Learning a new language can be a somewhat demanding task especially when it is not native to your country, or you do not have people who speak it around you. The simple fact that you will not be able to communicate in the language you want to learn with anyone in your family or locality might discourage you and you end up quitting.
For children, it can be even hard to get them to learn a new language because they might not see the importance that you have attached to being bilingual or trilingual. However, the young age of the child is what you have to exploit because it is easier to learn anything at that age.
So how do you get your child to learn a new language apart from enrolling them in English lessons for children? You must first get to know what your child is most interested in; at that young age, it might be so many things that you cannot pinpoint any specific one. One that is common amongst most kids is their interest in television. Most kids love TV, and in this article, we will look how you can use it to help them learn a new language.
ANIMATIONS
You might despise the cartoons thinking that they are for children who cannot understand the complex scripts and plots of regular programming. This is not the case. Both adults and children can make use of animations to learn any language, and even become fluent in speech and grammar.
Cartoons are helpful because they are written using a simple script and grammar that you can grasp as fast as possible. The elaborate manner in which the pictures and drama play out also helps you relate what you hear and what you see quickly, including the humour involved. This will help you remember what you have heard.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILMS
There is a common saying that goes, “drown yourself to swim”. It means that you can learn to swim by plunging yourself into a swimming pool and learn to navigate through the waters just because you need to survive. You can take this approach when you want to learn a new language by watching a program done in the literature you want to learn.
For example, if you want to learn English, watch a program that is solely in English, and make sure you are disciplined and committed enough to view it entirely and make it a habit. In language, there are those terms that are common like greetings and pleasantries, which you will be able to pick up as you watch.
SUBTITLED PROGRAMMES
If you feel like you will drown in the pool of unfamiliarity, you can take an alternative and decide to watch a program with subtitles. Watching a show with subtitles means that you will have to multitask, that is reading the subtitles and watching the action on the screen.
Reading books and especially those with pictures have been proven to help anyone learn a language. The relation between speech and print helps your brain register names of images. This relating to images is evident when children learn the “‘A’ is for ‘Apple’ and ‘B’ is for ball” song; it is just easier to process information in this manner.
NEWS
You may find the reports as dull as watching paint on a wall dry, but it is a useful tool while you are taking up an English Language Course in Singapore. Unlike drama and animation, the news is standard, and the details remain the same whether it is being reported locally or internationally, day or night. The generic nature of information means that it does not change no matter the language used to say it.
When an incident happens in Singapore, and it is of great importance it will be reported all over the world in different languages, and you can take advantage. You can watch the news on a local station and understand the details then tune in to CNN to hear it in English, or France 24 to get the details in French. Doing this means, you’ll have drowned yourself to swim while still offering yourself a lifeline.
Television can thus be either a positive or negative influence in your kid’s life. Some will get lazy and sit on the couch and lazy around the whole day entertaining themselves and others can use it as a tool to get the necessary information. Compliment it with an English class in Singapore and your child will speak fluently. If you have challenged your child or yourself to learn a new language, use your television screen as a learning tool rather than a distraction.