Language

If you let your 4 year old listen to music or radio/ television shows in your language that will help. Also if you speak to another adult using your language around your child. How about a play date with another child that is fluent?

Speak in your other language. Start by reading books in Spanish or whatever, translate the baby books he has.
I have a friend from Puerto Rico and she only speaks to the children in Spanish.
I wish I knew another language.

both my kids are bi-lingual.
Since birth, I spoke to them in my language, English, and since birth my Hubby spoke to them in his native language (he's bi-lingual).
They are now 7 and 3 years old... and they understand it, speak it, and know fully both languages and fluent in it, my daughter can read as well in both langauges. Better than I do myself. Because, it was always just normal for them to hear both languages since birth.. .and that was the norm.

You don't "teach" the language to them... but just talk to them in your language... like any other language. They are sponges and absorb it.
Your son is already 4 years old... so, unless you always spoke to him in your language... and if he didn't grow up with hearing 2 languages spoken in the home all the time... then it might be harder.
Sign up or join culture clubs. That way he/you will be exposed to the language... and meet friends who speak it too.

BUT, don't speak to him with both languages within the same sentence... otherwise the child will learn incorrect grammar/sentence structure.

all the best,
Susan

The best way to do it is for you to speak to your child ONLY in the second language. He will learn English from friends, school, TV, your husband if he isn't bilingual, etc. You should speak exclusively in the other language whenever you are talking to him, even if other people are around who only speak English.

My friend is doing this with her daughter. She speaks to her only in Spanish, even if her husband is around who speaks only English. As an added bonus, the child's grandparents only speak Korean, so at three years old she is fully trilingual.

Yep, just switch and start speaking in whatever language you want him to learn. In reality right from infancy you can start speaking both languages and mix them up. Babies and small children will learn any and all languages they are spoken to in as long as they are all used with some frequency. At 4, your child is still more than capable of learning a second language with complete fluency. Simply switch to that language at home!
Good luck!!

if you want him to teach the language you speak then just talk to him in that language. if he needs to understand what are you saying do the translating but afterwards keep talking in the 2nd language. he'll learn that way best.

Hi A.,
I only speak to my children in Spanish, I might say a few words in English here and there but mainly is all Spanish. They know mami speaks Spanish,, and daddy speaks English. There is no confusion at this point. Now when I am around English speakers I speak English, I just find it rude if others ca not understand what I'm saying..

What we do is at night, I read to him Spanish books, and practice their vocabulary.
I also repeat what they ask me in English to say it in spanish, so I say repeat after me ... mami porfavor quiero leche. and then they have say back .
Good luck, it is never too late, your children will thank you, I promise that!!

I am Mexican and my husband is French, I talk to my kids in Spanish and my husband in French.

My almost 4year old prefers by far English and he talks all the time in English, and sometimes mixes languages, which for now is ok.

What we do is that we keep talking to him each in our languages, and he/they understand everything.

I do ask my friends and family members that speak spanish to talk to them in spanish, my husband reads stories in French at night.

On the weekends I choose for him to watch the cartoons in Spanish and during the week when I find them in the TV I put the French ones.

For me is so much easy to talk to my son in English but I do make a consious effort not to do it or if I already said something in English I repeat it in Spanish and make an enfasis for him to listen a couple of times the Spanish version.

Good luck!

Talk to your child in that language as much as possible. The first 10 yrs are supposed to be the best years for learning a new language. Also, find some songs-maybe a CD of children's songs-and play that for your toddler. There is a children's language program that I am planning to check out soon. It is called Muzzy something. I am hoping it will help my older kids learn Spanish--and may be a couple of other languages. I saw the add in Parenting magazine and it has a low cost or free trial period.

Check this blog post about children and learning languages. There's a lot of interesting information.
http://www.goaupair.com/Blog/post/Children-and-Foreign-La...

Hope that helps!

A.,

Aside from using it at home on a regular basis, there is something that I think is working pretty well with my 4.5 and 3 year old. It's called Muzzy. It was shown in my Spanish 2 class in high school and while it's campy (for adults) my kids LOVE IT. They have English (American), English (British), Spanish, Italian, German, and French ... they also have it in Mandarin Chinese (extra tho) ... it comes in two parts; part 1 and part 2-3 ... here is the link to order it http://www.early-advantage.com/muzzytrialoptin_st.aspx

It's a bit on the pricey side, but my kids love it ... we don't watch it as much as we should, but they're still picking up words and more importantly to me at this point is that they are asking to watch it. :) Buena Suerte!

Here are some ideas that may help and a couple other links with info as well:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2009/12/16/...
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2009/12/18/...

According to language experts, six-month-old babies babble using 70 different sounds that make up all of the languages of the world.

Children are not preprogrammed with the language(s) of their parents; they learn the language of their environments. For example, the child of parents who consistently speak multiple languages in everyday conversations will naturally speak both languages.

