Posted on August 23, 2022 by Rosario Arán
French is a beautiful language that can be taught to children when they are little. However, using suitable tools and techniques can make a difference in their learning experience. Here are some Do’s and Don’t to teach your kids French.
Parlez-vous français? Je ne me rappelle rien! Yes, and I wish so badly to remember all the words and grammar that I learned while I was finishing high school, which was quite a bit! To be honest, I can understand some terms whenever I watch French TV shows on Oznoz, and that’s the point of me watching them, getting back to the habit of listening to the words and the pronunciation. I still crave the need to go back to French classes, but can’t do so because when you are an adult, sometimes life gets in the way. I made a mental note of this feeling, so I remember to take my daughter to French classes as soon as I can, so she can become bilingual in her early years.
Why is learning French important? Again, we can go back to the benefits of raising a bilingual child and how a language can open many doors. However, learning French means that your child will be able to communicate with over 274 million speakers worldwide, and it’s the sixth most spoken language in the world. So the French language is kind of a big deal.
Luckily, for children, learning a language is much easier because they absorb the knowledge like a sponge. But of course, you must be mindful of their age and adapt the methods to teach a foreign language. For the time being, if you have toddlers, ditch the activity books in French, and prepare flashcards, find songs, and audiobooks with stories that can touch their hearts.
If you are like me and you wonder how to teach French to your kids, then there are certain strategies that you can implement right now. Although all the efforts are valid, there are things that you need to avoid in order to put extra pressure on your children who are learning French. You want them to show interest in the language otherwise, it is going to feel like a chore rather than a possibility to open new worlds for them. Here are some tips for you to succeed:
DO’S
Start with the numbers and easy words
Numbers from 1 to10 are easy to learn and are a sort of patron that your child can recognize first. Same thing with the days of the week. Ask anybody who has learned a language and then not practiced it for a while: they most likely only remember the numbers or the days of the weeks.
You can slowly incorporate words through flashcards for elements they use every day: pencil, toy, glass, plants, and flowers. They can recognize it in their everyday life, and once you point out any of these objects, they can practice and repeat the words until they have learned them.
Incorporate polite words into your daily activities
Teach the French words for ‘thank you’, ‘hello’, ‘please’. These are words they use daily, and can ignite their interest in French, especially when they see your face lighting up after hearing the cuteness of a “merci” coming from your sweet little toddler!
Watch cartoons
OK, this is when a platform like Oznoz becomes a one-of-a-kind resource to access +90 shows in French that can amuse your kid. It is a fact that your kid will find one that peaks their interest and get used to listening to characters speak and get familiar with expressions.
Tv Shows are an easy way to immerse in the language, letting their beloved characters speak and teach the words to them. We recommend you check out these two to start with:
- Wilf The Witch’s Dogs: A dog that does magic tricks, flyers on a broomstick, and casts spells.
- Babar: A classic that your children can quickly grow fond of (after all, it is part of our childhood for some of us), Babar tells the story of an elephant that overcomes many challenges after his mother passes away.
Practice!
Don’t make it part of a given time or day. When it comes to children, incorporate spontaneity to make it more fun. For example, If you are shopping for groceries together, point out the apples and ask them to say the equivalent word in French!
Listen to audiobooks in French
If you are not able to speak French and you want to read bedtime stories to your children in French to take the opportunity to teach them the language, don’t panic. Audiobooks come to the rescue! First, find a children’s story that your child can listen to before bed. If, on the other hand, you have the basic knowledge and learned pronunciation before everything else (yes, that was me!), then try to read a French book to your child before bed.
DON’TS
Not being patient with the pronunciation
French sounds beautiful but mastering the pronunciation might not happen overnight. Be patient about it and understand that with a whole new language comes learning phonemes that aren’t easy (rolling the Rs in Spanish comes naturally to me, but for non-native Spanish speakers can be a bit more challenging). So if your child struggles with one word, be patient. Grab that audiobook or watch a tv show where that word is pronounced several times.
Become extreme about theoretical
French, for example, has grammatical gender, and can be very confusing for someone whose native language doesn’t have that particularity. Although structure and grammar are important, remember that it is your child who is becoming familiar with the language. It needs to be fun and not experience too much formality. That’s why songs or cartoons can help you. Kids listen to the words and they will repeat them. And VOILÁ, they will have learned it. So avoid teaching all the intricate aspects of the language from the start. Let’s be honest, we don’t even know ALL the rules in our language!
Make it a class
Don’t force your child to sit for an hour to learn words, and grammar and listen to French lessons. The key is having fun, and they will slowly grow their interest in the language and have the chance to talk about what they see around them. So don’t act like a strict teacher with a certain amount of time to teach French. Instead, choose random moments to practice one or two sentences, terms, and pronunciation.
Learning French, like any other language, takes time and patience. Results won’t come in the blink of an eye, but for sure you can make things easier for your toddler who is discovering a whole new world. Take baby steps, avoid the formal and strict methods, and they will slowly feel engaged and eager to learn more about the language. Then you will be rewarded with the sweetness of a merci! from your child.