Where to start teaching your child English? And how to do it correctly? English for kids. Which technique is most effective?

The more languages ​​you learn with your child, the better for him. This knowledge will be useful to him in the future. Nowadays, parents are focused on ensuring that their children learn English. And rightly so, because English is an international language; Wherever a person finds himself, in any country knowledge of foreign speech will help him out. Teaching your child English using online video lessons Today we will continue to talk about what methods and means will help children master the language. Children perceive cheerful, clear, colorful material better and faster. There are many video lessons and games for kids that will help your child learn English. These are the so-called “Visual Aids”. It is precisely these learning tools that we want to introduce you to.

Video lessons - what is it and how does it work?

Online video lessons are suitable for children starting to learn a foreign language. Such educational material is very indicative; it contains many visual aids that will help the child in learning English. He can watch such lessons online, preferably together with an adult, so that he can explain to the child what he does not understand.

Such visual activities are a kind of online programs that contain a variety of games, oral speech exercises, explanations of grammar and vocabulary, poems, and songs in English. These video lessons are designed for those who are starting to learn the language; this is a great help to parents who decide to learn a foreign language with their child.

Diversify your activities with your baby with such interesting activities and learning will go faster and more fun!

How to watch lessons profitably?

Let your viewing of lessons on the Internet not be empty and idle. Try to ensure that such video lessons bring maximum benefit to your baby. Focus the child's attention on what is being said in the program or cartoon. If necessary, take (or have your child do) the necessary notes on vocabulary or grammar.

Ask your child to repeat the words after the speaker. If this is a song, then after listening, try to sing it with your baby. Video tutorials for beginners are usually divided into topics. If you and your child watched a lesson on a certain topic, then after watching, continue studying the topic using the textbook, using various pictures, assignments, and exercises.

Such educational materials can be watched in every lesson; this will diversify your English lessons.
How to watch video lessons to benefit your language and speech?

Let's learn English easily and fun!

The child reaches out to what is clear and accessible. This is exactly what video English lessons for kids will look like. We would like to bring to your attention several online lessons that will make your child’s learning easy and interesting.

Series of online lessons " English for children» is divided into topics. This is very convenient because it allows you to teach entire thematic sections with your child. “My room/My yard/At the market/Transport/In the meadow/Summer/In the forest”, etc. will help the child develop a vocabulary, make sentences with words, and build a dialogue on a particular topic. The material is presented brightly and colorfully.

Series of lessons " Learning to ask a question in English» will introduce little ones to how to ask questions correctly in English. The guys will learn questions such as “How are you doing? How are you? What is your name? What is your name? How old are you? How old are you? Where are you from? Where are you from?" etc. Each episode explains the structure of the question, plays out various situations and dialogues in English in which this question is asked.

« English lessons for children"shows the baby what can be seen outside the window. Easy vocabulary needed for every day. The words are accompanied by funny drawings and pictures, as well as the pronunciation of the speaker.

By using " English for children Doman"The baby will easily learn the names of flowers in English. Funny fruits, vegetables, objects and creatures make the video funny and fun. The lesson is bright and colorful - this is what a little toddler needs!

You can download such English classes or watch them online. In any case, they will make your lessons with your child interesting and educational!

Knowledge of foreign languages ​​broadens your horizons and allows you to feel at home anywhere in the world. What parent doesn’t want their child to have developed intelligence and open doors everywhere? Therefore, children are increasingly being taught foreign languages ​​from a very young age. It is believed that it is much easier for children to get used to a foreign culture than for an adult. But English for children requires a special teaching method, which we’ll talk about today. We'll tell you how to instill in your child an interest in learning and recommend ways to conduct English lessons for children easily and effectively. Let's get started!

As scientists have noted, the peculiarities of children's perception of the world help children learn foreign languages ​​more easily. Children are open to everything new, and genuine curiosity drives them to learn more and more. The parent can only direct the child’s energy in the right direction. But the question of at what age should a child be taught English is very individual.

If we talk about the recommendations of specialists, their opinions also differ. Some scientists recommend conducting the first English lessons with a child from the age of 3. Other teachers advocate a more conscious age (5-6 years), and still others argue that before 7 you shouldn’t even think about foreign languages.

Each theory has its own arguments for and against, but we will not consider them in detail. In any case, only parents decide when to start learning English for their children. To make your choice easier, here are some tips.

1. You should not start learning a second language until you have confidently mastered your native speech. This also applies to insufficient vocabulary, incorrect pronunciation, and violation of logical “object-designation” connections.
2. If the child is not yet actively striving to explore the world, it is better to wait a while until the natural need to gain knowledge manifests itself.
3. If, on the contrary, the child shows excessive activity, then you should definitely pay his attention to entertaining English lessons.
4. Think about how psychologically you yourself should start learning English for your child. At the same time, parents must understand that their children are influenced by their own example. At a minimum, it is advisable that you know English at a beginner level or expand your knowledge with your children.

