Fluency in a foreign language :that's another cookie † Although the Dutch are known for being able to speak foreign languages well, it all too often proves to be quite a challenge. Just think of our Louis van Gaal 😉 . However, you can benefit a lot from speaking another language. And when is the best time to learn that? Exactly:as young as possible. This article is about learning to speak English and other foreign languages. Why would you do that? Why is it so important for your kids? And how do you go about doing that if you want to get rid of English from your holiday or improve your French holiday to a more native way of speaking languages?
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You can see it in CEO Louis van Gaal. With certain functions you just can't get around that English. And that only gets more. Because more and more jobs are international, or at least a large part of your colleagues. In addition to English, French and German are also languages that are widely spoken in business. And the more international you go, the more you may have to lean towards Spanish or Chinese!
Lessons are also in English at an increasing number of colleges and universities. So it is not only useful on vacation, speaking a foreign language. Ordering that baguette at the campsite will probably still work - even if it is with hands and feet - but then! Learning to speak French, German or English is not easy. One tip:start as early as possible. Then it is suddenly a lot easier than you might think.
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Learning to speak English, or any foreign language for that matter, can be quite a challenge. Some of us have a knack for languages, but even then you are not there yet. The very best tip we can give you:start as young as possible! The younger children are, the easier it is to learn a foreign language. It is not for nothing that there are primary schools where children already receive English reading lessons in kindergarten.
Of course we don't put our toddlers behind the desk with a dictionary. Learning to speak English at a young age, you do that in a playful way. And then you will see that children pick it up very easily! But what if your children's school doesn't do anything about it, what can you do yourself to improve speaking a foreign language?
Below I will tell you more about this.
One of the reasons why the Dutch speak English well above average is the fact that we dub so little on TV. Switch on the television in Germany or France, and more than half of the films and series can only be seen in your own language. Easy, but it doesn't really make you any wiser.
Does watching TV make you dumber? Not in the Netherlands! That is, if you choose the programs a little carefully. Just let your kids watch an English program. A children's program on the BBC, for example, or if they are a bit older English films with subtitles. Of course you can also opt for an educational Dutch children's program such as Dora, especially in the beginning. Build up the level slowly until your children no longer need subtitles at all. Is there a word that no one in your house knows? Then look it up together.
Learned young is done old
In short, with younger children you can already start offering Dora and Diego who learn to count in Dutch and English, for example. Then switch from English movies with subtitles to TV programs that don't have subtitles in one step. In the Netherlands, this probably only works if your children learn to speak English because other languages are much less offered in films, etc.
You can also become a lot wiser from your smartphone these days. He is not called smart for nothing 😉 . You can download a lot of apps, for children and for adults, with which you can learn a foreign language in a fun way. Choose an app that suits your child's age, or go for an interactive app to practice together.
Just search on Google Play Store or Itunes and you've found a few things! And if you want to follow our tips, be sure to take a look at Juf Jannie on the website and at Leerkinderentalen, they also have nice apps for learning English.
Read also :Our family is learning Chinese – with apps
Another way to playfully learn to speak English (or German, French, or whatever language you think is important) is to choose a fixed foreign language day. Not only a great way to learn or improve another language, but also hilarious to do!
On that day you only speak English at home! Of course moms and dads have to stick to that as well. Not only can the children, but also you learn something from this. There is a good chance that your kids will even improve you after a while. A bonus:not everyone is equally fond of speaking a foreign language. What if you make mistakes? Within the family, of course, no one is laughed at, and the children immediately learn that speaking and making mistakes is better than being silent. Will they soon be on holiday among all the foreign children no longer falling for their mouths? Everybody say Cheese .
If your child is a bit older, or if you have problems speaking foreign languages yourself, you can notice that this becomes a significant stumbling block. But from secondary school, the children really have to believe in it:learning to speak English. Now the teachers demand it of you, later their boss. And how nice is it if you can help your child with that?
If you feel that your child (or yourself!) could use an extra helping hand in addition to the English lessons at school, you can also opt for an extra course in the summer months. When learning to speak a language, the most important thing is that you stick with it. You have to be a go-getter for that, because if you already find something difficult and annoying, you often find it difficult to commit to it.
Well, everyone wants that, but unfortunately that option is not for everyone. I wish it was true. Now the children have a nice long holiday, but the parents often have to get back to work after 3 weeks. And if you have already been away for 3 weeks during the summer holidays (many people only book for 2 weeks), then you also know that this is not enough to learn a language or to boost it completely.
That is why I would like to discuss with you the possibilities of having your children take a language course. I'm curious about how you stand here. I have no doubt that it is good, but to what extent do you dare to let go of your child and from what age? What I would really like is if my children (when they are a little older) really would stay abroad for six months or 9 months to learn native English. We are not there yet, but it seems to me to be a very nice way of learning.
Does that feel a bit like a punishment to you, studying in the summer? Then you are not yet familiar with the language courses in 2017. Learning to speak English (or French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese or Japanese) is best done in the country itself. And to be honest, that still sounds pretty much like summer vacation, but with extra benefits, . Have you ever considered a language course abroad for yourself, or perhaps for your child? More and more parents and children are opting for a language course abroad. Six months in a host family in Miami or London, then learning to speak English is a piece of cake !
I may think about this idea for a while, but besides that I think it is very good for the general development of your child. The children of my brother and sister (well, mainly the girls) have really been pushing for that. Internships of more than half a year in Africa or Mexico, they did not turn their hand around. Besides the fact that I think it's very cool, it has also become a part of their lives that they always carry with them, a huge experience right? In any case - no matter how exciting I find it - I would always encourage my children to do this.
What it gives you is fluent speaking a foreign language, but also a unique life experience. And who knows, a handsome Italian holiday love 😉! Although you and your child must of course listen to it. Crying with homesickness, learning to speak English is still not easy. How are you in that? Would you embark on such an adventure? Or would you like it for your child?
