Teaching Toddlers/Preschoolers a Foreign Language

Jacob and I just got into a heated discussion in the car over whether Esme should learn Spanish or Chinese. Standing back, it seems a little ridiculous that we're debating what language our 2-year-old should be learning (and that I am advocating she should be learning, or at least exposed to, two foreign languages right now). I recognize I have the tendency to be a hyper-intellectual parent. I confess to having labeled things around the house so that Esme might be able to recognize the words.

But being hyper-intellectual, I have done a lot of reading on this subject, and I have applied my own common sense enough to know that there are windows of opportunity for learning. The developing mind and tongue are at their best for language learning at Esme's age. Americans generally don't think they need a second language, but I disagree. We are moving into a more global community, and I feel like my children will benefit tremendously from knowing languages other than English.

Esme already recognizes and understands a decent amount of Spanish. If I ask her, "Tienes hambre, Esme?" she answers, "Yes, I'm hungry." I have achieved this through video tapes that she loves to watch, speaking to her in Spanish regularly, and reading to her in Spanish. She loves the videos and the books, but she looks at me a little funny when I speak in Spanish at home. (In Spain, she was fine with it because everyone was speaking Spanish.)

So what is the best method for teaching a young child a foreign language? Immersion is the only way to get the child speaking that language fluently. Immersion can take place in a foreign country, with a primary caretaker (a nanny or a parent speaking another language), or in regular play groups with children that speak other languages. I make this last comment because I truly believe that children learn so much more from other children than they do from adults.

But immersion isn't the only path to a second (or third) language. My goal with Esme isn't that she be fluent in a second or third language by the time she's three or even four. I simply want to expose her to other languages, using repetition and child-friendly media like videos and books, so that it's not so foreign to her. I know that my own path to speaking Spanish has been a very gradual one. After not having advanced much in years (since we moved away from Spain), on my last trip there, I catapulted to a new level. This is a residual growth process, and it doesn't happen overnight.

Because traveling and thinking globally are so important to me, I expect it to be important to my children, too. I feel like giving them other languages at a young age is one of the best gifts I can offer. No, I don't expect them to be fluent, but by being exposed now, if they choose to pursue languages further when they're older, I believe it will be much easier for them. I'm careful not to make it a high pressure situation for the children. It's all fun learning. Esme begs to watch her Muzzy video in Spanish (from Early Advantage) and her Bonjour Les Amis video in French, and she loves reading her books in Spanish.

A word on Early Advantage, though. If you're thinking about getting videos for your kids, I have to say that the Early Advantage program is expensive and not very compelling. It lacks interactive elements and is basically just a 2-disc cartoon story. There are other DVDs on the market that are much less expensive. You can even check them out from the library.