It can be very intimidating to learn, much less teach, a foreign language. If you don't know a language other than English, it can be especially difficult. However, it is increasingly important to learn additional languages in today's global economy. Americans are alone in their arrogant assumptions that everyone else should learn English, and that everyone in foreign countries are just waiting to assist you during your visit there. In addition, learning another language is important for future jobs. It may start as communicating with fellow dishwashers in the back of a restaurant, but it could end up as negotiating the deal that makes the company $100,000 that quarter. Even the study of a dead language like Latin or Greek can be beneficial to solidify grammar rules and usage, and about word roots, suffixes and prefixes.

Teaching a foreign language is extremely mother-friendly in the elementary years of education. You don't need a curriculum at this age, only consistent and fun activities like:

• Read easy picture books in target language to your children
• Look at large, colorful picture dictionaries with your kids (my 1st 1000 words)
• Listen to books on CD with accompanying picture book
• Learn songs in target language (from educational materials; days of the week, etc.)
• Listen to the radio (multilingualbooks.com/online-radio.html) of target language online (while chilling around the house) or in the car
• (PREVIEW!) Watch TV shows (beelinetv.com) for children or nature shows in target language from internet

The key is to do it each day, by which I mean at least 4 days a week. (For older kids, middle school age,  a sit down, listen, write, read and speak curriculum is excellent. Siblings should take the same course together, even when they are different ages, so that they can talk with each other.)

The language instruction for younger kids is alot less structured. Fifteen minutes a day in the foreign language will seem tedious when you are going over the same phrases for what seems like months, but it is valuable. In our home I made a bingo game that was based on the Adventures With Nicholas Spanish story book and CD that we use. It was alot easier than you may suspect, because one benefit of that series is a picture dictionary at the end- just copy it, cut it up, glue it in the boxes, voila! a bingo game. The pictures match the words you learned in the story, and now you have a Bingo that builds on the story.

A week of language instruction in our homeschool might look like this:

Monday: listen to a chapter in Adventures with Nicholas a few times. Go over plot in English.

Tuesday: play Bingo that matches story (there are 3 Nicholas books)

Wednesday: listen to CD of songs, singing along as best we can, in car on the way to and from the grocery store. (most songs have the English and Spanish (or whatever language) in one song)

Thursday: listen and dance to Tejano radio station or watch Spanish Sesame Street while we make lunch and eat. Glance through picture dictionaries while eating.

Friday: Listen to chapter again. Afterward, go over introductions in conversation with each other. 'Hello. My name is Jackson. How are you? I am fine."

Other things to consider: Trade speaking practice for childcare, dinner prep, whatever you can to get your kids speaking with a native speaker of that language. Kids are excellent, if merciless, teachers; laughing at your mistakes, admitting when you make no sense, and correcting you with great joy. Split the cost of a great laguage program with someone who is a few years ahead or behind you. Then you can take turns with it, and resell it. Check your library for resources such as bilingual picture books or Rosetta Stone software. My favorite idea, though, is to get an au-pair or housekeeper who lives with you and is willing to help you learn their language too... then you get childcare or housekeeping and language instruction!

I hope these ideas are useful. Don't be intimidated by early second language introduction!

Languishing in Languages?  Let me show you how to teach foreign language through the ages!

Ages Birth to Five

This article is the first of a four part series on how to teach a foreign language to your children (even if you don’t know the language yourself!).  For many children, this age range is the best time to start. Before you spend a lot of money on DVD’s, CD’s, “language learning systems” and masses of extra flash cards, take some time to think about your child and your goals for the language.

“They’re like little sponges.” From ages birth to 5 years old, this commonly heard phrase is extremely relevant when applied to acquiring a second language. You may not hear or see or “feel” like your child is progressing in the target language, but if you’re using steps listed in this article, just know that the introduction and exposure IS getting through, and it IS sticking, whether or not you can squeeze it back out of your little sponge! Motivation is Key You will see this heading in each of my series’ articles. Without motivation (real or imagined!) your child will not succeed in learning the language, and quite possibly could develop a barrier. But that’s the bad news. Read on for the good news!

Enthusiasm is Catching. The momentum from the very first lesson will carry you on, or not. If you are excited about learning new words, and find ways to use them, your child will be too! If you drag out a DVD, hit play, and then wash the dishes, your child will see the value (or lack of) of the language lesson, and will also lack a partner with whom to practice. If you learn the word “thank you” in German and then use it at snack time, with a smile, you may get the perfect response or at the very least a big grin! Either one lets you know progress has been made! You communicated in the target language!

What about Immersion? Most experts agree the best method at this age is complete immersion in the language. I agree, within context. If you just toss a child into the middle of Mexico, he will most likely tune out almost all the Spanish, except for the moment someone is offering him a cookie, or he wants or needs something. However, within context, any single word or phrase will stick with him, as long as it is meaningful. Keep it simple! In general, learn words your child is interested in! Look for curriculum or workbooks (inexpensive ones are fine - just be sure there is phonetic spelling along with the new words, or a CD) that include coloring, drawing, speaking, but few words in each list. Too many will overwhelm you both.

Still wondering?

Follow these steps:

1. Say the new word three times aloud. While you say it DO something - color the picture if it is a noun, or act it out, or touch the item in the room, if possible. Be very clear on the meaning of the word, but without translation.
2. Use the new word(s) again within the day.
3. Reinforce the words with the activity that fits your child best. Many books have pages to color, or suggestions for activities such as flash card games.
4. Move on. If just a word at a time, even if you feel the lesson’s word list hasn’t been completely mastered. Just review regularly by using the words you’ve learned.

Beware of:

• Presenting too many new words at once.
• CD songs or DVD’s without any other form of learning (present the language in as many forms as possible)
• Books without phonetic spellings drilling and memorizing (and then forgetting) anything that seems “hard” for your child. Focus on Fun!

Suzanne Gose (known by her students as Señora Gose) is a homeschooling mother of almost five children - baby number five is due this July. A former public school teacher, she currently teaches over 80 homeschooling students in weekly Spanish classes. She is also the author of the Flip Flop Spanish Workbooks and other language teaching tools. Visit her website at FlipFlopLearning.com.