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As a British child who grew up in Cyprus and Germany

One of the things that played a prominent part in my education

My childhood

Was learning a language and learning about different cultures

We lived in Cyprus when I was 6 years old for three years

I never knew a huge amount of Greek

But the little I knew I still remember now

I wish that I had learned , been taught, more

I lived in Germany from the age of 10 to 24

And my German was very good by the time I left

Though I attended British military schools

We lived within a German community

I had German friends

Shopped in German shops

Went out to German pubs and clubs

Went to German cinema

Ate in German restaurants

Everything really

For the last couple of years

I worked for The British Consulate and was able to carry out my work in German

Something I cannot imagine being able to do now

But I think if I was back in Germany

The language would all come back

I hope so

I am going to try and encourage it back this year

As I start to teach my four children aged 3 to 10

To speak German

All four children are already learning Spanish

With a wonderful local tutor who they all adore

Their lessons are currently online

But the teacher makes them fun and interactive

With games, rhymes, stories and songs

She even gets them up dancing which they love

William and have also started learning some Latin together

Which we both really enjoy

If you are thinking of starting a language with your children

Or if you are already supporting your children in their language learning

Here are some tips

The ability to speak more than one language is a priceless asset. Children who grow up bilingual will be able to form connections with more people throughout their lives and will have more opportunities than those who only speak their native tongue, particularly when it comes to career options and travel. Childhood is the ideal time to start learning as children absorb information at a faster rate than those in later life. This being said, learning a new language takes dedication and perseverance at any age. To give your child the best chance of mastering a second language, an independent school in Hertfordshire has shared their top tips on how you can help them along.

Like any new skill, language acquisition takes a lot of practice. The more you expose your child to the target language the faster they will become familiar with it. If you speak the target language, this will, of course, give you an advantage, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t as this is the ideal time for you to learn too.

Start off by introducing key words and phrases and use them every single day. Get into the habit of saying ‘good morning’, ‘please’, and ‘thank you’, exclusively in the target language and then try and incorporate more and more phrases every few days. Little and often is the best motto when it comes to something like learning a new language.

The more exposure your child has to the target language the quicker they will become familiar with it and be able to identify key words and phrases. If your child is able to read and write you should label your furniture and other household items with sticky notes, so your child connects what they see with the appropriate word. Help your child write out a shopping list in the target language and then look for these items together in the supermarket, stating each word aloud when you find the correct item. As they become more familiar with basic vocabulary, they will feel more comfortable incorporating it into sentences and conversations.

Sing songs and nursery rhymes with younger children so they become familiar with the sound and pronunciation of the language, even if they are yet to discover what the words mean. Older children may benefit from watching a film in the target language, with English subtitles to help with their comprehension. Eventually, they will no longer need the subtitles.

If your child has a friend who is also learning the same language, perhaps encourage them to write letters to one another. You could also consider inviting them round for a study session (a zoom session while in lockdown!), as learning is always more enjoyable when it is done with someone else.

I think that learning a language can be great fun

And it really is such a valuable thing to do

And a great way to bond with your children if you learn together

William and I are finding that Latin is really helping us with English

And I definitely learned more German grammar than English as a child

There are lots of wonderful online programs and apps for language learning

And You Tube is full of fun videos including things like Peppa Pig in different languages

Which can teach you a surprising amount

Finding story books written in two languages is another great idea

Our tutor uses some of the Usborne That’s Not My books which the children love

What are your tips for helping children to learn a language?

We are looking forward to being able to travel again

So we can visit my parents in Spain and the children can all order their own ice creams!