3 Quick Tips to Teach Your Child Spanish Faster, Guaranteed!
The decision to study a new language is the beginning of a wonderful adventure. It’s a look into a new culture, a great way to meet people with different backgrounds and stretch ourselves intellectually. As a parent, you can jump in on the fun with some interactive practices to teach your child Spanish as fast and as effectively as possible.
1. Make It Visible
A great way to enhance comprehension and build confidence is to let students listen to directions in a new language and respond physically as opposed to verbally. This is a low risk technique that a lot of classroom teachers use because it shows students that they already know the words, all they have to do is apply them.
Ask your child to Abre la ventana (open the window),or Prueba la sopa (try the soup) without the stress of responding in words; actions only. It’s a small thing that shows them they’re learning a lot. It’s also a great chance for you as a parent to get involved in the language learning process, which is something your kids will really appreciate! Teach your child Spanish by learning it yourself!
Need some help to bring your Spanish lessons to life? Check out our Spanish for Preschoolers series of free lessons, flashcards, and activity ideas!
- Teach Your Preschooler the Opposites in Spanish (free flashcard set)
- Spanish Animals for Preschoolers (free flashcard set and animal habitat printables)
- Learn Spanish While You Cook! Making Cookies with Your Toddler
- Spanish Weather Words for Your Preschooler (free flashcards)
And don’t forget out weather-related Spanish for Preschoolers series:
- Spanish Summer Words (free flashcards)
- Spanish Winter Words (free flashcards)
- Spanish Spring Words (free flashcards)
2. Make It Physical
Everyone learns new things differently. Some people love to sit and read for hours while others find the practice nothing short of a nightmare. It’s important to be honest about how your child learns and then follow their style rather than fight it.
Many kids learn through physical activity. If your child lives for soccer practice, ask a friend who is fluent in Spanish to play a game with your family using only Spanish. Your child will learn in a natural, organic way as they have a great time on the field. Dance, art and theater are also great opportunities for learners to practice Spanish away from a textbook.
Want some awesome Spanish game ideas? Read about our All-Time Favorite Spanish Icebreakers for Home or School to learn fun ways to teach your child Spanish!
3. Make It Emotional
Ask a person what they did last Tuesday and they’re likely to struggle to recount a normal day. Ask someone what they did for their birthday or Christmas and the stories are endless. That’s due to the fact that our memories are much more colorful when we associate them with strong emotion.
A great way to do use this while learning Spanish is to use a sad song, a powerful film or an emotional story. Print out lyrics or turn on subtitles, (also in Spanish), to help your child catch the words, associate them to a melody or a moment, and then incorporate them into their own vocabulary.
Are you ready for a list of sad yet remarkably famous Spanish mariachi songs? Learn about the top 5 most famous mariachi songs of all time while you gather up the lyrics.
Want kid songs in Spanish? These 10 Spanish Songs for Kids are classics and loads of fun to sing! If you want to get deeper into your lesson material, we’ve already done the work for you with Spanish Themes, Songs, and Vocabulary for Preschool and Elementary Kids.
Maybe you’re looking for some Spanish music that’s a little cooler and more contemporary? We’ve got your back! Check out our tips for learning Spanish through music for young adults.
Music is not the only option for emotion
Another great method is to give your child the chance to make friends with a Spanish speaker who doesn’t live nearby. Ask around for anyone who might know a student in a Latin country that can write emails or text messages to your child in Spanish. They’ll want to know what their friend is saying and respond the best way possible. This will help them see that language connects them to people and inspire them to keep learning. Best of all, they might just make a friend for life.
All students learn differently, but with some fun, creative practices you can help your child become fluent in Spanish in a much shorter time. Friendships, games, music – all of these can be effective methods in learning a new language.
Teach Your Child Spanish at Homeschool Spanish Academy
We provide one-on-one distance learning Spanish classes to children of any age above 2! Check out our programs to see which one is right for your child.
Want more tips and tricks for easy Spanish learning? We’ve got free lessons for kids and more!
- Fall En Español: Exploring Autumn Activities for Kids
- Fun and Language: Spanish Playdates for Kids
- Milestone Moments: Tracking Kids’ Spanish Progress
- Building Blocks: Kid-Friendly Spanish Grammar
- Top 5 Spanish Grammar Games to Improve Your Language Skills
- Tips for Introducing Your Toddler to the Spanish Language
- 10 Spring Activities to Keep Your Elementary Students Busy
- Spring into Spanish: Top Kids’ Songs for the Season
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