If you cannot make a decision, even after carefully weighing all the pros and cons, conduct a trial lesson with your child. If the baby doesn’t like it, then it’s not time yet. And if the child remains delighted, then all parental doubts will immediately disappear. Don't be afraid to try and don't rely too much on expert opinions. All people are individual, and it’s never too late to start learning.

Thus, we have theoretically figured out the age of young students. Now let's move on to more practical issues, and we will analyze in detail the methods and recommendations for teaching English to children of different ages.

English for children aged 3-4 years

This age is the most optimal if you decide to start learning English with your child from the cradle. During this period, children turn into active “why-whys” and they are interested in almost everything around them. At the same time, kids think in bright and simple images, which help them remember new information easily and quickly. Therefore, foreign language lessons for children aged 2.5 - 4 years old will certainly bear fruit. But it is very important to choose the right format for English classes for kids.

Where to begin

Little children are carefree and spontaneous, so there is no need to meticulously explain to them the rules of the language. English lessons for children should be held exclusively in a playful way: your child should not feel any moralizing, coercion or demands. With a forceful approach, you will not only teach your child nothing, but also, on the contrary, you will form a hateful attitude towards any foreign languages. Therefore, be very careful: it is better to have spontaneous lessons for 10-15 minutes in the form of a game than 30-minute lessons in the full sense of the word.

If we talk about where to start the process of learning English with children, then there are many options. Among them:

• Alphabet;
• Greeting phrases;
• Designations of family members;
• Numbers, colors, etc.

But again, don't expect strict and consistent training like adults. Try to offer topics that interest your child, for example, learning words about animals or colors in English together. Say a word, and let the baby repeat after you, or, for example, show a card with such a picture.

In general, the presentation of material should be very dynamic and varied. Don’t make your child get bored, let alone tired of long explanations. Try to use fun and playful methods to teach English to young children. We have listed some of them below.

Songs

Educational songs are one of the best ways to teach English to young children. Fun music quickly attracts children's attention and activates auditory memory. This is how the kids have fun and at the same time remember English vocabulary easily and quickly.

It is also very effective to include videos with songs for kids. A bright video illustrating the plot of the song will further attract attention and help to engage visual memory in the work. And after a couple of training sessions, move on to performing songs on your own with your child. You can also add fun dancing or play with the images of objects/animals that are discussed in the song.

In general, such entertaining lessons will develop the following skills in children:

• Interest in learning foreign languages;
• Knowledge of English words;
• Ability to recognize English by ear;
• Ability to speak independently (repeating memorized phrases).

And, of course, the children’s memory functioning and general development of intelligence will improve.

Fairy tales

Another effective method with which you can effectively teach English to children under 7 years old. What child doesn’t love to hear about the adventures of fairy-tale characters, especially when mom or dad talk about them.

Read fairy tales to your child as you always do, only now slowly add elements of the English language to them. First, one or two words that are familiar to the child, and later try to study with adapted versions of English fairy tales. Be sure to read the texts playfully: with changing your voice, showing scenes, gestures, etc. The brighter the images, the more interesting it is for children.

Games

And the children’s favorite pastime is outdoor games, fun and logical guessing games. All these elements also need to be actively used when teaching English to children.

The simplest thing is to tell your child English words using educational cards. You show the card and the child names it (or vice versa). Another fun game: the parent portrays a fairy-tale character, animal, bird or object, and the child must name the hidden character in English. You can also just walk outside and name the colors of surrounding objects.

There are many options, the only thing I would like to note is that we would not recommend accustoming your child to electronic games at this age. Do not leave children's education to computers, tablets and other gadgets. Only by your own positive example and participation can you impart the best knowledge and skills into your child.

English for children 5-7 years old

Preschoolers have not yet lost their childish interest in the world around them, but they are already more serious than three- and four-year-olds. Therefore, many parents believe that this is the best age to start learning English. Lessons for preschool children are also conducted in a playful way and do not take much time, but the methods of learning English for preschool children are, naturally, slightly different.

Vocabulary

English lessons for children over 5 years old are always mostly about learning new words. English grammar is still too difficult for this age, and the letters are too simple. So this period is ideal for developing an active vocabulary in a child.

It is better for preschoolers to study vocabulary on certain topics. It would be good if these were vocabulary cards with bright pictures that reveal the meaning of the word. Firstly, a beautiful design in itself will attract children's attention, and secondly, with a picture the word is simply easier to remember. In addition, you can play exciting educational games with cards, but more on that later.

Vocabulary is also mastered in the process of studying children's rhymes, songs, and fairy tales.

Dialogues

To prevent your child from forgetting the vocabulary he has learned, add more English phrases to your conversations. For example, instead of good morning, say “ Goodmorningmyson (mydaughter)”, provoking the child to also answer in English. Of course, you shouldn’t go too far and constantly communicate in a foreign language. It is enough to use several popular phrases per day.

Also, English lessons for children 6 years old and older can be conducted by acting out small scenes. For example, you can use hand puppets and repeat the lines of characters from your favorite fairy tales. Or just play with dolls, making up a simple conversation:

• -Hello!
• -Hi!
• -Mynameis… etc.

