In the world we live in,
everyone understands that it is very important to be able to communicate in
English. The most obvious reason for adults to learn English is to improve
their job prospects, but what are the benefits of children learning English
from a young age?
One of the main benefits of
children learning English from a young age is to widen their career prospects later
on in life. Being able to speak English allows people to work abroad and is
also a great skill for moving up the hierarchy within their own country.
Many studies also show that
learning another language from a young age
has psychological benefits such as better critical thinking skills, a higher
level of creativity and greater flexibility of the mind. The younger the child
is when a second language is introduced, the better.
Different
ways T.V. can help your children learn English
So now you know some of the
benefits of learning another language from a very young age. How can you help your child learn English?
Read on to find out a
simple and fun way of helping children learn English all from the comfort of
their own home.
It’s a well known fact that
kids love watching T.V. They will whine
and scream until you let them put on their favourite programme! So why not turn
watching T.V. into something educational and useful for language acquisition?
To get this right you have
to use a specific method. You have to have the T.V. in English ALL the time
while the children are watching it (don’t worry, you can keep it in your native
language for your much beloved series!). Children are clever and if they know
that if they complain enough you will turn the T.V. back to their native language,
then they will complain enough for you to do it! If you stick to your rules -
only watching T.V. shows for kids in English - they will come to learn that
that’s just the way it is. If possible, it’s best to have the T.V. in English
from when children are born, that way there is no need to get used to it, it’s
how it’s always been for them.
Peppa
Pig will help your younger kids learn English
We’ve chosen two T.V. shows
for kids that we’re sure they will love! The first series is Peppa
Pig. Children below the age of around 6 will love this T.V.
show! Maybe they will already have seen some of the episodes in their native
language but that really doesn’t matter, it will probably be an advantage as
they will already know some of the storylines. The programme is really simple,
it’s about a small pig, her family and her other animal friends. The narrator
speaks slowly and deliberately with a British accent and the storylines are
typical events that children can relate to from their own experiences. Think
episodes about a trip to the zoo or what to do when it’s raining! Not only is
there a T.V. show but there are so many online activities, crafts, games and
much more which revolve around the little pig to keep your little ones busy and
interested whilst learning English. Your child will be hooked in no time and
you’ll be wondering how you ever lived without Peppa Pig!
Spongebob
is there when your children get a little older
The second of our two T.V.
shows for kids that we think is great to learn English with is Spongebob
Squarepants. This show is suitable for a slightly older age group - from around
5 years old to 10 or 11. The series is about a town under the sea full of sea
creatures. The main character is a sea sponge and each episode follows what
he’s up to with his sea creature friends and neighbours. The show is really
silly, but that’s why kids will love it! While they are adapting to watching the T.V. in English, children
won’t get bored because the show is full of visual humour too. There are even
some exercises online for kids to do while watching
Spongebob that will make the experience even more useful and
fun!
Another idea to help your
child learn English is to set aside a certain time a week for the whole family
to watch a film in English. You could go to an original version cinema or
choose one to watch at home. Show your children that you are also interested in
watching movies or series in English and they will follow your lead. After
watching a movie in English you could also think of a certain activity that
links to it for you to do as a family together.
Watching T.V. shows and
movies in English is a really good way for your children to get used to
listening to English at home and a great complement to English classes.
They will have fun and not even realising they’re studying!
This article was written by
Katie Gyurkovits, an English teacher for kids and blogger at Break Into
English.
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