If you clicked on this post, you’re probably interested in teaching your child a foreign language in your homeschool and are wondering how. I’m going to start off this post with some things to consider that will effect how you even approach this topic. Then I will have a follow-up post going more into detail about the How. I can only speak from my experience, so I’m going to be up-front about that and how it influences my homeschool.
Considerations
- Parents’ Ability/Background – The main consideration effecting how you approach teaching a foreign language is going to be your or your spouse’s ability in the foreign language. Are you going to be teaching a language you know or are you going to be learning as you go with your child?
- Living Situation – Do you live abroad where your target language is spoken and used on a daily basis? Do you live near native speakers? Do you have access to language exchange clubs for kids or immersion language classes?
- Access to Resources – Can you buy books in the target language at your local bookshop? What about books for teaching the language at an appropriate level for your child?
- Your Why – Do you have a connection to a specific language and culture? Or do you want to pass on, generally, all the horizon-expanding experiences that come with learning another language and exploring another culture?
My Background
For me, I’m teaching my second language, French. I minored in the language and went to graduate school in Belgium. I have passed proficiency exams and feel comfortable speaking and reading the language. My husband, though a polyglot in his own right, does not speak French. The only foreign language opportunities around us are for Spanish. I have to pay exorbitant shipping fees to get any books in French. I have struggled to find age-appropriate resources for teaching the language and have ended up having to make most of my own material from scratch.
Why
Before you get to the How of teaching a foreign language in your homeschool, I think it’s really important to think through your Why. Because teaching a foreign language takes more effort than a lot of other subjects, it can be an expensive investment of your time and money. So if you aren’t committed to it, there isn’t really a purpose in pursuing it. That’s kind of how I approach every academic subject… If I’m not willing to do something well, I don’t do it at all. I’m not interested in wasting my time or my daughter’s time just to check a box.
Approach 1: Your priority is language learning, generally.
For some parents, they understand the merits of learning a foreign language. They know the doors it opens, the opportunities, the insights it provides on English, etc. If you don’t have a specific foreign language you want to teach in your homeschool, but do want to teach one, I highly recommend taking into account your available resources. If you live near native speakers of a certain language or have access to literature in a certain language, I would start there.
Caveat though: please don’t automatically choose a language based on the numbers or what everyone else is doing. If you don’t love the sound of Spanish or have no desire to travel to a Mandarin-speaking destination, find something else. Choose something that actually interests you and your child.
Do some research and commit to pursuing a certain language. List out all your reasons for pursuing this subject and what your goals are for your child and even yourself. Coming back to this will help you when the going gets tough. And it will.
Approach 2: You priority is a specific language / culture.
If you have family or some other personal connection to a language and culture that you want to pass on, it won’t matter what your resources are. You will find a way to make it work because it’s important to you. Sometimes, I feel this approach is easier and other times I feel it’s actually harder. It’s easier because your motivation is solid. It’s harder because there is so much stress about not following through and reaching your goals.
No matter your Why, jot down those reasons. File them away and pull them out when you’re tempted to skip prep for next week’s lessons. Or when your child asks Why do I have to study this language when none of my friends have to? Or when you’re looking at the cost of books or the price of a tutor.
When
When it comes to deciding when to start a foreign language, most people would agree, the sooner the better. It’s true that children have Absorbent Minds and act like sponges, especially when it comes to the sounds of language. That being said, it’s going to have a huge impact on how you introduce the language.
In my experience, the two main categories here are pre-readers and readers. The approach I took with my daughter before she even knew the alphabet in English and the approach I take now that she’s reading English fluently are totally different.
Pre-Readers: For us, this was birth to Preschool / Kindy and through the end of first grade. I was still “teaching” French in the sense that I was using it, reading books in the language, playing music in the language, etc. But all very natural and organic like English.
Readers: If your child feels comfortable reading in English and understands the concept of phonics – how to sound out new words – and the idea of a verb (even if they don’t know this word yet), this is when I started teaching French at a more formal level.
Further Reading
In my next post, I’ll be diving into the How of teaching a foreign language in your homeschool. In the meantime, I have two book recommendations if you’re still looking for motivation, inspiration and guidance.
The Bilingual Edge by King and Mackey
If you’re somebody who likes research and to read about studies done, this is the book for you. Maybe you’re even trying to convince your spouse about the advantages of investing in teaching a foreign language in your homeschool. This is the book I’d recommend. Get it here.
Bilingual Families: A Practical Language Planning Guide by Crisfield
As its name suggests, this is a very practical guide for families wanting to teach a foreign language. It emphasises the importance of having a real plan in place and setting goals. Get it here.
Other Posts Mentioned
Teaching a Foreign Language in Your Homeschool – A Practical Guide
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