It is advisable for the parent to say the line first, and the child to repeat after him, substituting the characteristics of his character.

Cartoons

First of all, foreign language classes should be interesting to the children themselves. And educational English cartoons will perfectly help parents in developing interest in learning in their preschoolers.

Play small colorful videos and watch them with your baby. Fortunately, today on the Internet you can easily find educational videos in English for children of any age. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to explain to the child in detail that we are not just watching a cartoon, but learning a new language. Give your child time, and he will become involved in the process and will be able to understand the simplest lines of the characters. Then it’s the parent’s job to do a short discussion after watching and consolidate the vocabulary heard.

With the right approach, such entertaining English lessons for children five to six years old are simply irreplaceable. After all, such activities arouse interest in the baby and help develop all the necessary speech skills:

• A set of new vocabulary;
• Understanding English by ear;
• Speaking (repetition of phrases + discussion with parents);
• Correct pronunciation.

In addition, this technique is very useful for general development, because cartoons reveal everyday moments and explain important life principles to children in an accessible form.

Games

As with small children, English for children 5 or 6 years old is always taught in a playful way. Therefore, organize various mini-games, contests or competitions more often.

So, with the help of cards you can play “ guess the odd one out": 3 cards on one theme are laid out, and a fourth is added from another deck. The child’s task is to remove the unnecessary card. There is an interesting variation of this memory game: 3-4 cards are laid out in a row, then the child closes his eyes, and the parents remove 1 card. The child must name exactly which card was removed.

You can also play with preschoolers in " who knows more words», « guess quickly», « sea ​​figure freeze», « crocodile" and so on. The main thing is not to forget that victory and parental praise are very important for children. Therefore, speak kindly to your child more often, encourage him if he loses, and admire his successes when the baby wins. A warm attitude and interesting games, and even more so victories in them, motivate the child to study English more and more often.

This is how they teach English for children 7 years old. In fact, in preschool age children are just getting acquainted with the language, getting used to its sound and new words. But the role of such an easy game is very important: it liberates the children, and subsequently they will not have a language barrier, i.e. fear of speaking a foreign language. On the contrary, the second language will be perceived as a natural and necessary thing.

English for younger students

And finally, the final period of childhood refers to elementary school. Here the parent’s task is to engage more with the child, explaining points that have not been considered in the school curriculum. At school, the teacher often does not have time to explain the lesson clearly, and a 1st grade student is not always able to concentrate and understand the material. Therefore, carefully monitor your child’s school progress and help him understand the curriculum.

In general, English for children aged 7-10 years is also partly taught in the format of a game, but with the active introduction of serious grammatical points. At this age, the conscious formation of language skills begins, so classes should be aimed at the comprehensive development of the child.

Reading

In our first English classes at school, we, of course, learn letters and their pronunciation. This level is necessary because not all children studied a foreign language before entering first grade. Then, according to the curriculum, there are reading rules, but in fact they are taught very crumpled, and children do not have time to fully master such an important topic. Therefore, this moment is filled in at home.

Carry out the training gradually, mastering no more than 1-2 rules per lesson with your child. Such small loads will not become an unbearable burden and, taking into account regular repetitions, will significantly improve the child’s English skills. On weekends, improve your reading skills with short, adapted texts for primary school-aged children. They will help you consolidate the rules you’ve learned and get acquainted with new vocabulary.

Dialogues

It's no secret that a language was created to be spoken. Therefore, foreign speech must be constantly practiced in conversation.

Of course, for first-graders such a task will be too difficult, but for 2nd grade students, perhaps, they are already able to independently compose a sentence from several words. But remember that classes should not be forced: English for children aged 8 is still the same game. Therefore, just occasionally, depending on the child’s mood, exchange a few general phrases with him or play “ name/describe the object" For this game, knowledge of the simplest constructions is enough:

• Itisabanana. Thisbananaisyellow. Ilikeitverymuch. And what is it? —This is a banana. This banana is yellow. I really like him. What is it?

Such a dialogue, with the proper level of preparation, is possible even for a 5-year-old child, let alone second graders. By the age of ten, children will be able to form common sentences and use basic English tenses.

Grammar

Learning the rules of grammar is the very moment when English for schoolchildren ceases to be an entertaining game. Most children find grammar difficult, which is due to short school lessons and not always clear explanations from teachers. Therefore, grammatical topics need to be intensively studied in home classes.

English grammar for children 7-9 years old is taught in a semi-game form. The basic rule is briefly explained and then reinforced by reading short stories, speaking dialogues and doing exercises. At the same time, the material is presented in the most simplified form: children do not need to know exceptions and special cases at the initial stage, because unnecessary information will only confuse the child.

It is also recommended to use electronic materials to study grammar. These could be presentations, training videos, mini-games and tests. The more diverse the presentation of the topic, the more parts of the brain are involved in the work, and, accordingly, the material is easier for children to assimilate. The main thing to remember is that any rule must not only be learned, but also be able to be used in speech.

