In many homes the child is naturally exposed to two languages. It could be because of where you live, or the composition of the family. The top languages spoken in the world today include English, French, Spanish and Chinese. Unfortunately not all schools teach second languages and your child may just end up using the majority language rather than keeping up with the secondary language. Here are some ways for you to ensure that your child keeps up an interest in both languages.
Reading, Writing and Speaking
You need to ensure that there is enough reading, writing and speaking happening in both languages. Naturally the majority language will take up a larger chunk of time, but make sure that you do not ignore the secondary language. Nurture the secondary language more in the early years, as the base will be important in the future. The major language will get enough practice as the homeschool student grows older anyhow.
Finding the right balance can take some skill. You can even make it fun by insisting that the homeschool student speaks with the mother in one language and the father in another. That way they can practice the language with the person who speaks it best in the family. In case you are introducing a second language through a teacher because you don’t have the resources in the family, ensure that the child has friends he can practice the language with.
Keep it Fun
Learning two languages should not be considered a chore by the homeschool student. It should be integrated into the daily routine of the child. When you wake up wish everyone in both languages, same with thanking someone for what they did. Some activities in the homeschool class may be conducted only in a single language. For instance if the child needs to ask permission to do something it needs to be asked in a specific language.
You get the idea, just keep it fun and entertaining. Plus involve all the children in the homeschool classroom and soon you will have a full family of bilingual speakers. Not to mention the fact that they are going to smarter than most kids.
