NRI kids :Problems/solutions they face reg 2nd language

nakshatra, very few schools in chennai have french as second language at ist standard. most schools start french at 6th.

you can let your kid learn another language till the 5th and switch over to french later. i did the same way with both my kids.

 

Hi shanvy,
thanks a lot for your reply, i did not know this point. I will let my dh know this

thanks,

 

Geetha,

I faced similar problem which my daughter ( now, 6 years old) and I have spoken to 30+ parents in the US. Here is the underlying issue.

Learning regional Indian languages does not provide any academic or professional benefits if the kid lives in the US. This is fundamental reason why learning language is de-prioritized in comparison to math and science. However, language is the glue that brings people together and define who we are. Just sending your kids to some classes or attending some of those annual festival events such as Holi and Diwali is not a replacement for the ability to write, think, and read in a second language - your language.

Having said that, what are the specific steps you can take to improve the language learning?

1. Get age-appropriate textbooks shipped from India. You can sometimes even download PDF versions of the book as well. In our case, we use BalBharati. They have PDF textbooks on Marathi, Hindi, English, and Math that you can download as well.

2. Create a weekly schedule to go over the important concepts and stick to it. Start with something as simple as 2 hours per week broken in 3 sessions. I work with my daughter every weekday right after the breakfast and before leaving for work. Now, it has become a habit and my daughter asks, right after breakfast, when are we going to start the studies?

3. It is easier if you start from an early age but better start now than never.

4. Make 2nd language part of everyday activities. Show them a picture book and ask to describe the story. ( very effective technique for improving thinking skills)

5. Make some flashcards. Use them while travelling or in a car.

6. Minimize the distractions of the digital world and use physical learning resources whenever possible ( at least at an early age)

Bharati,

1. Author of BalBhasha - "10- Minute Marathi" and "10-Minute Hindi"