How Do You Teach A Baby A Second Language?
It’s generally agreed that teaching a child a second language gives him an invaluable skill, may help him to think in different ways and may even improve his self-image. There is less agreement on the best way to go about introducing the second language. Here is some advice on how to bolster your efforts in teaching a second language to your child. Decide what age you want to begin. Some experts suggest beginning as soon as a baby is born, but others believe this puts the child at a disadvantage in both languages–though probably only for a while. They generally recommend waiting until a child is 2 1/2 or 3. By this time he usually has a pretty good grasp of English, but is still able to pick up a new language easily and naturally. It is generally agreed that waiting to introduce the second language after a child can read will impede her fluency in it. Determine the approach you would like to take. The least successful of the methods is to have an outside teacher (like a grandparent or
