Do cartoons in other languages entirely help kids learn that language?
Cartoons in a language that is not native to the child’s own language can help expose a child to a new language, they may even offer reinforcement of a foreign language if the child is studying such a language in a structured environment outside of the home; but on their own they do not directly teach a new language to a child. The best way to learn any language is through a combination of passive absorption and need for discourse. This is the natural way to learn any language. As children we do this automatically. We listen to those around us before we are even physically able to speak. During that time, our brains are accumulating massive amounts of words and sounds. As we grow older, our need to express a need, a complaint, a fear, a comment, etc. causes us to emulate that which we have heard the first 18 to 24 months of our lives. Language instruction only amplifies our vocabulary and formlaizes our language structure with grammar. So, cartoons can help expose your child to a new l
