Comments for Mandela Children http://mandela-children.org Nelson Mandela Children's Fund Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by The Reframer http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2220 The Reframer Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2220 You need to expose them to both languages by the time the child is 12 months, or it will be harder for them to learn later. By this age the child learns to recognize all of the sounds within their native languages and if you don't expose them to it, then they may not be able to recognize the sounds as easily later. If the child lives in an English speaking society, then it will be harder to learn Danish. You will have to focus on Danish more at home, but then risk having a slight lag when the child starts an English speaking school. During the first 2 years you may want to stick with one primarily to avoid confusion, but still use the other sometimes. You can look for classes when the child is around 5. After 7 years old, the ability to learn another language starts to go downhill. Those that I know who have used only used one language exclusively early on did not end up having bilingual children later, the child simply never learned the other language. You have to start early. I have young children that primarily speak English but also know a good amount of their father's language. We try to work on it a little each day and they spend time with the grandparents who also help them learn (because they don't speak English). I will send them to a formal class to learn to read and write soon too. It's easier said than done, your really have to invest time in it. You need to expose them to both languages by the time the child is 12 months, or it will be harder for them to learn later. By this age the child learns to recognize all of the sounds within their native languages and if you don’t expose them to it, then they may not be able to recognize the sounds as easily later. If the child lives in an English speaking society, then it will be harder to learn Danish. You will have to focus on Danish more at home, but then risk having a slight lag when the child starts an English speaking school. During the first 2 years you may want to stick with one primarily to avoid confusion, but still use the other sometimes. You can look for classes when the child is around 5. After 7 years old, the ability to learn another language starts to go downhill.
Those that I know who have used only used one language exclusively early on did not end up having bilingual children later, the child simply never learned the other language. You have to start early.
I have young children that primarily speak English but also know a good amount of their father’s language. We try to work on it a little each day and they spend time with the grandparents who also help them learn (because they don’t speak English). I will send them to a formal class to learn to read and write soon too. It’s easier said than done, your really have to invest time in it.

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Samantha http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2219 Samantha Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2219 Get him to speak danish to her and you stick to english, if she starts to speak danish faster than english don't be tempted to switch now and then cos her english will be rubbish! I had this with my first daughter, we had a house full of bengalis all the time and she picked that up faster when she started talking, so even though my bengali were rubbish I'd just say something to her in it alot to get it through quicker but this obviously doesn't help! you have to be a bit patient. Get him to speak danish to her and you stick to english, if she starts to speak danish faster than english don’t be tempted to switch now and then cos her english will be rubbish! I had this with my first daughter, we had a house full of bengalis all the time and she picked that up faster when she started talking, so even though my bengali were rubbish I’d just say something to her in it alot to get it through quicker but this obviously doesn’t help! you have to be a bit patient.

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Poofypoof http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2218 Poofypoof Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2218 I was raised bilingual, as were my cousins. I think if the father only speaks Danish to the baby and you only speak English, the child will grow up to know both equally well. Also, once your Danish is better, try to speak only Danish at home and the child can get the English practice out of the home once he is older. What might happen is that the child will only speak in Danish to his/her dad for a while, and the same for you with English, especially when the child is very young. They may interchange a few words here and there, like inserting a Danish word in an English sentence, but they still know both languages. Reading and writing won't be affected negatively by the acquisition of verbal language - just make sure the child gets exposed to books and texts in both languages and practices reading and writing in both when he/she is older. Good luck! I was raised bilingual, as were my cousins. I think if the father only speaks Danish to the baby and you only speak English, the child will grow up to know both equally well. Also, once your Danish is better, try to speak only Danish at home and the child can get the English practice out of the home once he is older. What might happen is that the child will only speak in Danish to his/her dad for a while, and the same for you with English, especially when the child is very young. They may interchange a few words here and there, like inserting a Danish word in an English sentence, but they still know both languages. Reading and writing won’t be affected negatively by the acquisition of verbal language – just make sure the child gets exposed to books and texts in both languages and practices reading and writing in both when he/she is older. Good luck!

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Pigsney http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2217 Pigsney Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2217 Hi! I am French and my boyfriend is English. I always speak to our little boy in French and his dad always speaks to him in English. You won't need to 'teach' your child. He / She will effortlessly acquire both languages.That's the beauty of it! :-) I wish you good luck! Hi!
I am French and my boyfriend is English. I always speak to our little boy in French and his dad always speaks to him in English. You won’t need to ‘teach’ your child. He / She will effortlessly acquire both languages.That’s the beauty of it! :-)
I wish you good luck!