Tests

Junior schoolchildren also cannot do without tests to check the topics they have studied.

Children in grades 1-2 are usually given a short oral survey, which is not much different from a dialogue game. The guys also solve very easy tests. For children 9-10 years old, they give more difficult work: correct specially made mistakes, answer a question, make a proposal on their own. Tests are becoming more diverse; now tasks require not just choosing an answer, but supplementing it with your own words.

But starting from the age of 12 or even 11, when tenses and irregular verbs are actively being mastered, almost every lesson ends with tests. And this is the right approach, because... Every detail of theory learned must be practiced.

Children, of course, perceive checks without enthusiasm. But the parents’ task is to convince the child that he can easily cope with the tasks because he is smart and capable. Praise more often and be less strict with mistakes made. It is better to calmly explain where the child was wrong and do the work again later than to yell and develop a hatred of learning in children.

Games and websites

Everyone loves to have fun, so the gaming method is effective for children as young as 3 years old, as young as 9 years old, and even as young as 15-16. For younger groups, it is recommended to conduct more outdoor and oral games, and English for children from 10 years old can be diversified with the help of electronic games and applications. However, in moderation, a computer will not harm children.

Modern teachers note the importance of early learning of the English language. And there are a number of reasons for this. Psychologists have long known that in childhood memory and thinking have unique characteristics. Unlike adults, who strive to understand logic in any situation, children think figuratively. They have no need for analysis, which means that any grammatical phenomenon is taken for granted by them.

In addition, children have an amazing ability to quickly memorize information and retain it in memory for a long time, and this lays a solid foundation for further language acquisition at school. Perhaps every school teacher will agree that the children with whom they were engaged in early learning of the English language are immediately visible. Moreover, they not only remember the material they have covered and easily produce the words and structures requested by the teacher, but they also adapt to the language environment much more easily and quickly and acquire new knowledge.

Nevertheless, there is only one way to arouse a child’s interest in learning a foreign language and the desire to study it seriously - by forming a positive attitude towards the lessons. And this can be achieved by choosing a competent approach to teaching children English that is age-appropriate.

At what age can children be taught English?

The popularity of language courses today is growing, but few people ask the question “At what age can a child start teaching English?”

The answer is not obvious - right from birth. This way, the baby will absorb foreign speech from the very first days. When naming your child, use affectionate English words and sing lullabies.

If you are starting to teach your child a language at 3-5 years old, then we will delight you: games for learning English and the use of characters (dolls or toys) as teachers will make classes fun. At this age, children will already be able to learn by ear the names of colors, numbers, family members, and words from basic topics.

At 6 - 8 years old You can take lessons even more seriously: read short fairy tales, play children's songs. Introduce written tasks - let the child write new words in a notebook and practice writing them in copybooks.

At 8 - 10 years old You can move on to mastering the main base - grammar and vocabulary. For schoolchildren, games in English, songs, hymns, counting rhymes and rhymes will be a “tasty” addition to the main lesson. Use colorful textbooks and workbooks - for a child, the main factor in learning any discipline is involvement.

Are you convinced that English is interesting and useful for children? Well, start teaching your child too!

English for children “from scratch” - basic techniques

Basic principles of teaching children

In order for children to successfully master English from scratch, experienced teachers, as a rule, try to adhere to certain principles.

• Constant repetition of words and practicing grammatical structures. Of course, at each lesson the teacher introduces new lexical units, due to which the vocabulary increases. However, periodic repetition of the material covered is no less important.
• Using different ways of presenting and learning material. Some children have better developed visual memory, others remember information more easily by listening to it, and for others it is especially important to perform certain movements when repeating a word. Therefore, we repeat once again, an integrated approach is the most successful option in this regard.
• Using learned words in sentences. Even three-year-old children who have the skills to speak their native language can easily compose simple sentences in English, which is what experienced teachers try to teach them from the first lessons.

Teaching children English in practice

Surely many mothers are interested in whether it is possible to organize English teaching for children “from scratch” on their own, without the help of specialists. Absolutely yes. If you speak the language at least at an elementary level, then you can easily become a personal tutor for your own child. To do this, of course, you will have to study some methodological literature, as well as decide on a teaching aid. The educational complexes “Kid`s box”, “First friends”, “Playway to English”, “Wonderland”, “Pingu`s English” are excellent for such purposes.

Alphabet

Hey, bi, si... it won’t be difficult for a child to repeat simple letters after his mother every day. This way he will first learn the first 5-6 letters, and then the entire alphabet, which will later be useful to him for mastering the basics of the English language.
English alphabet with pronunciation

Numbers

Having studied the first ten numbers, your child will be able to easily count the number of toys in his room and spoons on the kitchen table. Educational games in English will help him with this.
Numbers in English from 0 to 20

Colors

This topic is interesting for kids. It is not so voluminous, and the words you study can be constantly practiced. English games for finding colors or identifying parts of a color palette in a picture are standard options for learning new lexemes.
Colors with translation and transcription

Animals

One of the objects of love for children is animals. Now, when visiting the zoo and viewing the encyclopedia of species, you can safely include their foreign analogues in the story about lions, dogs and cats. Little zoologists will like this innovation - they will definitely be inspired and the first thing they will learn is the name of their favorite animal.
Domestic and wild animals in English

Food

Among the exercises in English lessons for children you can find the names of various fruits, vegetables, flour, etc. Memorization occurs quickly due to the fact that English names are trained during breakfast, lunch and dinner, thus the child unconsciously brings foreign words to automaticity.

