Many parents dream that their child will grow up bilingual and speak both Russian and English with equal ease. The desire is understandable and reasonable - even today knowledge of English is considered a significant plus, and in 10-15 years it will become a mandatory requirement for an educated person. International relations are developing, and the Internet allows you to study at foreign universities and work in foreign companies without leaving your hometown.

The earlier a person begins to learn a foreign language, the better he speaks it. But when should you start learning English?

Teachers and psychologists say that children most actively absorb knowledge from 1.5 to 9 years. This is exactly the age when the child develops basic speech skills and his brain best perceives and remembers the sound of a foreign speech. Later, the brain structures responsible for the development of speech become less flexible. That is why learning a foreign language is much harder for adults.

Children are able to learn English very quickly, but on one condition - this process should be fun. Therefore, training in different age categories has its own characteristics.

From birth to 1.5 years

At this moment, the foundation is laid - children hear and remember sounds that will very soon acquire meaning for them and become words. A good option for introducing kids to English is lullabies, rhymes, active games in English.

1.5 to 2 years

Some linguistic schools start teaching children from the age of two. This is a rather favorable period in the development of the child, when all brain activity is directed to learning the language. Education is carried out in the form of a game, since the game is the main way of knowing the world for any child. During this period, you can use any games that the baby likes, the main thing is not to force him, otherwise English will begin to be associated with something unpleasant.

3 to 5 years

Many experts believe that this is the most suitable age: speech skills have already developed, and the brain is still flexible and active enough to easily learn everything new. During this period, learning English also works for general development: memory, thinking, perception, and imagination improve. But more importantly, children at this age have no fear of using the language, and if they start learning it before the age of 5, they will never encounter a language barrier.

Bella Devyatkina spoke 7 languages ​​at the age of 4. Check out her performance on Amazing People.

5 to 10 years

At this age, it is not too late to start learning English - fast and effective learning of a foreign language is still possible. But be prepared for difficulties. At this time, the child already has social expectations and fear of mistakes, and this significantly complicates learning. Therefore, the most important thing during this period is to organize learning so that the child does not have a chance to make a mistake, and to show that language is needed primarily for communication.

10 and older

Every year the craving for knowledge of the world in children decreases, and the opinion of others becomes more and more important. Teenagers and adults, even knowing a foreign language, are afraid to speak it. They try to follow the rules of grammar and think that they need to speak at the level of a native speaker - or not speak at all. Before they say something, they mentally pronounce a word or phrase. This makes it difficult to quickly overcome the language barrier.

Teaching children English from an early age is not only possible, but desirable. It helps to develop speech skills of speech, thinking and memory. Therefore, it is so important to lay the foundation that will help you learn the language at an older age. But, most importantly, it will teach the child to treat English (and any other foreign language) not as a fortress that needs to be taken with a fight, but as a useful tool for communication.

When is the best time to start teaching your child English? At what age should children learn English? There is no single answer to these questions. Someone believes that learning English should be started as soon as possible, others say that first you need to master your native language well. How to be? Let's find the answer to this question together.

So, do preschoolers need English?

Experts who believe that it is necessary, argue that kids up to 5-6 years old can easily learn any language. They naturally learn their native language, and English can do the same.

What are the benefits of learning English at such an early age?

1. Babies have good memories.

It is believed that before the age of 5, a person has the highest ability to learn languages, since at this age words and phrases are easily remembered. Children repeat everything they hear with interest and grasp new words on the fly.

2. Toddler learns language unconsciously

Young children can learn English by simply listening passively. Indeed, by the age of 6-7, the child speaks his native language well, although he does not understand tenses and does not know what the members of the sentence are. This suggests the conclusion that it is also possible to learn English unconsciously.

3. The child uses the language being studied more boldly

He is not afraid to make a mistake, so he uses the learned words more boldly in his vocabulary. It has no language barrier.

4. It is easier for a child to work on pronunciation

No one will argue that onomatopoeic abilities in children are much higher than in adults, so it is easier for them to learn how to pronounce English sounds correctly.

Disadvantages of learning English for young children:

1. You need the right language environment

Language learning is only possible if the child is in an appropriate language environment. He must hear English every day. This is possible if one of the parents is English-speaking, either.

