HOW A CHILD LEARN A LANGUAGE

Advice for parents 

1) Learning must be a game

The best way to learn something is through the game. This has features that make it entertaining and if we add a reward system, help the child to strive to achieve their goal. Of course, the level of difficulty of the game must be related to the knowledge of the child, so you avoid frustration with something very complex or get used to winning the game all the time.

The key is that you never try learning or revising at home as another task to be done, as this will tire you out and you will see it as something more than routine.

2) Repeat when necessary

We emphasize "when necessary" because there is a thin line between routine and discipline. Children are experts in associating new words with their meaning, but there are times when they need extra support. Do not forget that you should not saturate it with too much information, nor repeat the same exercise until exhaustion. Always look for new ways to teach or review what you learned in class.

3) Associate images and sounds with their meaning

A great complement to practice at home is to use images, drawings or flashcards with the word and the meaning. For example: "Cat - Cat figure" would have the image of (forgive the redundancy) a cat. It may sound quite simple, but for a child this will be very helpful, since at that age it is very easy to relate the experiences and learnings with the visual. Maybe you already know cats, their behavior and their characteristics, and now you know that in English you should tell them cat.

4) Alternate the drawings and videogames to the English language

Try turning off the subtitles of the children's series or changing the default language (you can do it in the sound settings of your TV, or check the remote control manual for more information), you can also try changing the language setting of your videogames to British English (English UK). But do not forget that it should only be momentary! Do not force him to see his favorite drawings in a language he does not yet fully understand or he will see it as a punishment.

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