Vegetables

Vegetables are used everywhere in Russian cuisine. From the first days of life, the child eats foods made from them. For the topic “Vegetables” it is not necessary to select special tasks or exercises; it is enough for children to use a couple of words in English in a playful way at lunch; during dinner or the next lunch you will certainly hear what you said the previous time.
Vegetables in English

Seasons

There are only four seasons, however, these 4 words can be played with different clothes, pictures, and pay attention to the current weather. English for Kids online gives you the opportunity to expand this topic to include months, weather and holidays.
Seasons and weather in English

Online word guessing game for children

Children love to explore the world through a variety of games. A riddle is one of the game methods for learning new words. It is suitable both for mastering new information and for testing already known topics.

You can look at the riddles at this link, and below is a classic online game for children to guess words, which our parents played on paper.

Clue -

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Help Play again

Fairy tales in English and Russian languages

You can also read fairy tales to children in English. After your child has mastered the initial level, you can offer him fairy tales in English that he knows well in Russian. A familiar story told in English will undoubtedly interest a child.

Having staged the English version of your favorite fairy tale, you can take the Russian book of the same name with illustrations and try to follow from the pictures what the speaker is talking about. Below is an excerpt from the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs” in English with a translation into Russian, as well as a very short fairy tale about a princess for complete beginners. By the way, you can find the entire fairy tale about the three little pigs as part of a training exercise on our website.

The Three Little Pigs

There was an old sow with three little pigs, and as she had not enough room to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him: "Please give me that straw so I can build my house." Which the man did, and the little pig built a house with it. Then along came a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in!" To which the little pig answered: "No, no, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin." The wolf then answered: "Then I"ll huff and I"ll puff and I"ll blow your house in." So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in. And ate up the little pig.

Three piglets

Once upon a time there lived an old pig with three little piglets, and since she did not have enough space to keep them, she sent them off to seek their fortune. The first one to leave met a man with a bundle of straw and said to him: “Please give me this straw so that I can build my house.” So the man did, and the pig built a house with it. Then the wolf came and knocked on the door and said: “Piglet, piglet, let me in!” To which the pig replied: “No, no, I swear by the beard on my double chin.” (I won’t let you in for anything). The wolf then replied: “Then I’ll blow and blow, and I’ll blow away your house.” So he blew and blew and blew away his house, and ate the pig.

The princess

The little princess lived in the castle. She dreamed of a prince. She imagined that he would be tall, beautiful and educated. Every day she dreamed of her wedding.

One day the princess was walking in the forest, and a wolf attacked her. The young shepherd beat him - the wolf ran away.

The princess fell in love with her savior. He was of small stature, not beautiful appearance, but the girl liked his soul. And she realized that this shepherd is the most beautiful of men, and that growth, eyes is not the main thing.

Princess

The little princess lived in her castle. She dreamed of a prince. She imagined that he would be tall, handsome and educated. Every day she dreamed about her wedding.

One day the princess was walking in the forest and was attacked by a wolf. The young shepherd beat him with a stick - the wolf ran away.

The princess fell in love with her savior. He was small in stature and did not have a handsome appearance, but the girl liked his soul. And she realized that this shepherd is the most beautiful of men, and that height and eyes are not the main thing.

Many experts argue that foreign languages ​​should be learned from an early age. The duration of the sensitive period is from 1.5 to 9 years. At this time, all speech skills are formed and the child can easily perceive foreign languages.

English for children- this is not a fashion, but a need to comply with the trends of a rapidly developing society, in which it is recommended to start mastering the English language at the early stages of personal development.

To teach a child a language, you need to practice with him regularly. Babies need a lot of time to learn the material, so you shouldn’t put pressure on them. It will be better if you turn to professional teachers rather than doing it yourself teach a child English for children. They will be able to select an individual program for your child according to his psychotype. But there is no need to place all responsibility on the teacher; parents should reinforce the material given by the teacher at home.

English for children in a playful way

The modern world dictates its own rules for becoming a successful individual. Today it is worth thinking about how to help your child set foot on the path of new knowledge and great achievements. Children actively absorb the flow of information. And you need to competently squeeze into this channel English for children. Down with stereotypes about cramming and dry presentation of material. A small audience requires 100 percent inclusion of the cognitive sphere in the learning process, the participation of cheerful heroes and funny characters familiar from fairy tales, songs and cartoons.

