Are your kids learning to hablan español?
Or do they parlent français?
(I hope I did that right. I don’t speak French. 😉 )
If they do, are you comfortable with the degree of fluency they are developing in the foreign language?
Whether you use an online program, a software product, or a book, there are some activities you can do to enhance the program that will make your children more fluent in the language. They can also make learning easier or more fun for your children which is always a good thing.
Just a note, some of these methods won’t work for Latin since it is a “dead language.”
Foreign Language Activities
Get together with a native speaker.
No one speaks a language better than a native speaker. So if you know someone who is from a country where the language is spoken, try to get together with him. He can do a lot to help improve your children’s fluency with the language.
Hang labels up around the house.
Are your kids learning the words for items in the home? If they are, you can write the foreign words on index cards and have your kids hang them up around the house. They will be good daily reminders of that particular set of vocabulary words.
Hang up posters.
Sometimes you can find posters like the ones in my Say SÃ to Spanish learning packs to hang up in your school room. These are good reinforcement for learning vocabulary that isn’t about items in the home or is more abstract like numbers.
Read picture books.
You can sometimes find picture books in the library that are written in the foreign language your kids are studying or, better yet, are bilingual. These can be a good way to expand your children’s vocabulary.
Practice the language as a family.
Getting everyone in your family involved in practicing a foreign language can greatly improve learning, not to mention the fact that it creates some family foreign language bonding time. 😉 But seriously, if your kids see that you are motivated to study and learn a foreign language right along side of them, they will more than likely learn from your example and put more effort into learning as well.
Play games.
Games are always a fun way to learn. 🙂 Keep an eye out for foreign language games that are online, or a physical product, or a printable, digital download like the Say Si to Spanish: Numbers Game Pack. These are all great tools for making learning more enjoyable for your kids.
Use the foreign language words in other subjects.
You don’t have to speak Spanish only during Spanish time. Try to throw some of the vocabulary into other subjects. For example, once your children are familiar with the numbers vocabulary, you can use those words when you’re teaching your kids math and encourage them to do likewise. The more frequently children see and hear the vocabulary, the more fluent they will become.
Visit another country.
Try to visit a country where the foreign language is spoken. Being surrounded by the language and culture is a powerful experience. Plus, traveling outside of the USA would be an amazing homeschool field trip, wouldn’t it?
I hope these tips helped you out. Feel free to share them with anyone else you know who is teaching their kids a foreign language.
Many blessings,
P.S. If you use flashcards to help your kids study their foreign language vocabulary, you might like the Sinking Island Flashcard Game. It makes flashcard practice fun!
