English is needed in every walk of life. With a view to taking a lead in this fast changing world, we need English.
Our schools teach a lot on English grammar but they don’t focus on communicative English. As a result, students lack communication skills and can’t talk in English fluently. Moreover, it can hamper their career and they suffer a lot in future. It is one of the major issues of our poor education system.
However, parents should teach English language to their babies right from the beginning in this competitive world. Babies and toddlers are very good in learning languages. They learn English faster than adults do.
You can start teaching English when they reach 6th month of age. It is the perfect time to learn this language and babies pick up the words quickly. You can also start before this time.
Many parents use educational apps which are available in Google Playstore. But, never introduce your babies to digital screen before they become 1 year old. According to World Health Organization, children under 12 months old should not be exposed to electronic screens at all.
Today, I will show you 5 ways to teach this language:
1) Increase Vocabulary
According to this research, Introducing various words to babies is the first step to teach English . Your child’s vocabulary growth is considered to be directly related to their overall success at school . You can educate them about different body parts, colors, numbers, fruits, vegetables and animals. We bought some flashcards from Kids n Moms store, such as Bino English and My ABC Flashcards. These flashcards are really helpful in increasing vocabulary of kids.
2) Talk to baby in English
You should talk to your babies in English and create an English speaking environment. Babies don’t understand grammar, but they learn the language by imitating their parents. Every day you can use common dialogues , such as good morning, good bye, thank you etc. Furthermore, talk as you are feeding, dressing, carrying and bathing your baby. Talking improves listening skills of babies.
3) Read story books
Books are excellent teachers for little babies. Parents can read books which contain different stories, colours and characters. During this reading time, kids pick up the words very well. They love to look at the visuals and colours of the pages. This generates curiosity in their mind, and they learn the language instinctively.
A recent brain scan study found that “reading at home with children from an early age was strongly correlated with brain activation in areas connected with visual imagery and understanding the meaning of language” .
Kids love bedtime stories, and you can make it a ritual in their daily life. Books are so powerful guides that we still remember the words and phrases from books which we read in our childhood days.
There is a huge variety of books available in the market. Make sure that the language is simple and repetitive. There are books which discuss about various cultures and festivals of Bangladesh. Reading with your children develops their brain, imagination and early literacy skills.
4) Songs and poems:
You should sing songs to your babies. You can also recite poems. It develops their listening skills. Wheels on the Bus, Baba Black Sheep, Twinkle Twinkle and Jhony Jhony Yes Papa are perfect to start with. Songs are fun ways to teach English and babies love fun.
5) Talk in English while playing:
Babies and toddlers enjoy playing with their parents. Tent house and Rainbow Ring Stacker are perfect educational toys. There are lots of colourful balls inside the tent house. You can teach babies about various colours during playtime. You can also instruct them how to kick and throw the colourful balls.
