Question:
As you prepare your child for life in a global economy, what gift can
you give to them that would help insure their success and would also
- Ensure higher scores on SAT and college entrance
tests
- Increase cognitive skills, decision making skills, creativity, music and math
skills
- Increase opportunities for careers in business, commerce, world
affairs, politics, and humanitarian work
- Increase speaking and comprehension skills in their native
language
- Not require any great financial investment?
It's early morning in the heartland of America. The sounds and smells of breakfast fill the air as you hear,
"Lève-toi, Debbie, il est tard."
You rub your eyes for a moment. Then, as
the sleepy fog rises, you realize it's only mom telling you that it's
time to get up. You lie there a moment and then answer, "Oui, Maman, je
me lève. Tout de suite."
Does this sound like a typical way to
wake your English-speaking child each day? It can be if you are a
homeschool family learning a second language together.
How
can you introduce your homeschooler to the world community while increasing
his/her written and verbal communication skills? There’s only one answer:
teach your child to speak and understand a new language.
With a little preparation and the right tools, you don’t
need to be fluent in a foreign language to teach it
effectively. Here are some simple tips to help you get started:
"I
wonder what we will do this afternoon," Angela thinks, "Will we visit
the rainforest? The museum? Will we go to the market? Will we learn
salsa?"
¿Aprenderemos salsa?
She smiles with anticipation, and realizes that for the first time, she is thinking in Spanish!
As a homeschooling family, you have the
joy of participating in your children's learning process using a
multitude of experiences. You are not limited to a classroom, or even
your living room -- the world around you becomes your classroom! A trip
to the grocery store becomes a math lesson, a trip downtown becomes a
history lesson, or a family trip to the Grand Canyon becomes a
geography lesson.
This
key to language-learning is critical yet is sometimes missing in
general CD and online-based language programs. Fortunately, there are
alternative methods to language instruction that give students the
opportunity to not only learn a foreign language but to practice the
necessary skills to be able to use their new knowledge.
