Homeschooling Chronicles - Teaching a Foreign Language

The idea of teaching your child another language can seem daunting. Yet, there are many benefits to exposing your child to another language. He will be exposed to other cultures and traditions while enhancing his global perspective. He may also experience improvement in the intonation and grammar of his primary language.

Fitting in Time for Foreign Language Study

Adding another topic to the curriculum can be burdensome.  However, you can alleviate some of the burden by clarifying your goals. The first thing you must discern is what level of proficiency and intensity you desire when studying a foreign language. Do you want your child to become a fluent speaker, or do you want him to be involved in a cursory exploration? 

• If you choose the intense path, the level of study and preparation increases, depending upon the level of proficiency desired.
• If you want your child to just learn the basics, you can integrate the topic into a study of other subjects, such as geography. This can be coupled with teaching students about specific cultures and countries.

Which Language Should it Be?

The language choice is usually the next thing to be considered:

• Does your child have a favorite country?
• Is there a family trip planned to a place where a foreign language is spoken?

By thinking about the answer to these questions, you can narrow your choices.

• Romance languages, which are derived from Latin, have similarities, although the pronunciation of words may vary. 

• Latin is a good choice for some students. Latin words provide the roots for several European languages and are used for classification or identification in science. I took two years of Latin in high school and found that it helped when I was working on my science coursework.

Don't worry if you need to change languages at some point. A parent may choose one language and find that their child doesn’t have an aptitude for it. Or, down the road, the child may develop an interest in a different language. The initial exposure to foreign language will be beneficial.

Teaching a Foreign Language

Once the language is decided upon, the next step is to figure out how to teach it. There are programs online and at bookstores that can provide the framework for your instruction. Prices can be steep, so make sure you choose carefully before investing. Books and workbooks can help teach the language fundamentals. In addition, you could hire a private instructor or coordinate with others to form a group lesson.

With my family, I felt comfortable teaching the romance languages. I started teaching my oldest child Spanish. I was able to provide enough exposure using books and materials from the library to give him a good foundation. When he was older, an opportunity arose for him to study Chinese with a friend. My younger child now attends a Spanish class with friends. I am not expecting my children to become fluent speakers, but learning a foreign language adds another layer of development to a well-rounded education.

Foreign Language Development: 

Visions Colmar

Students translate French directions to properly answer questions in French. Then they visit French websites and tour sites in the Alsace region of France, and in particular, the city of Colmar.

Foreign Language Lip Synch Competition: 

Students can choose any language and lip synch/karaoke to a song. The original songs with translations are included.

Countries and Language Quiz

This worksheet provides a four minute timed quiz. This quick test can identify how many languages a student knows.

Latin Roots

This worksheet provides a companion to Latin lessons. It is a perfect illustration of how Latin influenced many modern languages.