2. Mechanical language learning

A small child does not know his native language well and does not understand how words should be related to each other. In addition, not all kids have a sufficient vocabulary. If a child does not understand what a color looks like, for example, in his native language, then he will not understand it in a foreign language either.

3. Language learning should take place in a playful way

Parents either have to play "English" themselves, or find a teacher who will do it. After all, a child needs to instill love for.

4. You can ruin the pronunciation of sounds in your native language

Speech therapists say that learning English sounds by a child can spoil the correct pronunciation of sounds in their native language. recommend learning a foreign language when the child learns to pronounce the sounds of his native language correctly.

Let's sum up a little. You can teach a small child (preschooler) English if:

1. At home, someone constantly speaks English.

2. You are going to live or live in an English-speaking country.

3. You know how to teach children by playing, or you have found a tutor who knows how to do it.

If you are in doubt at what age to learn English, let's consider the option from 7-8 years old.

What are the benefits of learning English from the age of 7-8?

1. The child is fluent in his native language, he has already formed the pronunciation of the sounds of his native language.

2. At this age, the little one is already going to school and understands the need for learning. He is more disciplined, collected, responsible.

3. At the age of 7-8, it is easier to motivate a child. Explain why he needs to learn English, give examples from life, make it interesting for him to learn a foreign language.

4. For a child of 7 years old, it is easier to find training options: special courses, a tutor, etc.

What are the disadvantages in learning English at 7-8 years old?

1. It is more difficult to learn new words. But, they are already remembered consciously.

2. Less time to learn the language, because the child attends school, does homework, etc.

At what age do you think English should be taught? Write in the comments. Share your personal experience with our readers.

When a child is born in the family, parents immediately begin to make plans for his future. In their dreams, the baby will grow up to be an outstanding person, but for this he needs to be given a better education ..

Many are ready to start immediately: learn to swim, draw, dance, read, write and speak a foreign language. Of course, in our time without English, German or French - nowhere. However, is the child ready to perceive someone else's speech, not yet knowing his own? Perhaps it's better to wait?

Not so long ago, English began to be studied from the fifth grade, that is, from the age of 11. Now same - with the first class. And parents are happy to pay extra for English or French classes even when the child attends kindergarten.

At what age should a child learn English?

- Modern researchers have come to the conclusion that learning English at an early and preschool age is not only possible, but also necessary. Children who from childhood began to learn a language unfamiliar to them, in the future develop better and perceive information, assimilate material faster. And later, in school years, it is easier for them to study, and they show better results. And not only in learning languages, but also in communication. Such children are better socialized, easier to operate with mathematical concepts, even better at drawing and the like. According to classical teachers, two years of teaching a child a foreign language at preschool age gives a better result than seven years of studying it in school years. Therefore, it can be argued that mastering the basics of a foreign language in the preschool period is useful.

The biggest debate is about at what age to start teaching a child another language or languages?

There are several opinions on this, but the main ones are two polar theories. According to the first, it is possible to start learning English only when the child has more or less mastered his native language. That is, she does not just speak, but fully understands and thinks in her native language, she has practically no errors in pronunciation. If we talk about age, then it is about 5 years.

According to another theory, the sooner you start English classes, the better the results will be. Early learning a foreign language will even prevent the occurrence of an accent in pronunciation. I belong to the specialists who share precisely this idea, since practice confirms this.

Does this mean that the child is already too loaded from an early age?

In no case. If you approach the classes correctly (through the game, give the baby interesting tasks), then there will be no overload. On the contrary, the child will grow up with a greater thirst for knowledge. She will want to know, see and know. Therefore, the sooner you have the opportunity to start getting acquainted with a foreign language, the better. It is possible from the age of six months.

What might such activities look like?

It is advisable to simply introduce a foreign language into the life of a child and make it interesting. For example, include children's songs in a foreign language, special educational programs for children, cartoons, and the like. You will see that the children will be interested, so they will hear something new. And it does not matter that at first she does not understand anything. The main thing is that the child will hear and perceive a foreign language. In addition, the mother can speak to the child in a foreign language the name of toys and surrounding objects, give commands in English or another language: “come”, “bring ...”, “draw ...”, “give me a thing of a certain color”. If a child hears a foreign language from an early age, he will subconsciously get used to the idea that this is part of life, and not something that needs to be learned and remembered.

