HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS

A SECOND LANGUAGE...

(EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT FLUENT!)

FREE CHECKLIST
A LITTLE HEART
Chances are if you’re downloading this
free checklist, You’re probably already
aware of the many rewards that come
from teaching your child a second
language.
They are great and varied and science
is proving more benefits as the studies
continue, which should be encouraging
to hear - Some of which are below:

BENEFITS OF BILINGUALISM
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Bilinguals have a greater understanding of math concepts and solving word problems;
They tend to be much more advanced in their use of logic.
Bilinguals have a greater mental capacity and develop the ability to switch between two
different language systems with ease.
Bilinguals develop strong thinking skills, a greater ability to focus and are less distracted.
Children who learn a second language find it significantly easier to learn additional languages
later in life.
Some effects of ageing on the brain are diminished among bilingual adults.

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early reading skills tend to come more easily to bilingual children.
Bilinguals score higher on average on tests involving creative thinking or problem-solving.
Bilingual children develop more flexible approaches to thinking through problems.
The ability to read and think in two (or more) different languages promotes higher levels of
abstract thought, which is important in learning.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Children raised in bilingual households show better self-control, a key indicator of school success.
Being bilingual supports children in maintaining strong ties with their family, culture and
community which form an important part when developing identity.
Bilingual children are also able to make new friends and create strong relationships using their
second language - an important skill in our increasingly diverse society.

THECULTUREDKID.COM
 I am so excited to share with you
some tips that will help you along
this bilingual path you’ve started
down! With little help, a stack of
encouragement and loads of fun
along the way, you’ll be surprised
just how much your little one will
pick up in a short period of time!
Enjoy!
ONE
START WITH ONE WORD
It’s easy to be overwhelmed when thinking
about where to begin. The best way to
learn a language, is by starting... one word
at a time. Taking one step forward is better
than being overwhelmed and not doing
anything. If you’re not ready or able to
introduce your child to formal lessons yet,
that’s totally fine! Why not start with the
basics by showing your child objects
throughout their day that have two names -
one in each language (for example English
/ Spanish).
As your little one continues to be introduced
to the world around them, acquaint them to
both languages word by word. You’ll be
surprised at how quickly their vocabulary
will grow using this method.
TWO
CREATE AN ENVIROMENT
OF EXPOSURE
One of the very best things you can do is
expose your child to as much of the target
language you want them to learn as
possible. This can be done through regular
conversations with native speakers
(especially if you don’t speak the language
yet), immersive language programs, TV
shows, children’s MP3’s, language
playgroups in your local neighbourhood
(yep they exist) and many other ways. It is
important that children are exposed to a
multilingual setting where they have plenty
of opportunity to play with children who
also speak the language.
This helps them feel as though speaking a
second language is normal and plays a
significant role in developing confidence
when they eventually decide to speak. If
you can’t find a playgroup close to home,
another option is to join forces with a
friend and teach your children together?
THREE
HAVE RESONABLE EXPECTATIONS
It is important to understand that your child
is learning the foundations of a new
language. While your child wont learn to
speak a language fluently overnight
through hearing words or singing some
songs, this process is invaluable and will not
only foster a love of learning while they are
young but will build a strong foundation for
them to take the next step along their
bilingual journey.
If you partner consistency along with loads of
encouragement on the way, you will find that
their vocabulary and desire to speak a second
language will continue as they grow.
FOUR
LEARN BY DOING
It’s no surprise that children learn best
when they are playing. One helpful way to
introduce language learning is through
coming alongside your child as they are
engaging in
everyday play. This could look like
introducing clothing topics while they are
playing dress ups or talking about food
objects in the target language while they
are playing shop or even making a snack.
It’s important to engage your child in their
every day world, by regularly speaking a
second or third language with them, even if
it is only through a few words.
Another great way to practically outwork
this is to label items around the home in the
second language to help correlate their
learning with their natural surroundings.
FIVE
REINFORCE WITH
PICTURES AND SOUND
If you don’t have access to a real life
reference when introducing vocabulary,
flashcards can be a great way to introduce
words to children. Simply say the name of
the word in the target language from the
flashcard and reveal the corresponding
picture in a playful way. Where possible try
to create some suspense or mystery about
the cards as students are much more
receptive to learning when they are curious.
There are many games that can be played
with flashcards: Here is one of our
favourites: Hey! What’s Missing?
Place three familiar cards face up in a row.
Turn around and ask your child to turn one
card over. You return and try to name the
card. Turn the card
face up again, and let the child add a card
to the pile. Turn around again, and your
child can turn one card over. Return and
name the card. Gradually add more cards
to the mix. Tip: Have your child turn over
only one card at a time. After a few
rounds, change places. Your child can now
turn around and the you can turns a card
over now.
SIX
MAKE IT FUN
It makes complete sense when you think
about it but did you know that there are
actual scientific reasons why you should
make learning a language fun?
When kids play, an emotional connection is
created between words and language which is
why it’s so important to take the pressure off
your little one and create a positive
environment to learn in. Current research
around language acquisition review that 80
percent of learning problems are stress
related. So instead of focusing on forcing a
lesson to happen the way you’ve planned it,
take some time to see how a child wants to
engage with the words / topic. When it comes
to learning and engagement, keep in mind that
quality trumps quantity every time - So why
not kickback, enjoy time with your little one
and remember this journey should be a fun
one.
SEVEN
LEARN WITH MUSIC
One key way to really enhance a child’s
language development is through the
combination of music and dance. Most of
us can recall plenty of the songs we learnt
in our early childhood. This is because lyrics
learnt with music are a powerful way to
learn because a child’s whole brain is
engaged.

