in their own language. You always speak Indonesian, and your partner always talks to children in English. This makes it easy to distinguish between Indonesian ("the language used by the mother") and which language is English ("the language used by the father"). Of course, in order for this method to work properly, the father and mother must spend as much time as the little one.
4. Make sure you are also fluent
You want your child to be fluent in English. But what if you aren't good at it too? Do not worry. You can learn together with children, and show enthusiasm in learning the language. You can take language courses, or study together with children using material such as children's song CDs in English, two-language fairy tale books, or watch English-language films and videos with Indonesian subtitles. In this way, while your child is learning, you also learn.
5. Keep using it so you don't forget
Teaching new languages to school-age children is usually a little more difficult, maybe because they are not interested, or if they have already given up because the language is considered "difficult". But this is usually only because they are not used to it. After being exposed to the language many times, it will automatically absorb it without realizing it, and learning languages will be easier. Children are very adaptable and cognitively flexible, so they quickly grasp the meaning of a new language and quickly feel comfortable with that language compared to adults who learn languages. The key is: keep using it. Make sure the language is not only learned in class or in the course, but also used in everyday children's lives.
6. Use technology
Videos on YouTube about learning languages for children can also be effective tools. Also look for videos that introduce the culture of the country, not just the language, if you and your partner come from two different cultural backgrounds and want your child to know him from the beginning.
7. Visit grandpa's grandmother
If you and your husband speak a different language, take advantage of family members from both parties to teach their language to your child. Raising a child in two languages is the task of the whole family, even though the main challenges are with parents. Spending time with your grandmother and grandfather who speak different languages than those commonly used at home can also help your child get used to the language.
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