Parents, perhaps, would like to try, there is a fear that there will be a mess of native and foreign words in the child's head.

Yes, it just seems. In fact, children are very smart and cunning. In childhood, they primarily use words that are easier (in short, with which there are no problems with pronunciation) or those that immediately come to mind. This is the easiest way. It happens that the child just liked a certain command or word. This creates the illusion that the child has only them settled in the head. In fact, at the physiological level in the head of babies, each language fits into a separate “box”. And when there is an accumulation of words and experience, when the child is more conscious of communication, then she can already consciously open one or another "box".

Thus, in reality, words from different languages ​​do not mix. However, it is important for parents to reinforce the skills to use them. It can be, for example, a person in the family who communicates with the child in a certain language. Then the child distinguishes for himself: with my father or grandmother I speak, say, English, and with my mother - in Ukrainian. This will help put restrictions between languages. The child will quickly stop mixing words from different languages.

How many languages ​​can be offered to a child at the same time?

- If one of the parents speaks, say, English (that is, they have the opportunity to communicate regularly in this language with the child), and the grandfather speaks German at a sufficient level (and wants to study with the child in such a way that she would be interested ), then there may be two foreign languages, in addition to the native one. If there is a grandmother who speaks Russian and regularly comes to the kids, then let there be a fourth. This will be a natural communication situation for the child. However, if parents want their son or daughter to learn three languages ​​and hire three teachers for this, then there will be no sense. Actually, this option threatens the child with overload and loss of interest in the new language in general, because there cannot be several artificial language environments. In addition, you need to study with teachers for a certain time and complete assignments.

What advice would you give to parents who want their child to learn one or more foreign languages?

The main thing is to let the child feel like a winner. Set tasks that allow him to overpower himself a little, to do a little more difficult work than she usually does. Then the child will have a lot of positive emotions and, accordingly, will gladly accept any next task. Do not forget that all tasks should be in the form of a game, the game is the key to success.

It is necessary to surround the child with English words more. For example, offer food, put a bear cub to sleep, show a flower, count clouds, and the like. It is important that the child constantly hears foreign words, then later for her a foreign language will not be a subject of learning, but will become a means of communication.

Greetings to all parents concerned about the upbringing and education of their children!

So, we, adults, could not tear our children away from the game ... They were so passionate about these truly educational toys that I got the idea to find the same ones so that my daughter would be happy with them, and I would have free time.

By the way, these toys can be safely used at the initial stage of your baby's acquaintance with the English language. How? Read my article and find out!

Today, more and more parents want their children to know a foreign language. It's even better if they learn it as early as possible. As a mother, I perfectly understand this desire and support it with my arms and legs! And as a teacher, more and more often I hear doubts, worries and hundreds of questions from familiar mothers about what to do, how to do it, when to start, how to get interested, and many, many others.

So today I decided to do an absolutely practical lesson. I want to answer every question I've ever been asked in the simplest possible way, and give you dozens of great tips for you and your baby to choose your path of learning.

Everything is clear, understandable and on the shelves!

Shall we start?

• The earlier the better! Scientists say that children remember information much faster than adults aged 2 to 9 years. From here you can easily answer the question of when to start teaching English to a child! The answer is simple - as soon as possible! From as early as possible, teach your child to speak English (). There are hundreds of ways to do this. Look for those that will work with your baby and the result will not keep you waiting! And how to teach children English - read on!
• Divide the roles! Do you know how in Western countries children are made bilingual (that is, those who speak 2 languages ​​at once)? Parents share roles. If someone in the family can speak a foreign language, great, do it. Let the child get used to 2 languages ​​​​at once from childhood (). If no one in your family knows a foreign language, then this is another question. Well, then we will use other methods.
• Include English in your daily life! In the event that you yourself do not speak English fluently, you can still learn a few phrases to help your baby at the initial stage. For example, you can start saying " good morning' instead of 'Good morning', ' good night" instead of "Good night", give him a toy and call it in English. Try to do this as often as possible. You will not have time to look back, as your child will begin to say to a passing car, “ a car».
• Play with them. Girls' favorite game is "daughters-mothers", so imagine that the dolls came from another country and speak only English. Or a bunny jumped in to visit you (a helicopter flew in, a car from cartoons like "Robocar" arrived), which needs to be told what toys you have.

