The other day I read a post on the Tatanka Camp blog about English. This post discussed the results of a study done on the Spanish population and their command of the English language. I loved it, and I’ll leave the link here if you want to read it. I’d definitely recommend it!
After reading the post, I started thinking about the great opportunities that our children have nowadays and that we have to make the most of them so that they don’t have the same problems we had when we were young (English isn’t my first language and I confess it was very hard for me!).
They are also at a great age to learn language and find it less difficult than we do, as their minds are like sponges. The sooner they start studying languages the easier they find it to become fluent.
How to learn or acquire a language has changed a lot, we watched before to pick up the book and study; but now it is trying to acquire through the game, any thematic activities conducted in the language, listening to music or simply the fact that our son likes something that is more developed in other languages makes you learn. You learn more as the language used to develop other activities and gives them the feeling of studying, studying them you may not like it as much.
The popular way to learn or become fluent in a language has changed dramatically. In the past we had to pick up a book and study; but now it is more common to learn by playing games or themed activities in the language or listening to music. It may even be that your child likes something that is more advanced in another language and so needs to learn it. You learn more when you use the language doing something else, as you don’t feel like you are studying, and it may be that you don’t like studying as much.
When a language is used as a form of communication between children, a whole other world opens up in front of them. Your kids no longer see the language as just something that they learn at school and use to pass exams, but start to see how useful it really is, for example, for communicating naturally with people from other countries, and all the personal development that this brings with it. When you start to see the usefulness of the language, you are enthusiastic about practising and studying it, and you can see the effects of your studies in your daily life and put it into practise.
Every country and culture is different, and knowing children from other countries or travelling to other countries can open their minds and help your child’s development.
When you grow older, you always think about the opportunities that you wasted when you were younger. It is normal to want to avoid your children making the same mistakes or having the same difficulties that you had.
Choosing an English summer camp or linguistic immersion camp could be a great decision for the future of your children.