Raising Bilingual & Keeping Older Kids Engaged in Language Learning

 

Need tips for raising bilingual children? Need to some advice on helping the older kids continue their language learning journey?

I recently chatted with bilingual expert extraordinaire and my friend Irma Vazquez–a bilingual education pioneer with over twenty-five years of language teaching experience from the ages of 2 to college-age. She’s also an Educator-in-Residence at Encantos Media.

Irma is the CEO of My Escuelita: Spanish for Kids–an online space offering Spanish programs for children (2-10 years old) focusing on multiple intelligences that integrate Listening/Speaking/Reading/Writing skills with language learning. Their programs focus on Latin American literature, authors, stories, songs, poems and music.

Irma is also the mother of three bilingual teenagers, and shared her tips for raising bilingual children and how to keep older kids engages in language learning:

1. Research resources available–PICK ONE and stick with it!
2. Purpose and Focus–Have a practice plan in place (Monday is vocabulary, Tues reading, Wed writing and so on).
3. Music–A learning tool at any age!
4. Find opportunities for learning in your daily routine–Cooking, walking, grocery shopping. It helps visually and with comprehension.

Tips to keep older kids engage in the language

1. Find programs that are appropriate for their age group
2. Look for books that will motivate and encourage. For example:

-Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya

-De Cómo Tía Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse by Julia Alvarez

-Me llamo Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada.

-Código 7 by Bryan R. Johnson

 

En Español

 

Tips para criar niños bilingües

1. Investigue los recursos disponibles – Escoja UNO y quédese con el mismo.
2. Propósito y enfoque – para practicar el idioma.  Por ejemplo, los lunes es vocabulario, los martes, la lectura, los miércoles, la escritura, etc.
3. La música – es una herramienta ¡a cualquier edad!
4. Buscar oportunidades para el aprendizaje de manera concreta- cocinando, caminando, yendo al mercado. Ayuda a visualizar y a la comprensión.
5. Comprométase! Los beneficios son ¡innumerables!

Para los niños más grandes

1. Busque programas apropiados de su dad.
2. Libros que lo motiven y lo alienten. Por ejemplo:

-Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish por Pablo Cartaya.

-De Cómo Tía Lola vino (de visita) a quedarse por Julia Alvarez.

-Me llamo Maria Isabel por Alma Flor Ada.

-Código 7 por Bryan R. Johnson.

For more info and summer program updates/para más información y los programas del verano:

https://myescuelita.com/

Thank You, Irma!