• Interest! What I repeat from time to time: children should be interested! Get them interested in interesting stories. Your baby probably does not even understand why he needs it at all, why someone can speak a different language, why he needs to do this. Explain it in an interesting way. Come up with a fairy tale about how countries and languages ​​were created. For example:

There were several wizard brothers. The brothers went in different directions, found land for themselves and began to settle there. They built houses for children, created various children's parks, invented new games that others did not have. Yes, they worked so hard that they forgot that they spoke the same language. And each brother appeared in the country with his own language. But millions of children from different countries wanted to come to the country of their uncles. And therefore, to make it easier for them there, they learned the language of this country ...

Come up with such different fairy tales that will explain to the baby why he needs to learn something. Make it interesting for him, and then you don't have to torture him and pressure him to study.

If you are a caring parent and are interested in the development of your child, then you may like one of my finds, which is not related to English, but can be a cool tool in class with your fidgets. it name book ! It is printed individually for your child, and the idea in it is simply amazing, in my opinion! And what do you think?

The most common mistakes!

We all make mistakes. And in teaching our children too. Try to eliminate the possibility of these errors.

1. Unwillingness to understand your baby.
   If you see that your child does not really want to do something, does it through whims and tears - change tactics. Listen to your kids. Let me remind you that the most important thing is to generate interest! If learning for him is tears and screams - you are unlikely to be on the right track!
2. Lessons from time to time.
   This is where persistence is needed. You can not work out once a week for 10 minutes and postpone everything “for later”. So nothing will work. But here's my advice to you: allocate 40 minutes 2 times a week, but still somehow connect the rest of the time with English. The main thing is not to be lazy and take small steps every day!
3. You press!
   Children are very receptive at any age, so do not put pressure on them. Don't expect them to abruptly repeat everything after you. Don't expect instant results. Learning is a long and not the easiest process. But it is in our power to make this process enjoyable for our beloved kids.
4. Don't criticize!
   Fixing bugs is fine. But you need to do it in such a way as not to kill the child's desire to learn. Point out mistakes, but don't focus on them. Praise your children. Rejoice in their accomplishments with them. Be their friend who helps them, not a strict teacher with a pointer at the ready!

Dear ones, I tried to close as many questions as possible today, but I am sure that you still have (or will have) more! So don't wait for the answer to come by itself. I will be glad to help you. Leave your questions in the comments, share your experience of how you teach your children! And I, in turn, will be very glad to help you if you get lost along the way.

I recently created a special section "". There I tried to collect all the materials you need to start your journey to the country of the English language. Use them for your health. Write your wishes or questions in the comments!

Subscribe to interesting blog news to always be up to date and get answers to your questions as soon as possible.

Good luck on your journey of language learning with your little ones.
See you soon!

Every parent wants the best for their child. And many adults believe that children definitely need to learn foreign languages ​​- this will bring great benefits. Moreover, some parents are simply obsessed with the idea of ​​​​starting training as early as possible. In this article, we will tell you from what age, where and how to start teaching your child English, as well as how to do it right at home.

At what age should a child be taught English?

When is the best time to start teaching your child English? To put it bluntly, there is no exact answer to this question. Each child is individual, so it is almost impossible to designate a “universal age” for starting education. We will look at two options, their pros and cons. In addition, you will see the expert opinions of our teachers on this issue, they are based on their personal experience, because these teachers are mothers themselves. You know your child well, so you can decide which of these options is right for you.

Theory number 1. The child should be taught English as early as possible

Adherents of this theory say that children from birth to 5-6 years old easily learn any language. They learn their native language in a natural way, without any schools, so they can learn English in the same way.