A great way to start is to listen to songs

with tunes that are familiar. If you jump on
Youtube, you will quickly find a plethora of
language songs with topics sung to the
tune of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’.
Starting with familiar tunes makes the
experience of music in your target
language much less overwhelming and will
help your child pick up the song (and
vocabulary) much more quickly. Another
great way to help your child remember the
vocabulary is to add gestures and actions
to the words. This is not only fun, but will
help your child retain the meaning of new
vocabulary along the way.

Once your child has really embraced songs

with familiar tunes, why not step out and
invest in music with new and catchy songs?
This will ensure the learning stays exciting
and will help your child build on their
vocabulary to another level.
EIGHT
LINK NUMBERS AND WORDS

A great way to introduce new vocabulary is to link them with familiar words they
already know. This can be a fun way to learn topics and you can include your
child in coming up with words that represent the new target vocabulary.

Below is an example of how we taught our kids how to count in Japanese.

HOW TO COUNT IN JAPANESE - AND LEARN BY DOING

ENGLISH JAPANESE SOUND ACTION

One Ichi Itchy Scratch your

Two Ni Knee Knee
Three San Sun Point to the sky
Four Shi She Point to a girl
Five Go Go Walk
Six Roku Rock Rock 'n' Roll
Seven Shichi Shi-chi Double Sneeze
Eight Hachi Hatt-chi Put on a funny hat
Nine Kyu Coo Coo like a dove
Ten Ju Ju Don a Jewish hat.

NINE
PROMOTE READING AND STORY TELLING
Reading books is not only a fantastic way to engage with new vocabulary but
will help instil the idea that words are composed of different letters, syllables and
sounds, and that words are often connected to the images on each page.
While it can be intimidating reading to your child if you don’t speak the language,
there are plenty of books available these days that are either bilingual or include
the phonetic pronunciation - which takes the pressure off you knowing how the
words are pronounced and can be immensely helpful. You might also find that
reading dual-language books with your child might also help you become more
familiar with the target language WITH your child. Which is much more fun when
you do it together!
TEN
STAY CONNECTED

One of the best ways to stay motivated and

inspired to keep going along the multilingual
journey is through relationship with others
who are doing the very same things. You’re
going to have tough days, your child won’t
always want to engage with your lessons,
you’re going to want to give up! How do we
know this? Because just like you, we have
taken our kids down this bilingual path too,
which is why we created a community of like-
minded parents from around the world.

It’s in our members only community that we

get to connect, share lessons, ideas and ask
MANY, many questions. We share in the
challenges AND successes, ideas on ways to
engage our children and best of all, we get to
know people who have not only gone before
us and can help, but will also encourage us
not to give up!

We'd love to invite you into our world and

share our language learning adventures with
you!
Hopefully these tips will either help you take the first step and
introduce your child to another language or if you’ve already
begun, to help you KEEP GOING! Keep in mind, that even a word
a day will help your kids build firm foundations for their future!
The benefits are well worth it!

To find out how you can give your kids a head start when it
comes to languages and lean on a proven plan that's
guaranteed to have your kids asking for their lessons, I'd love to
invite you to join me for a FREE 7 day language experience
inside The Cultured Home and get the support of a structured
plan that will have your kids playing their way to fluency in no
time at all. Plus, you'll be invited inside our private members only
community, The Cultured Kid Community and get connected to
like-minded parents who are committed to preparing their kids
for the world around them!

If you have any questions along the way, feel free to touch base
at hello@theculturedkid.com - and to stay connected to
everything that is happening at The Cultured Kid.

See you soon!

xo
Shannon

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