To make it interesting for your child to learn English, show him educational foreign cartoons. During the learning process, try to use your native language as little as possible, so the child will develop speech. In the first year of your child's education, there is no need to study grammar. To make it easier for your child to adapt to the language, learn with him the names of animals, colors, shapes, and so on, replenishing the student’s vocabulary, helping to perceive them by ear, catching them in speech and reproducing them in the game. As parents master the language, they will notice the need to move on to more complex topics, expanding their knowledge, moving from vocabulary to grammar. There are also a huge number of toys that help you learn a language. The most effective of them is the soft alphabet, when the child clicks on a letter and it is pronounced out loud. This way, without your effort, your child will learn the alphabet on his own.

If your child doesn't want to learn a language, don't force him. But if you really need it, have a heart-to-heart talk with your child. There is no need to scold him or belittle him in any way - this will only destroy the desire to learn the language. It is very good if one of the parents speaks English fluently. In this case, the child will learn the language much faster. But in this case, the child may get confused, so you need to decide which parent speaks Russian to the child and which speaks English. Communication with a native speaker is also very useful for a child. In this case, the child will have correct pronunciation of words, intonation and use of fixed expressions. At the beginning of learning, a child may mix two languages, that is, use those words that are easier to pronounce, but over time this goes away. If you start learning English from an early age, then the child will be able to communicate in it without any accent, and if you start learning the language late, then there is a very small chance that you will be able to speak it well.

We, adults, learn English for a long time and painfully. We are looking for a suitable method, trying to wrap our heads around the rules of a different linguistic system, “re-educating” our articulatory apparatus for other sounds.

It is much easier for a child to learn English from scratch: children literally absorb it! Those grammatical structures that we diligently learn are instantly “absorbed”. Without analysis, which we are not yet capable of, but just like that.

The child can speak both two and three languages. The main thing is to constantly work with him. Therefore, dear adults (present and future parents), we are preparing to raise English-speaking children! And we will help you with this.

So, on the agenda (table of contents of the article):

How to start learning English with your child on your own: the “immersion” technique

Recently, our entire country was conquered by a baby named Bella Devyatkina. This girl, at only 4 years old, speaks 7 (in addition to her native) languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Arabic.

In fact, a child can master more languages, because, as Masaru Ibuka wrote in the acclaimed book “After Three It’s Too Late”:

“...a child’s brain can accommodate an unlimited amount of information...”

So, if in a family the mother is Russian, the father is English-speaking, and the nanny, say, is German, then the child will speak all three languages ​​without any difficulties. And there will be no “mixing” of languages ​​(as many skeptics say). Just the mother will be with the baby for "The Forest Raised a Christmas Tree", and dad for ABC songs. 🙂

But Bella's parents are Russian! How then is this possible? It turns out that she Since childhood, her mother spoke only English to her(that is, the conditions for bilingualism were created artificially). After her parents noticed her interest in languages, they hired native-speaking tutors for her - and so the child turned out to be a polyglot.

And this example is far from alone. Masaru Ibuka in his work also talks about such bilingual children (by the way, read this book - it is amazing).

If you speak English perfectly and you feel confident enough to speak only it, then no theory and articles like “where to start learning English with a child from scratch” will not need. Just speak to your baby in English. That's all.

Note: in this case, you will not be able to speak Russian with your preschooler. Other family members speak Russian to him, but you ONLY speak English.

But What should parents do who are not so confident in their English? Indeed, in this case, training using the “immersion in a language environment” method will be impossible (unless you hire a native speaker as a nanny). We will answer this question in the article.

At what age should you start learning English with your child?

A whole discussion has arisen between teachers regarding this issue: when is the best time to start, is it worth learning English with kids or not? Our answer is yes, it is worth it. But the main thing is to wait until the child completes the process of forming his native language. That is, he will have clear sound pronunciation and properly developed coherent speech. Since each child develops differently, it is impossible to give any exact time frame. But minimum ≈ from 2.5 years(Not earlier).

How to learn English with a child on your own - where to start?

The best thing send your child to a special language nursery, if possible. Then you won’t have to take on such serious responsibility, and besides, the child will have that same “separation of languages” in his mind (Russian at home, English in the nursery). And you yourself can support your child’s interest and progress with games, cartoons, songs, etc.

If you still want to learn English with your child on your own, then you can motivate him with an “English doll”. Buy a doll (you can use a glove doll) and introduce her to the baby, saying that she doesn’t understand anything in Russian. In order to communicate with the “English woman,” he will have to learn a new, but very interesting language. Well, then you play with this doll, watch cartoons, learn songs and poems... all this will be discussed below.

For example, characters from Sesame Street are perfect as a doll.

What language skills can be developed in preschoolers?

Of course, no grammar, spelling, etc. A child of preschool age can:

• perceive speech by ear,
• speak for yourself
• read (together with the parent, and then study/look at the book on his own if it interests him).

That is the child will master all the same skills English as well as Russian at this age.