Advantages of this approach:

1. Child learns language unconsciously
   Parents believe that kids learn English as a native language, that is, they simply listen passively, and then reproduce words and phrases in their own speech. By the age of 7, any child is fluent in Russian, despite the fact that he does not understand what “subject”, “noun”, “present tense”, etc. no rules.
2. The kid is not afraid to speak
   A child at this age is less afraid of making a mistake than an adult, so children are more courageous in using the language they are learning. Babies do not have a language barrier, because they are more direct and less clamped than adults. They just say what they want, regardless of their pronunciation or mistakes in speech. Adults correct these mistakes, and gradually the child gets used to speaking in correct sentences.
3. Children have a good memory
   There is a theory that by the age of 5, everyone has above average language abilities because children memorize words and phrases faster. They, like parrots, repeat everything they hear, and literally grasp new words for themselves on the fly. Remember, probably, every adult had such an embarrassment: you say some not very good word in front of a child, and he (well, as luck would have it!) instantly remembers it and begins to use it in his speech. If, instead of bad words in Russian, a child is offered good ones in English, he will remember them just as quickly.
4. It is easier for the child to develop good pronunciation
   There is also an opinion that it is easier for a child to learn to pronounce the sounds of English speech correctly, because the onomatopoeic abilities of children are at an increased level. A child quickly learns to pronounce all the sounds of his native language as an adult speaks. Similarly, he will learn to pronounce the sounds of English speech: quickly and correctly.

Drawbacks of this approach:

1. Need a language environment
   Learning "in a natural way" is possible only if you create a suitable language environment or stay in it. That is, the child must hear English speech from others every day. This is possible if he lives abroad, one of the parents constantly speaks English or the child has an English-speaking nanny. Remember, in the XVIII-XIX centuries. in Russia, representatives of the high society knew French even better than Russian. And all because in those days it was customary to invite governesses and tutors from France.
2. The danger of rote learning
   The kid still does not know his native language well, he pronounces sentences on the "machine", but does not understand how the words "work" with each other. In addition, many kids have a small vocabulary of the Russian language, and if a child does not understand what a “kite” or “lilac” is in their native language, then they will not understand it in English either. Mechanical memorization of English phrases is not the most effective method of learning a language. Think about it, maybe it's worth waiting until the child grows up and learns English consciously.
3. Difficulty creating the right mood
   For a preschool child, the right attitude is important both at home and in the classroom, and creating it is not easy. So, the child learns by playing, so at home you will need to “play English”. In addition, you will need to find a teacher who will be able to teach the child through the game and instill in him a love for learning the language. This is not easy to do: not every teacher knows how to teach children, and some teachers even discourage learning foreign languages ​​for a long time.
4. The risk of spoiling the pronunciation of Russian sounds
   Some speech therapists believe that learning English sounds can cause poor pronunciation of Russians. That is, speech therapists do not recommend learning English until the child has a good pronunciation of the sounds of his native language.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age is it better to teach English to a child?"

Experience as a teacher: 9 years

Experience with Englex: 4 years

I would say that a child can start learning English from birth, if mom and dad are of different nationalities and, accordingly, initially the family speaks two (and sometimes three) languages.

My daughter began to show interest in various videos with songs and rhymes in English from the age of 2.5 (naturally, it was I who chose and offered them for her). She immediately chose certain ones and then simply demanded to turn them on 20-30 times in a row. Just a couple of weeks later, I started singing them. At this age, children are able to absorb new words and pronunciation at an astonishing rate. But, of course, the time came when she got tired of all her favorite videos in English, she became interested in cartoons in Russian, and the viewing time, of course, increased. And now, when she is already 5, I tried to turn on the same videos for her, she immediately recognized the picture, the motive and even sang excerpts, but she could no longer fully reproduce, as before. Which again confirms a well-known fact for everyone: without constant practice, the language is forgotten.

It seems to me that the earlier a child is at least simply introduced to a new language (and this is the task of parents initially), the easier it will be for him to learn it in the future. The desire of the child himself is also very important, parents need to catch the moment when the child himself becomes interested and asks. And do not try to impose at an early age what they are not interested in, because then the result will be negative.

As for the direct study of the language as an activity, then, probably, from the age of 3-4, children can be sent to courses, but always in a group, and not individually (this is my subjective opinion, of course). At the same time, it is worth weighing the pros and cons very well, given the nature of the child, his readiness to learn and communicate with new peers and the teacher. The first experience is the most important!

Experience as a teacher: 8 years

Experience with Englex: 1 year

I can not say that I am an expert, but this topic is close to me. My first education was an elementary school teacher, specializing in English. In addition, my son is now 1 year and 9 months old, so the development of speech is an important topic for us.

