Easy Ways to Encourage Kids to Learn a Foreign Language

Kids who learn a foreign language before their teen years are much more likely to retain and use the information for the long-term. Learning another language can boost creativity, intelligence, and general reading and comprehension skills dramatically. Some experts believe a foreign language immersion program is the only way to build strong language skills, but there are some simple ways to teach kids with an integrated approach at home and at school. Here are some easy ways to encourage your kids to learn a foreign language:

Encourage Kids to Learn a Foreign Language By Labeling Things Around the House
Use mini sticky-notes or notecards to label things around the house and encourage your kids to use alternative words when referring to these items. Building a solid vocabulary requires practice, and it's much easier to get started with things that they are familiar with. Any basic foreign language textbook or translation guide can help you find the right words for describing things around your home or room.

Encourage Kids to Learn a Foreign Language By Celebrating International Holidays
Keeping kids culturally aware is one step towards foreign language appreciation; just pick a few international holidays each year that you'll all celebrate or learn about as a family. Their natural curiosity just might kick in, increasing their chances of approaching a foreign language in a positive way.

Encourage Kids to Learn a Foreign Language By Watching Disney Movies in a Different Language
This works especially well if they've memorized the English version of a Disney classic because they'll start making associations very quickly. Watching a movie in a foreign language (without subtitles) is a great activity for the whole family, and kids will quickly pick up the right way to use words and sentences in different contexts.