Languages and children

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Re: Languages and children

Postby vijayjohn » 2015-10-26, 6:42

Antea, this may be a dumb question, but if you're interested in teaching your kids English (or at least getting them exposed to it), have you considered using clips/episodes of kids' shows in English that are available online? I know you mentioned using the Internet for audiovisual material, but I just thought I'd ask anyway if you don't mind. :)

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2015-10-26, 6:54

Yes, they're some of them available in youtube. But they cannot last much long, some 30 mn or so, because they soon loose their interest (as they don't really understand the language), and switch to other things.

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2018-02-18, 12:28

Well, after some time has passed, I can make kind of an update about where we are at the moment. My daughter, has been taking private lessons of English outside school, since she was 5 years old. She only did 1 hour of class per week, as I didn’t wanted to charge her with a lot of pressure. At the age of 7, English was introduced in school (1,5 hours per week). Now she is studying English (private lessons and school classes included), 3 hours per week.

We are now at a stage where I can speak with her at an intermediate level, usual conversations. She is also beginning to listen to some children programs. I am also planning to buy her some easy English books for children.

I have also noticed lately, that some parents here, have begun to speak with their children in English, in order to teach them the language on a regular basis like they do in India, for example. But I am still feeling a bit shy and awkward to do this :roll: , specially in the street or among acquaintances. I don’t know, maybe I should try? :hmm:

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Re: Languages and children

Postby OldBoring » 2018-02-19, 20:27

Some people say it's not a good idea to teach children a language if you're not a native speaker. :hmm:

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Re: Languages and children

Postby linguoboy » 2018-02-19, 20:31

OldBoring wrote:Some people say it's not a good idea to teach children a language if you're not a native speaker. :hmm:

Which people and why do they say that?
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Languages and children

Postby OldBoring » 2018-02-19, 20:37

It exactly happened here at Unilang. Basically children could pick up the mistakes of the non-native speaker parents.

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Re: Languages and children

Postby linguoboy » 2018-02-19, 20:47

OldBoring wrote:It exactly happened here at Unilang.

Link?

OldBoring wrote:Basically children could pick up the mistakes of the non-native speaker parents.

Which will be corrected when they speak to native speakers.

This is the way the language learning process works for native speakers, too, btw. Everyone grows up with certain nonstandard pronunciations and expressions which they learn from their parents or siblings or other people they're in intimate contact with. Then they get out in the wider world and find that these are incomprehensible to other speakers or considered incorrect and either (a) stop using them or (b) only use them among the people they learned them from. (Very few people are the kind of obnoxious cusses who will (c) continue to use these words and expressions around others and defend them or feign surprise when those people object.)
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Aurinĭa » 2018-02-19, 21:57

That can become a problem if they don't come into contact with native speakers until much later, though.

Another possible problem with parents talking to their children in a non-native language can occur if they stop talking to them in their native language.

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Re: Languages and children

Postby linguoboy » 2018-02-19, 22:03

Aurinĭa wrote:That can become a problem if they don't come into contact with native speakers until much later, though.

More of a problem than them forgetting the language because they don't use it?

Aurinĭa wrote:Another possible problem with parents talking to their children in a non-native language can occur if they stop talking to them in their native language.

That's certainly a problem in some places, but I don't think it applies to Antea's situation.
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2018-03-01, 20:14

No, I don’t think we could forget our languages. We are literally “bathing” (it’s a literary image :whistle: ) everyday in Spanish and Catalan.

So now I am trying to speak with my daughter at least 30 mn in English (when I remember about it :roll: ). She has also asked me for the lyrics of some songs. We will see how it goes :hmm:

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Re: Languages and children

Postby linguoboy » 2018-03-01, 20:16

Antea wrote:So now I am trying to speak with my daughter at least 30 mn in English (when I remember about it :roll: ).

How does that work? Do you set aside a little part of the day as your hora anglesa?
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2018-03-01, 20:21

Yes, usually after dinner and before going to sleep, when she is relaxed. The problem is that I still cannot do it with my son because he has not the same level (he barely knows some basics words), so it’s a little bit annoying.
Last edited by Antea on 2020-01-15, 13:52, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Languages and children

Postby linguoboy » 2018-03-01, 20:28

Antea wrote:The problem is that I still cannot still do it with my son because he hais not at the same level (he barely knows some basics words), so it’s a little bit annoying.

I still cannot = todavía no puedo
I cannot still = ya no puedo
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2018-03-01, 20:31

linguoboy wrote:
Antea wrote:The problem is that I still cannot still do it with my son because he hais not at the same level (he barely knows some basics words), so it’s a little bit annoying.

I still cannot = todavía no puedo
I cannot still = ya no puedo


Ok, gracias!

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Re: Languages and children

Postby Antea » 2020-01-15, 13:19

En ce moment, on parle surtout français à la maison. Et ma fille doit passer un examen d'anglais "officiel" en fin d'année.


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