You can start teaching a language from the cradle, because that's what happens in bilingual families. And the result is magnificent - the child speaks two languages, as if they were native. But this, of course, is an exceptional option. I chose “do no harm” as the most important principle for myself, that is:

• not to torture the child and not cause negativity in relation to the language;
• not to disturb the psyche and the process of speech development in the native language.

Therefore, until recently, the son did not come into contact with English in any special way. Only when my son was about one and a half and I was convinced that he was developed, sociable, cheerful and already speaking phrases in his native language, I allowed myself to add nursery rhymes, cartoons and songs in English to our “diet”. All this he still perceives very positively! This is from personal experience.

If we return to the general, then I would advise parents, in addition to the principle of “do no harm”, to find an opportunity for the child to come into contact with the language in approximately the same way as it happens with the native, that is, at first passively and naturally. Up to 6-8 years old, I would recommend only counting rhymes, songs, cartoons and games with parents or in language clubs. It is also important to remember that the pronunciation in these audio and video or the teacher must be at the level. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to correct the memorized! Naturally, there can be no question of any writing and grammar with such crumbs.

When can you start teaching a child a language consciously, albeit fun, but still systematically and with some kind of analytical techniques? - an individual question. There are children who are more assiduous and less assiduous, someone begins to talk at the age of one and a half, and someone at three is laconic. There are many nuances, and first of all, parents themselves need to carefully assess what their child is now ready for.

Thus, teaching a child English from infancy is worth it if:

1. You live or are going to live in an English-speaking country, and the child simply needs to know the language to communicate with others.
2. At home, someone constantly speaks English: one of the parents, grandmother, nanny. In this case, the child will also realize why he needs to learn something - to talk with this person.
3. You know how to unobtrusively and interestingly present knowledge to the baby without harm to your native language or you have found a tutor who knows how to do this.

Theory number 2. The child should be taught English no earlier than from the age of 7

Adherents of this opinion believe that foreign languages ​​​​should be taught at a conscious age, and not torment the baby with words incomprehensible to him. Supporters of learning from the age of 7 agree that a child up to 5-6 years old easily learns the language that he constantly hears, that is, Russian. If the child is not in an English-speaking country or his parents do not speak English as often as they do Russian, then a foreign language will not be able to assimilate “on its own”, so it makes no sense to learn it before 7-8 years.

Advantages of this approach:

1. The child gets used to learning
   At the age of 7 and older, the child is already getting used to the regime, because he goes to school. Children become more organized and able to study, do homework, listen to the teacher, etc.
2. The child is already fluent in his native language
   School-age children have a wide vocabulary and are fluent in Russian. For example, a child understands that when meeting, one should greet, introduce himself, ask a stranger to introduce himself, so such phrases in English will not raise questions for him. In addition, the child knows a lot of Russian words, so these words in English will be clear to him.
3. The child usually has a pronunciation
   By the age of 7, the child will already have formed the pronunciation of the sounds of his native language, so he will not confuse them with English sounds. Moreover, at this age, the child still has good phonemic abilities, so he can quickly learn how to pronounce the sounds of foreign speech correctly.
4. Children are easier to motivate
   At this age, children are already acquiring their first hobbies and interests, so you can offer your child an exciting “bonus system” for which he will learn the language. In addition, at this age, you can already find advantages for your child in learning English: the ability to watch cartoons in the original, read interesting fairy tales and stories, play online games in English, etc. Find something that will captivate your child. child, and you do not have to drag him to the next English class by force.
5. There are many courses for children
   Finding courses for children from 7 years old will be quite simple: they are already used to focusing on the subject being studied, again, the child has interests, the teacher can build lessons based on them. With children under 7 years old, it is a little more difficult: it is not easy to attract and hold the attention of a small child, it is even more difficult to get him to do something consciously. Finding the right approach to teaching a baby is very difficult, not every teacher will be able to do this, so you can spend a lot of time looking for the “right” teacher.
6. It is easy for a child to overcome the language barrier
   Children at this age are not afraid to make mistakes, they willingly carry on a dialogue with the teacher, they do not think about the accent. That is, at 7-8 years old it is not at all too late to start learning a foreign language - you will have time to prevent the appearance of a language barrier.