By the way, you don’t have to worry too much about “speaking” and correct pronunciation of English sounds. It is we, adults, who are rebuilding our articulatory apparatus after the Russian sounds that are familiar to us. A The child will learn the correct pronunciation much sooner.

To develop this skill It's best to sing songs and learn Nursery Rhymes behind an English-speaking announcer: children's “monkeyism” and unique children's hearing will do their job. If there are still any shortcomings, then simply correct the baby, but without any complicated explanations.

We invite you to figure out English sounds yourself. Read the articles:

How to teach English with children from the very beginning: 5 concrete ways

1. Watch cartoons in English with your child. Do you think he won't understand? You are wrong :) Children at this age have incredible linguistic intuition. They may not understand the words, but the emotions in the voices of the characters and on their painted “faces” will help them, the music will help them, etc. You will be surprised, but after watching a cartoon, he may begin to repeat words from it and hum songs.

Also use special Russian-language cartoons to learn the language.

2. “Learn” English words and phrases with him(the first word is in quotation marks for a reason). These are not lessons or training sessions. This is your daily communication with your child, during which you speak English vocabulary to him.

- Mom, look - a car!
- Yes, it really is a machine. Do you know how it would be in English? Car! This is a car.

Main rules:

• Words need to be used in the context of the situation: during lunch we talk about food, while walking around the zoo we talk about animals, etc.
• Accordingly, we master only those words that are related to the child’s current life: family, colors, clothes, animals, fruits, etc.
• Any word must immediately be visually reinforced: for the word “dog” – this is a toy, a picture/photo or a shaggy and barking dog next to you :)

This visual image will help you learn new words with ease.

Another: so that your child immediately “masters” English grammar (again in quotes), tell him whole phrases. After all, if you tell him individual words, he will repeat the words, and if you tell him whole sentences, he will begin to use sentences.

- Dog!
– This is a dog!

Also, to learn new words, you can use various games, handouts (coloring books, assignments, etc.), while working with which the child will have great pleasure!

3. Learn children's songs and rhymes with him. You can find them on the sites below (or search in Yandex and Google). It is best to present the poem itself to the child in the form of a small “dramatization”, because many poems have a certain plot behind them and are easily acted out (live or on dolls).

The kid may ask you to translate the verse into Russian - you translate it, and then again act out the “performance” in front of him. The main rule: DO NOT ask your child to repeat after you. Yours the task is to interest him in this incomprehensible language. Many children can at first just listen and listen and listen, and then suddenly start “scaling” these poems by heart :)

For example, the song “Old Macdonald had a farm” has been played out in many different cartoons. Lyrics available .

Stages of working on a poem:

• First, you yourself study the content of a poem or song, practice your pronunciation (sounds in words, intonation, rhythm).
• Then you practice reading it expressively and think of a visual support for the child: a performance with toys, some kind of dance... in general, turn on your imagination!
• Now you can present your work to your child’s judgment. After this, discuss the performance with your child: what he understood, what moment he liked the most.
• Then invite your child to “join” your production and prepare a joint performance for other family members. But for this, the child will have to learn this rhyme (this will create motivation).
• You can also find (or invent) a finger or sign game based on this rhyme. Then you can periodically invite your child to play it in any suitable situations (of course, if he wants to).

4. Read books in English with your child. You can start when he already knows individual words. Simple stories will be quite understandable to children, and pictures will explain the incomprehensible.

If a book really interests him, he will take it on his own and look at it, study it (this will create motivation to learn to read). In addition, the child will “photograph” words with his eyes and remember their appearance. It turns out, your task is to interest him in reading.

Systematic learning to read begins only at 4-5 years old according to the principle from simple to complex:

An amazing website will help you teach your child to readwww.starfall.com . For example, go to this section and learn with your child to read words with the short sound /a/ (æ). Each sound is pronounced in a cheerful child's voice and is accompanied by explanatory animation. Just a find!

Where can you find books to read in English:

And remember that still An e-book can't compare to a real one., which you can touch and then leaf through with enthusiasm. So be sure to buy some colorful English books for your library!

5. Play fun games with your baby! And he won’t even notice that during this game you are teaching him something. When the child is very young, organize joint games. For a grown-up “student,” you can offer online games for learning English. Below you will find a list of both.

Learning English words for children - games

The classic way to learn new vocabulary is vocabulary cards(that is, word + translation + picture). By the way, there is a whole one on our blog.

Examples of vocabulary cards from Lingualeo. The full list is available.

But it will be even better if you create them together with your baby. Together you will select pictures, glue them to pieces of paper or cardboard, etc. Then, already during preparation for the “English language games”, the child will learn something. What to do next with the cards? Here are some options:

1. Cards can be used to play pantomime. First, you tell the baby an English word (and show it on the card), and the child must represent this word with gestures. Then you can play “reverse” pantomime - the child (or you) depicts the animal, action, object that he pulled out, and the rest of the participants guess.

2. Game “Show me”. Place several cards in front of the child, and then call out one word from this list - the child must touch the desired card.

