Suggestions of how to incorporate foreign languages into your child’s daily life, especially if your child is studying Spanish or Mandarin Chinese.
Category: Teaching Kids Foreign Languages at Home
Teaching kids Spanish and Mandarin Chinese at home using fun apps, games, song, picture books and board games.
Use Songs to Teach Kids Spanish
Two CDs to teach young children Spanish through songs.
How Kids Acquire Foreign Language Skills
Exposing infants to language, even another foreign language is actually great for a baby’s brain development the latest research shows. Articles from NPR and the New York Times. I also have the foreign language DVDs that we used with our kids when they were young (that they actually enjoyed watching).
Learn Chinese Words and Culture Through Books for Kids
Mandarin Chinese is becoming very popular in the United States. I review a small stack of books that cover learning Mandarin Chinese as well as Chinese Culture including The House Baba Built by Ed Young, Find Out About China: Learn Chinese Words and Phrases, Life in China, History and Culture, Ni Hao series and Chinese Paradise series.
Learning Mandarin Chinese Words, 40 Most Common Characters
This is from my oldest child’s Chinese teacher at school. These are the 40 most common Chinese characters. The chart shows the pronunciation, stroke order, and how the character is used in other, more complicated characters. Try drawing these with a calligraphy brush and a Chinese ink stone.
Rise of Mandarin Chinese at Elementary Schools
Capability:Mom sent me this link from the Wall Street Journal Article as she knows that I’m a huge proponent of exposing children to foreign languages at an early age. But not everyone agrees. Here’s the perspective of parents in New York City. It appears that foreign language curriculum is a politically charged hot potato. And here’s the actual research of 2nd language acquisition.