Life
Easy ways to help your child
learn a local language at home
BY LUCY BURKE
The benefits of teaching your child a second or third language from an early age are numerous and well-documented. Due to their brain plasticity, babies are uniquely able to learn multiple languages at once with great ease - without confusion or delays to the learning of their native language. In fact, not only can speaking a second or multiple languages with your child mean they are able to converse with greater fluency in these languages in later life, studies have shown that it may also lead to a higher IQ, better performance in standardised testing at school age, greater levels of concentration, enhanced problem solving and greater critical thinking skills. Learning a second or multiple languages may even contribute to slowing brain ageing in later life.
With children in Mallorcan schools typically being taught in at least three different languages per day (usually Spanish, Catalan, Mallorquin and/or English - depending on the school), incorporating learning in a fun way at home can work wonders in boosting your little one’s progress. Even if you’re still learning the local languages yourself, you can still work a second or multiple languages into your daily routine. Here are my top tips:
Games
Games are a fantastic way for young children to learn a vast number of skills, and language is no exception. I love to use games in my classes as I find learning through play to be one of the best tools in successful language acquisition. If you have a very little one, why not try a game of multilingual peek-a- boo using very basic greetings of your chosen language or languages? If you’re needing a bit of revision or to learn the basics from scratch, a quick Google search will help you to find the words you need, including audio snippets for pronunciation. Role playing games are also a great way to learn – why not play ‘What animal am I?’ guessing and answering in both English, Catalan or Spanish. There are also some fantastic Apps available which work particularly well for children over 6, teenagers, as well as adults. Our favourite at home is Duolingo. The concept is to ‘gamify’ language learning. Subscribers can win gems and points depending on how frequently they play and how well they do. There are family plans available from Eur 122.99 per year for up to 6 subscriptions.
Songs
Babies and young children love nursery rhymes. I’m sure you’ve sung them at home with your little one or at a baby groups in your local area, usually accompanied with lots of jumping about, dancing and actions. Singing is also a fantastic way to learn a second language, particularly if the song is already familiar to your child. Youtube is a great (and best of all, free) resource for learning nursery rhymes in a second or multiple languages, so search for one of your favourites in your chosen language and sing with your little one. I promise, it won’t be long until they are singing it along with you!
Television
Watching television in a second or multiple languages is an easy, fun way for both you and your little one to learn and thankfully there are multiple streaming platforms that offer children’s programming and movies in a range of languages. Netflix has a fantastic range of children’s programs and films with the audio and subtitles in multiple languages. The ‘Audio & Subtitles' option can be found on the left hand drop down menu of the program you want to watch. Prime and Disney+ also offer some great choices in multiple languages. My children love watching ‘Bob Esponja’ (Sponge Bob) on Netflix, and some family favourite films such as Encanto and Inside Out in Spanish on Disney Plus. You can even add English subtitles to begin with for yourself or older children to help your understanding!
Books
Reading is always a lovely thing to do with your little one, and it’s never too early to start! With so many types of books to choose from it’s easy to incorporate a second or multiple languages. Picture and interactive books (sounds and textures) are brilliant tools for babies and toddlers, I’ve used these since birth with my children and always recommend them as a great resource. Why not start with a ‘Farm Animal’ picture and sounds book say the animal names aloud in English and your chosen language (using Google for revision if needs be). Children’s books in Catalan and Spanish are of course very easy to come by in local shops and on Amazon, however they do require that you yourself have varying knowledge of the language for accurate understanding and pronunciation. So if this is a little too advanced for you, why not try Dual Language books. Dual Language Fairytales are particularly useful as both you and your child will be familiar with the story in English already, I’m currently reading Los Tres Cerditos / The Three Little Pigs’ with my 6 and 4 year old, and they absolutely love reading them.
There you have it, a few easy tips to introducing a second or third language and all their benefits, into your daily routine. The more of these multilingual games, songs and play that you incorporate into your weekly life, the more you will see the benefits, giving your little one an even greater start in life.
