Hi folks, Indian Parents in US or outside India, is your child comfortable in speaking your native language? Do they know to read and write? I am very curious because currently struggling with that. I am talking to my son in Malayalam, he understands it well too. He was speaking the language very well, when we came here. But after starting School here, it’s like he suddenly decided to stop it. Sometimes he talks, but then suddenly switches to English. How all of you get your kids to,talk your native language? Please note: This is a light thread only
have you heard of balvihar.org ? This is an expat community organization in many cities. They meet on weekend days, run language and cultural education classes for Indians living in USA (also Canada, I think). Gujarathi, Bengali and Hindi groups are usually big in many locations. However, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam groups are also there, especially in locations with many software jobs. Children learn by playing with other classmates in the language. After this corona virus goes away, perhaps all those gatherings will come back into the lives of people.
You can join classes as the above poster wrote. But more important than that is you have to encourage your kid to talk in mother tongue. Every time he talks or replies in English don’t answer. Ask him to ask the same in Malayalam. You are the only teacher. You alone can help in this. I made the mistake and so I am advising you as someone who had not been able to succeed in this issue. But I know many who did the right thing from young age. It’s in your hands only. Good luck.
