As a parent, you may not realise how much you can do to support your children in learning English. That’s the case even if they’re in their teens. When they’re younger, it can seem easier to introduce languages to them, whether that’s just through talking to them, or through introducing a new toy that ‘speaks’ only in the target language. But there’s a great deal you can do to help and support older children in learning languages that goes beyond practising verb endings with them or helping them with their homework.
In this article, we’ve taken a look at how you can help your teenage child learn English in fun, low-stress ways. We’ve focused on tips that don’t make it feel like you’re pressuring them to succeed, which is particularly counterproductive when learning a language, where confidence and a lack of self-consciousness can make a big difference to progress. While we’ve focused primarily on older children, there are tips here that you may find useful for younger children as well – or even for adult learning.
- Get them English versions of their favourite books
- Learn a language alongside them
- Do easy tasks in English and use English for straightforward things
- Don’t discourage them from learning other languages
- Set technology, such as games consoles, to English
- Don’t worry too much about their mistakes
- Focus on vocabulary, not grammar
- Don’t be afraid to mix English with their first language
- Watch English-language TV and films with them
SOURCE: OXFORD ROYALE