Learning a second language is not as challenging for a young child as you may think. Teaching a one-year-old the word “red” and the Spanish version, “rojo,” is similar to teaching the words “stone” and “rock”. There is nothing confusing about this for a young child.

The key to teaching your child a second language is to immerse him or her in the language. Your child’s teacher probably does this throughout the day by labeling and referencing items and actions in the classroom in different languages. You can work with your child’s teacher by referencing these labels and incorporating the language into your child’s play at home. With your participation, the immersion is complete.

Remember, there are many forms of communication. Introducing young children to second languages such as Spanish, French and sign language encourages brain development in areas that would typically fall dormant. (Sign language can also demonstrate an infant’s listening vocabulary and fine motor development.)

Second languages celebrate cultural diversity and help to create an understanding of the written word. A second language can open doors and unleash curiosities of the world.

Whether your child is an infant or a preschooler, immersing him or her in a second language is the key to success. If the language is new to you as well, label your surroundings so the words are readily available. Following are some age-appropriate activities to help you incorporate a second language into your child’s daily routine.

Infant to One Year
~ Sign as you say words.
~ Sign in one word syllables (e.g., more, mom, dad, ball).
~ Gently move your child’s hands to make a sign.
~ Play music from around the world.

First Steps (12 to 18 months)
~ Add to signing vocabulary, use signs with verbal cues.
~ Say both the English word and the second language word for an object.
~ Practice the second language while playing ball (e.g., As you roll the ball to your child say, “Here comes the red ball, pelota roja.”)
~ Use the second language words interchangeably in your own speech.
~ Name body parts, animals and colors in the second language.

Toddler and Get Set (18 to 36 months)
~ Repeat everyday words in all languages.
~ Link words together.
~ Prompt your child to attempt new words.
~ While playing a game, such as “Memory,” recite words in both languages.
~ Begin to use common words in the second language without repeating in your native tongue.
~ Listen to music in other languages.

Preschool to Pre-Kindergarten (36 months +)
~ Use your everyday experiences for language opportunities (e.g., sign the food item you want your child to find at the grocery store).
~ Sing songs in other languages.
~ If your family has two native languages in your household, speak one language at home and the other outside of the home to practice proper language use.
~ Watch your child’s favorite movie in another language. Many DVDs now offer language choices.
~ Visit cultural fairs, food markets and restaurants of other cultures.

I am not bilingual, but I have friends who are. They say that the best way to do it is to have you speak to them ONLY in the non-English language, and if you have a spouse, your spouse can speak to them in English. One said that when she spoke both languages to her children, they basically refused to communicate with her in Spanish.

A.,

A good friend of mine is from Brazil, and with both of her children, she spoke to them exclusively in Portuguese. Her husband, who does understand a lot, and does speak some Portuguese, spoke exclusively English with the children.
I remember watching their daughter, at about 2 1/2, saying something to Mom in Portuguese, then turning to translate for Dad in English. :-)
Later, she went to a private school, where all of her lessons were in French, except for one day a week, in Spanish. At 9-years old, she was fluent in 4 languages.

I believe that young children are sponges, and that it's a major disservice to them, that public schools don't start teaching foreign language until Jr. High or High School.

My theory on why it's easier for young children to learn multiple languages:
As I've taught my children English, they've automatically learned many words for various objects (i.e. tummy, belly, gut, stomach, abdomen, etc.). When learning foreign language(s), I believe that children just absorb different words for the same things. They don't have to worry about "translating in their heads," like most adults do, after learning another language in later childhood or as an adult.

Given our global economy, I believe that bi-lingual/multi-lingual people will be at a greater advantage than those of us that speak only one.

Good for you, giving your son a tool he will use throughout life!

M.

Just start speaking to him in your other language exclusively. At this age they will still pick it up quickly, though it will be normal that they prefer the language they hear most (for most kids it's English). I am bilingual as well and it's hard to speak to my daughter in my native language, because I am fluent in English and she prefers English. But I just try to remind myself as best as I can to speak German to her as much as possible and recently she has really picked up on it!
If you can find an immersion pre-school and some play dates in your language that helps as well!

And just so you know, code switching (mixing languages in the same sentence) is normal in children and does NOT mean that your child is not learning either language correctly!
Good luck!

What a wonderful thing to teach your child a second language. My husband is Italian and my my mother-in-law speaks nothing but Italian to my 16 month old. The earlier you teach them, the better.

I am learning Italian right now from the Rosetta Stone program. It's done on the computer and I'm sure by now your son is wanting to use the computer. You can sit down and go through it with him on a daily basis for however long he will sit there. You go at your own pace. I do believe that its understandable for a 4 year old. It's pretty basic at first with stuff like apple, ball, etc... Then you can help him get through the rest if he needs help. Its a really good program and after taking classes in the regular formal atmosphere, I'm learning more from Rosetta Stone than I did in the classes. It is price, but no more than you will pay for all other classes combines, plus books and stuff. They give you everything you need plus audio CD's you can listen to in the car.

I highly recommend it and I don't think your 4 year old will have any problems with it.