Drawbacks of this approach:

1. Difficulty remembering new words
   Compared to toddlers, children over the age of 7 have a slightly more difficult time memorizing new words. On the other hand, at this age the child learns everything consciously, that is, he understands well what this or that word means and how it can be used.
2. Less time to learn a language
   Some students are loaded with large amounts of homework, so there is very little time left for English. However, you can also find a way out of this situation: enroll your child in courses where they give very little homework, and the training takes place in a playful way - so your child will take a break from school.

The opinions of our teachers on the question "At what age should a child be taught English?"

Experience as a teacher: 9 years

Experience with Englex: 2 years

I think that from the age of 7, you can start teaching a child, because at this age, the vocabulary of their native language is very quickly enriched in children, they actively communicate with their peers, learn to listen to them. The child already has a fairly large stock of knowledge about the world around him. Therefore, there are no difficulties in learning new words of the English language if the child already has an idea about this subject or concept.

Experience as a teacher: 12 years

Experience with Englex: 2 years

My personal conclusion: if there is time and opportunity, then why not send the child to a language studio from an early age. However, do not wait for him to suddenly speak. This is a general development, a liability that can shoot in the future. If it is worth highlighting priority classes, I would give preference to the development of motor skills, music, aesthetic and physical development, and from the age of 6-7 I connected the study of languages. I now mean most of the children who learn the language in "artificial" conditions, without constant daily contact with it, regular immersion in the environment while traveling, etc.

I see many examples of early language learning. The examples are really different. There are children who come after many years of training from the age of 3, and they do not hold a group lesson with children of their age, with whom we have been working for the second year. It happens that in the process they adapt quite quickly and surpass the rest. And it happens that they lag behind or simply remain at the level of other students.

As you can see, we found more advantages in the second approach, but it should be remembered that this is not a hard and fast rule. Each child is individual, so the final decision on at what age it is better to teach English to a child is up to you.

Where to teach English to a child

So, you have made the decision to start teaching your child English. What to choose: homeschooling, courses or private lessons? Let's figure it out.

Home schooling

Home schooling with a parent is the best option for a child. Therefore, if your child is not yet 4-5 years old, try to teach him at home. At the end of the article we will tell you how to do it.

However, you can teach your child English at home only on the condition that you yourself know the language at least at an intermediate level and use fun learning methods. The child is just beginning to get acquainted with a new language, so it is important that this acquaintance is pleasant and interesting. You do not know English? You can try this option: you go to courses and begin to transfer your knowledge to the child. In this case, not only the child will benefit, but also you yourself. In our school, many adults learn the language for just this purpose: they want to teach children English, help with homework, etc. In addition, this allows us not to spend money on expensive tutors.

Teaching English in courses

At the age of 3-4 years, the child can be sent to a special kindergarten or early development center with English lessons, and after 7 years - to children's courses. At this age, it is important for children not only to learn English, but also to communicate with their peers at the same time, expand their social circle, and perform interesting tasks in a competitive environment.

The main point that you should consider is the level of knowledge of the children in the group. It is important that all children know English in approximately the same way, otherwise the child may be uncomfortable in the classroom.

After the child reaches an average level of English, you can try to send him to a special language camp. This will be a great encouragement and good motivation to further study English, and it will also allow the child to make friends from different parts of the world.

Individual training

We do not recommend starting individual education for children under the age of 7. Firstly, it will be difficult for a stranger to attract and hold the attention of the baby. Secondly, a child may not be interested in such activities: it is one thing to learn a language with the same kids, and quite another - alone with someone else's aunt.

There are significant drawbacks to individual learning: you will need to take your child to a tutor or invite a teacher to your home, which creates certain inconveniences. However, they can be avoided, because there is an alternative - from the age of 9, the guys successfully begin to study. If you want your child to try this way of learning, sign them up for a free trial lesson. You will be present at this lesson and will be able to understand whether this way of learning is suitable for the child.

How to teach your child English at home

If you have at least an average knowledge of English and a great desire to teach your child English at home, you can try to study with him without the help of a teacher. We cannot recommend this method of teaching as the best, because only an experienced teacher knows how and in what sequence to present the material so that the lessons are effective. However, if you are going to teach the baby, then this is really the right decision: he will be more comfortable with his mother than with a cheerful, but still someone else's aunt. Recommendations on how to start learning English with a child:

1. Favorite thing

It depends on you whether the child will love English or whether each lesson will be perceived as hard labor. Therefore, do not impose anything on the child, find such exercises that he will perform with pleasure. Use a game form of learning, not lessons from textbooks. If you can’t get your kid interested in learning a language, then try to wait until he grows up.