3. “Yes-No game.” You show the cards and say the words correctly or incorrectly (when showing a hippopotamus, say “tiger”). The child answers “Yes” or “No”.

– Is it a tiger? – No!!!

4. Game “What’s missing”. Lay out a row of cards (4-5 pieces). Look at them with your baby and say the words. The child closes his eyes, and you remove one word. Tell me what's missing?

5. Game “Jump to...”. You lay out the cards on the floor in a vertical row and give the child the task of jumping to a certain word (great if the baby is bored).

These are just a few mechanics using cards. By turning on your imagination, you can come up with even more variations of games. And we will move on. What other games can I use?

5. Game “Is it. ...?”. You gradually draw an object, and the child tries to guess it. For example, draw half a circle, and the child guesses:

– Is it a ball? Is it the Sun?
– No, (continue drawing)
– Is it an apple?
– Yes!🙂

6. Another version of the game “Is it. ...?” - a card with a hole. Cut a hole in a piece of fabric (or a sheet of paper) and place it on a vocabulary card. Move the hole around the picture, and the child guesses what is hidden there.

7. Magic bag. You put different objects in a bag, and the baby takes them out and names them. An even more interesting option: he puts his hand into the bag and guesses the contents by touch.

8. Game “Touch your…nose, leg, hand…” (generally parts of the body).

“Touch your mouth,” you say, and the baby touches his mouth.

9. Games will help children learn English colors easily. For example, you give him objects of different colors and ask him to find and select things of a certain color from them (by the way, the same task can concern words starting with a certain letter, etc.).

10. Another example of playing with colors– “Find something.... in the room.”

“Find something red in the room!” - and the child looks for something of the specified color.

11. How to learn verbs. Perform some action with your baby and talk through what exactly you are doing:

- “Fly! We are flying,” and pretend that you are flying.
– “Let's sing! We are singing!” – and hold an imaginary microphone in your hands.
– “Jump! Jump!” - and you happily jump around the room.

Don't forget about role-playing games. For example, play “shop”. The child’s task is to buy groceries from an English-speaking saleswoman (that’s you). Before this, you remember words and phrases that will be useful to him in the store, and after that the child acts out this situation. This game can be played under any imaginary conditions.

And definitely act out plays, fairy tales etc. For example, invite your child to make a video or film! The girls will definitely be delighted. 🙂

Useful sites. Learning English from scratch for children: games, alphabet, videos, printable materials

When your child is older, you can invite him to play online games. Particularly when you need some free time to do things around the house.

1. Online games for children: learn the English alphabet and words

www.vocabulary.co.il

This site was already mentioned above when talking about the game “Hangman”. It has a huge number of online word games. For example, Whack a mole helps you repeat the alphabet in a fun way: you need to hit the letters with a hammer and collect the correct sequence of the alphabet.

We aim and hit the desired letter with a hammer

Or the game Word paths, where children must assemble words from available letters with a certain vowel sound. As you can see, the games are designed for different ages, which means the site will help your children for many years.

www.eslgamesplus.com

Another great site with online games for kids. For example, this game, where hidden behind the emoticons:

1. verb,
2. picture for this verb.

The task is to combine. With each attempt, the words are spoken out. Playing is a pleasure.

A game Pirate Waters Board Game also deserves special attention. First, choose a topic that the child already knows (for example, body parts). Then you throw the dice (to do this you need to click on the image of the cube) and walk along the board. You are asked a question, and you choose an answer. If it is given correctly, you roll the dice again.

If you encounter a pirate, start over. In this case the child will repeat the correct construction several times while the game is running. The only drawback is that there is no voiceover of the correct answer (which would develop auditory skills). Therefore, advice: for the first time, play with your child in order to:

1. help him understand the conditions of the game (then you won’t be able to drag him away by the ears),
2. teach him to pronounce the correct answer on his own every time (so that the constructions are stored in memory).

www.mes-english.com

This site also has printables (+ opportunity to make your own worksheets), and videos and games. Let's focus on games. For example, there is a great online vocabulary game. First, go to the Vocabulary column and listen and memorize the words. Then we go to the Question and answer section and listen to the question and answer:

– What’s this?
– It’s a Lion!

And then to the Question only column, where you and your baby need to answer.

supersimplelearning.com

This site also has cartoons, songs and games. For example, interactive alphabet games, which are suitable for beginners. Select a set of letters and a level (first Level 1).

Next, click on a letter (for example, “a”) and listen to the pronunciation of this letter (or rather, the sound, of course, but kids don’t need to know such difficulties) and the word starting with it. All this action is accompanied by a funny picture.


The voice acting and animation of the game are simply excellent!

At the next level you are asked to choose a letter based on the word you hear. At the third level - only by sound.

learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org

Another super useful site (it’s not surprising - it’s the British Council). For example, word games, where you need to match a word and a picture. Or Trolley Dash game, where you need to quickly buy all the products on your shopping list (tested: very exciting!)

www.englishexercises.org

A large number of tasks (online and for downloading). For example, you need watch the video and fill in the blanks in the right words (for older children).