Teaching English to my baby

Question

Hi!, I'm Ana from Mexico and I'd like to know what can I do to tEACH English to my baby she's 16 moths but I'm really keen on that.

She doesn´t speak Spanish yet but I've read that the sooner the better,I've tried to tell her somethings like things names in English but the suddenly I realise that I'm speaking in Spanish. we 're so used to that´s difficult for me to change my brain.

Also I play her pooh movies in English and my friends say that she's not understanding anything but I think itcoulb be good for her just listen another language.

Please give me some tips to do it better.
thanks

UPDATE: Teach your baby to read

Doll · Accepted Answer

Don't teach any other language to your child before she can talk in her native language well. This will not help her. It will just confuse her. The sooner is better but this is not valid in yor case. You are not living in a country where English is the native language so there is no need for this.

If you want it to so much, start teaching her when she is 5 or 6.

Tinker Val · Answer

I completely agree with Doll. My Italian grandparents taught my father Italian when they were already living in Argentina (was a big mistake). The first years were perfect because he spoke it perfect besides my grandparents talked it all the time since is their native language , the main problem was when they realized that he couldn't practice it in school , so he had to start all again but then he used to mix words.
I hope that experience could help you

Byebye

Chiliblossom · Answer

Hi Ana,

I have a similar issue. I don't know how much of a solution I can offer you, but maybe if I share my experience with you, you can figure out what will work best for you. I'm Mexican too, by the way, but I live in Canada.

Anyway, my husband and I both want our daughter to speak Spanish and English. Since I'm the one who has native-like fluency in English, my husband wants me to speak English to her. However, I feel fake. Spanish is what feels natural for me so that's what I speak to her. Besides, he's hardly home so who else is going to teach it to her? She's exposed to English on a daily basis, but most of her actual linguistic interaction is in Spanish.

I don't know how much of Doll's input is true, however, I can tell you that my daughter reached all her milestones on time except the babbling. She's only 15 months old, but children her age from English monolingual homes seem to be able to produce more than she can. The only word that she really says is "agua". She can say "mamá" too, but she doesn't say it to me. Only in the last month or so, has she really been showing signs that she understands what is being said to her. We'll see how much progress she makes...

If it's any consolation to you though, I didn't learn English until I was 7 years old. I haven't lived all of my life in English speaking countries, only 12 years. I was exposed to English for five years as I child; that's what helped me master the pronunciation. The fluency I have gained, however, has been the result of a lifetime of reading and hard, dedicated work.

Hamil Almisk · Answer

I agree with Doll

I wishe you a success teaching english language to you child

Best wishes

Moduffycobb · Answer

Hola Anna!

Although I agree with Doll too, that's it's probably not necessary to teach your baby English, I do know that you can play with languag with babies in a fun way.

I'm Canadian and have been teaching my daughter French since she was very small. Why not? I was teaching French so both English and French came naturally to me.

I started with a face cloth puppet called, "Mr. Grenouille" (Mr. Frog). Mr. Grenouille only speaks French and since he's a facecloth, we only ever hear him in the bath. His specialities are colors, greetings, and funny songs. Leila loves it.

If you just wanted to get her started with a few words, try using colors or fruits. I don't think she'll be confused for life.

Buena Suerte.

Mo

Anonymous · Answer

I like the puppet idea- who only speaks that language. I am a nanny and I have met loads of french children who speak excellent english but native french. As a nanny we would be like a puppet- we only speak english and then with thier family they only speak french. So their brains learn to switch between the two.

I have no idea about teaching languages but yes, the girl I am currently nannying as well as the other children I have met through nannys all speak english well- however it is the nannys job to make them speak english properly when speaking with them.

Faby V. · Answer

Hi Ana! I'm from Italy and when I was a little kid my mother used to make me listen to English and American nursery songs...and I could only watch TV in English!!

It worked...I mean, I'm not saying I have a great pronounciation, but I'm still 18! And, what's most important, English is my great passion!!

Hope this helps!

Batchat · Answer

Hi Ana

You are doing the right things.

The experience of Indians to the UK - where I am hasshown that they can learn more than one language as they grow, so we learned to speak in the language of our parents at home - with English TV making it easier. It will also help to talk to your baby in English if you can.

Children know how to switch from one language to another depending on who thay are talking to.

GOOD LUCK

Sam

Hitchhiker · Answer

There's a pretty amazing course called 'Monkisee' that'll help very young children to read: Kids Reading with Monkisee - Check out the videos of kids at <1 year reading - very interesting..

Punkybrewster · Answer

Doll Don't teach any other language to your child before she can talk in her native language well. This will not help her. It will just confuse her. The sooner is better but this is not valid in yor case. You are not living in a country where English is the native language so there is no need for this. If you want it to so much, start teaching her when she is 5 or 6.

I don't really agree with you here, Doll

We've been teaching our son (he'll be 3 in summer) both English and Maltese with the same intensity, and he speaks both of them very well. He knows when to switch to English and back to Maltese without hesitation. And even though in the OP's case, English is not needed right now, it sure will in the future!
I wouldn't necessarily go over board and teach them 3+ languages at the same time, however 2 is definitely possible.
I'm a bit behind on teaching him German, frankly because I barely speak it myself these days because I don't live there anymore, but he has learned a few phrases and words and understands quite a bit of it. I'm sure if I had to speak more, he'd know more and not get confused.
The teachers at his nursery told me that they have many kids that know 2 or more languages and switch between them as needed. It's the age where their brains are like sponges, and never underestimate how much they can learn! I think teaching them another language later on will just be a lot more difficult and that's where the confusion starts.

@Hitch, can't wait to test MonkiSee, will post a thread about it

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