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by yeeblazer1 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2216 yeeblazer1 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2216 i think ive heard that it works well for each parent to talk to the child only in that language...if your boyfriend speaks to him ONLY in danish, and you speak to him ONLY in english, then he will learn both, when he first starts speking he will think that he must speak danish to the father/english to the mother but one they are a little older they will understand that what they really know is 2 seperate languages... i think ive heard that it works well for each parent to talk to the child only in that language…if your boyfriend speaks to him ONLY in danish, and you speak to him ONLY in english, then he will learn both, when he first starts speking he will think that he must speak danish to the father/english to the mother but one they are a little older they will understand that what they really know is 2 seperate languages…

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Pretee G http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2215 Pretee G Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2215 Teach the child one language first and then a few years later teach the second language, you can try teaching at the same time but it may be confusing, but as they grow they can distinguish between the two languages...but consider doing this while they are young, because its harder for children or adults to learn a different language when they older Teach the child one language first and then a few years later teach the second language, you can try teaching at the same time but it may be confusing, but as they grow they can distinguish between the two languages…but consider doing this while they are young, because its harder for children or adults to learn a different language when they older

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by amber3_6 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2214 amber3_6 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2214 The best way to do it honestly is to start when they are young. teach them both languages at the same time. He will pick up what you are saying in both languages, and will use both fluently at a young age. The best way to do it honestly is to start when they are young. teach them both languages at the same time. He will pick up what you are saying in both languages, and will use both fluently at a young age.

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Pippin http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2213 Pippin Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2213 The amazing thing about babies/young children is that they are hard-wired to learn language .. and can easily learn 2 or 3 at once. You don't have to teach them Danish, any more than you have to teach them English. You speak to baby in English. He speaks to her in Danish. She will also be exposed to both languages in other settings -- tv, radio, people on the street. And she will learn both languages. She will probably start talking a bit later than average, but she'll understand everything, and when she DOES start to talk, she'll be able to speak both. (I used to work at a preschool where most of the kids were bilingual -- most spoke Hebrew at home, and English in school. (There was also a Korean child, and a Tibetan child, and one little girl being raised trilingual -- she had an Israeli father and a Dutch mother and was growing up in the American heartland!) The amazing thing about babies/young children is that they are hard-wired to learn language .. and can easily learn 2 or 3 at once. You don’t have to teach them Danish, any more than you have to teach them English.

You speak to baby in English. He speaks to her in Danish. She will also be exposed to both languages in other settings — tv, radio, people on the street. And she will learn both languages. She will probably start talking a bit later than average, but she’ll understand everything, and when she DOES start to talk, she’ll be able to speak both.

(I used to work at a preschool where most of the kids were bilingual — most spoke Hebrew at home, and English in school. (There was also a Korean child, and a Tibetan child, and one little girl being raised trilingual — she had an Israeli father and a Dutch mother and was growing up in the American heartland!)

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by x-Sequin-Star-x http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2212 x-Sequin-Star-x Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2212 For a child to be fluent when young, they really need to start to learning it the moment they begin to talk. By three a child will be fluent in their mother tongue. So I'd advise trying to introduce them to both languages straight away. Kids are like sponges and after a few months, it's possible to tell where a baby is from based on their babbling. When they point to something, try and tell them what it is in both languages. Just, whatever way you'd teach them English, do the same with Danish. For a child to be fluent when young, they really need to start to learning it the moment they begin to talk. By three a child will be fluent in their mother tongue.
So I’d advise trying to introduce them to both languages straight away. Kids are like sponges and after a few months, it’s possible to tell where a baby is from based on their babbling.
When they point to something, try and tell them what it is in both languages. Just, whatever way you’d teach them English, do the same with Danish.

]]> Comment on what are the best methods to teach your children to speak 2 languages? by Betz http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children/comment-page-1#comment-2211 Betz Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:15:27 +0000 http://mandela-children.org/children/what-are-the-best-methods-to-teach-your-children-to-speak-2-languages.children#comment-2211 I'd get your boyfriend to speak Danish and English to him as a matter of course. I think it's fantastic to be bi-lingual. I’d get your boyfriend to speak Danish and English to him as a matter of course. I think it’s fantastic to be bi-lingual.

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