Activities and Resources for Learning Languages

Utilising children’s playtime is one of the most effective and creative ways to teach them new skills, including learning new words or a language. Parents play a pivotal role in this process, from nurturing their newborn’s speech to guiding children in developing effective communication skills.

Today, various teaching tools and resources for learning languages are available online to boost children’s growth and create a positive mindset. This blog outlines some of the best language learning resources and activities that support linguistic development.

Milestones in Language Learning

Before diving into language lesson activities and resources, it’s essential to understand the milestones children experience in language learning:

Pre-linguistic (0-12 months): Communicates primarily through crying and babbling, recognising caregivers’ voices.
Holophrastic (12-18 months): Utters simple words and sentences.
Telegraphic (18-24 months): Forms rudimentary sentences using two or more words.
Language Explosion (24-36 months): Expands vocabulary and creates complex sentences.
Grammar Development (3-5 years): Learned to use articles, verbs, prepositions, and adjectives.
Mastery (5+ years): Achieves a strong command of the native language, conversing with ease.

Language Lesson Activities

Parents can employ various language lesson activities to enhance their children’s language skills:

Responsive Communication: Engaging in two-way communication is crucial for introducing new words and motivating children to continue conversing. Responding to babies’ cues helps them feel secure, accelerating their language-learning process.
Watching Movies with Subtitles: Subtitled films benefit preschoolers, as they hear spoken words while reading the text on the screen, improving comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Discuss and Debate: Engaging in conversations or debates in the target language is an excellent activity for school-age children. It helps reinforce their existing linguistic knowledge.
Reading Aloud: Reading aloud exposes children to new vocabulary and concepts. Incorporating reading into daily routines, with age-appropriate books, can significantly enhance language abilities.
Fill in the Blanks: This activity involves completing sentences by finding the right words. It tests listening, reading, and writing skills, allowing children to apply what they have learned in language lessons.

Best Language Learning Resources

The digital world offers thousands of free online language learning resources for children. Here are some of the top resources available:

Duolingo ABC: Whether children are in pre-KG, preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade, Duolingo ABC caters to them all. It offers charming stories with captivating illustrations designed to encourage and assist children during their language-learning journey.
Study Cat: With catchy illustrations and a vast array of worksheets, Study Cat is another virtual resource that maximises a child’s language learning adventure. It supports children in acquiring new words with every swipe and helps develop their multisensory learning abilities, enabling them to read independently.

Language serves as a window to get a sneak peek of different cultures. Acquiring a new language equips children with more than just skills; it provides a profound understanding of another culture’s perspectives, heritage, and lifestyle. The above-mentioned activities and resources can be employed to improve children’s linguistic skills.

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