How to learn a second language

When teaching kids or yourself a second language, keep the following in mind:

1. Anyone CAN learn another language! 
2. The MORE you put into it, the MORE you’ll get out of it!
3. You can have FUN doing it!

What in the world is a diphthong?!

I like the breakdown at the link in this post. I've also found a simple rule of thumb on where you put the emphasis when you have a word in Spanish you're trying to pronounce:

• When a word has 2 syllables, stress the first syllable.
• When a word has more than 2 syllables, stress the second to the last syllable.
• Clap when you stress the syllable. This is especially helpful for children who don't read yet so they can distinguish audibly. It also adds the kinesthetic learning style.

A cognate's a great starting place

So what's a cognate? It's a word in one language that resembles a word in another language, usually in how it's spelt. A thorough explanation of list of cognates is at the link in this post.

As is applies to teaching kids, I like to start with topics that interest them, like animals. And, since the word for animal is animal (ah-nee-mahl), this cognate provides an easy introduction to that topic. Some of the first ones you could start with is elefante (ahl-ah-fahn-tay) for elephant and jirafa (hee-rah-fah) for giraffe.

The BEST way to learn a culture...

...is to be friends with someone from that culture!

Hopefully it's easy to find someone of another culture in your community. Maybe your child has already developed a friendship at his school who has a different cultural background than he does. The best way to learn that culture is to invite them over for dinner, or for a playdate, anything that'll allow you to get beyond surface level.

If you're not fortunate enough to have this kind of diversity in your area, you can expose your child to another culture by visiting cultural event in a nearby city. Holiday times should have these opportunities available. Another option is to visit a religious center that has services in another language.

Wanna see Ecuador?

Check out this link (click on the title above) to see my visit there! What a beautiful country and culture (and language, of course)! :)

Teach 'em where they're at!

Follow your child's lead - if he loves trains, teach the Spanish words for colors by playing with different colored trains. You can also add in some of the words that are easier, such as tren for train.

Using the play-based instruction model, you'd sit down next to her as she plays with her trains. You'd use all English, except when referring to the words in Spanish that you want to teach her. For example, since tren (trehn) is train and verde (vayr-day) is green, you'd start with holding up the train and telling her it's tren in Spanish. Ask her to then pick up a tren and have her say the Spanish word for it as she picks it up. Repeat this, working it into her natural play, until she remembers that tren in train.

Next, find a tren that's green. Tell her that the color of el tren (the train) is verde. Use similar techniques until she consistently remembers that green is verde. Then, ask her, "Can I play with the tren verde, the green train?" (Remember that, in Spanish, the adjective follows the noun. If she asks, you can tell her this but most children will just pick up on this reversal after repeated exposure.) Once she has tren verde down, move on to telling her the Spanish word for another color and, from that point on, you should be able to develop her vocabulary for all the colors.

Check out our new video!

It's on teaching kids how to pronounce Spanish.