2. The right motivation

Adults talk about motivation all the time, but when it comes to teaching children, only the rule “the child will need this in the future, he’s just too young to understand it” is taken into account. Would you do anything if you were pointed to a vague future? And the child is all the more uninterested in hearing about some kind of “good education”, “career heights” and “prestigious jobs”. He wants to watch cartoons and eat ice cream with condensed milk. So define a learning goal that is appropriate for your child's age. For example, watch the most interesting cartoons and play games in English, read the newest English-language fairy tales that are not translated into Russian, etc. You will find more material on this topic, as well as the main motivation mistakes, in the article "".

3. Short lessons

It is difficult for a small student to sit out 45-60 minutes while studying English, so break the lesson into small "portions" of 10-15 minutes. A variety of exercises related to movements will also come to the rescue, for example, you pronounce a word in English, and the child performs the specified action. Also, change your activities: study words for 10 minutes, watch a cartoon for 10 minutes, sing a song for 5 minutes, etc.

4. Visual pictures

Surely young mothers have heard about Glen Doman's cards, and many have already used them. They are cardboard or plastic cards with drawn and signed objects. Exactly the same cards can be used to learn English words. You can write English words on ready-made Russian cards, or you can make a training set yourself. Find beautiful images of fruits, vegetables, animals, etc. on the Internet, print and sign. Children usually remember words easily by associating them with a picture. In addition, you can use the ready-made online dictionary in pictures on the site anglomaniacy.pl. You can also play vocabulary games at vocabulary.co.il. The child will love the bright pictures and the game form of learning.

5. Useful games

How to teach a child English at home effortlessly? Today, even 2-year-olds are easy to manage with a tablet or laptop. They enjoy playing simple games and coloring pages. Such entertainment can be turned into a mini-lesson in English, just go to learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org and invite the child to play one of the proposed mini-games. This will not take much time and will allow you to learn a couple of useful words.

8. Favorite songs

It is probably difficult to find a kid who would not like to sing. The texts of children's songs "work" in the same way as poems: the child has fun, develops memory, and remembers useful words. Many simple songs for kids with lyrics and translations can be found on the websites kidsenglish.ru and english4kids.russianblogger.ru. If your child is still small, you can simply include these songs for him to listen to. In this case, children can listen to them without delving into the words and meaning of the text. So the baby will get used to the sound of foreign speech from childhood, and some psychologists believe that in this way the baby can even unconsciously memorize some words.

9. Tutorial videos

Educational videos for children are bright and interesting video lessons for the baby. Today on YouTube you can find dozens of channels with exciting and educational videos. We can recommend KidsTV123 and Busy Beavers.

10. Reading Rules

If your child already reads well in Russian, then it's time to move from passive listening to materials in English to reading. To begin with, you should teach the child the basic rules of reading, then he will have fewer questions about how to read a particular word.

Older children can already be offered to complete simple tasks, tests. It is important that the exercises are not too difficult and are presented as a game, then the child will not perceive them as another boring homework. Have him do the exercises at englishexercises.org or easygrammar4kids.

12. Simple tales and stories

Well, what child would refuse a bedtime story?! If you yourself speak English at least at an average level, you can read simple books to your child on your own, for example, kind and fascinating stories about Paddington Bear are written in simple language. And if you want your child to listen to exemplary English pronunciation, you can try turning on an audiobook. There are free materials for kids at bookbox.com and storynory.com.

13. Good tutorial

So that the child does not associate the word “textbook” with a boring book, select materials suitable for his age and interests. Authentic manuals are best suited, that is, textbooks by English-speaking authors are completely in English. They are always logical, easy to use and designed in a visual and bright way to keep kids interested. Our teachers have developed a detailed table that will allow you to choose a textbook that is suitable for your child by age.

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We hope that our article on how to teach a child English was useful to you and you have already decided at what age and where to teach children foreign languages. Choose those exercises and materials that are interesting for your baby, and go for it. We wish you exciting and effective activities with your baby!