English for Young ESL Learners
The Key Secrets to Raising Bilingual Children: Parents Read!
Research has it: the earlier young kids are exposed to a second language, the better. What's the key secret behind all this research?
Literacy skills begin early – by the age of five or six. Before they even begin school, bilingual children have already absorbed the grammatical structures, sounds, and vocabulary of a language. This assumption takes into account that parents speak with their children in their own mother tongue from a very young age. What brought me to write this article is the desire to get my Hebrew speaking son to increase his literacy in English despite the fact that he is only two years old.
Literacy doesn’t necessarily mean being able to read in the target language at such a tender age, but rather to open your child up to the new experience of learning English through interaction. There are many opportunities just waiting for you. Taking walks, bathtime, playtime are great and fun ways to introduce new sounds and vocabulary.
But the best thing you can do for your child is to read. The sooner parents begin reading to children, the better. In my case, English has much more complex grammatical structures than other languages such as Hebrew. Even if you have only a limited period of time to spend with your children, then read, read, read. Aim for a 15 minute reading period every day. Children who are read to not only develop better language skills but also develop their imaginations and their ability to think.
There are many materials you can use to raise the level of literacy. Here are some starters for the early years.
ABC letters
These can come in all forms, shapes and sizes. I particularly like the alphabet set that are appliqués on ceramic tiles in the bathtub. When my son looks a “G” for example, he says the word and then the word “Go-go” from one of his short readers we've been reading together. Literacy at this young tender age starts with seeing the letter, hearing its sound, getting used to its size and shape. We both have a lot of fun doing this and the time passes by quickly. The nice side of letters appeal to the kinesthetic side of learning. Children enjoy feeling its texture, size and shape.
The next step: simple readers.
Use readers that only have a few words to a page and not more than ten pages. Gradually work your way up. Slowly, your little one will realize the connection between the word and its sound but for now, follow the word. Point to the pictures and say the object. Dr. Suess’ early series are best for this young age. My son enjoys hearing the silly rhythm and rhyme.
Final words
If you can instill in your young children a love for learning and an excitement for it, that is your gift. The rest will come naturally.
