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Here's a crazy idea. In about third grade, require children to learn 20 songs in 20 different languages. Simple 4-line childrens songs like "Frere Jacques".
First, we are going to teach them music anyway, so why not.
Second, to overcome their inhibition about foreign language study, which most older students hate. And to attune their ear early to new phonics
Third, maybe hey will be inspired learn where 20 countries are on a map, which most adults cannot do;
Fourth, to instill an appreciation for cultural values different from their own.
Better to choose one language and concentrate on it, rather than to choose 20 different languages. Better to start them as soon as they start school, in infant daycare, if possible, and if not possible, then nursery school, and definitely by kindergarten. The younger they are, the easier it is to learn language.
Better to choose one language and concentrate on it, rather than to choose 20 different languages. Better to start them as soon as they start school, in infant daycare, if possible, and if not possible, then nursery school, and definitely by kindergarten. The younger they are, the easier it is to learn language.
That would be useful only for kids that you intend to immerse into that particular language. But not much for the mainstream pupils.
Kids already do that in school. Heck we did that even back when I was in school. But they are only learning sounds, not a language. Heck I still have no idea who "Fairy Jockey" is and never had a desire to find out. Just that music class was one more chore in my day.
That would be useful only for kids that you intend to immerse into that particular language. But not much for the mainstream pupils.
Not necessarily true. I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and we sang a lot of songs in Latin. We were given the words as well, so we weren't just trying to memorize the sounds we'd heard.
I've never studied Latin formally but at age 65 I'm fluent in French, pretty decent in German, and can skim newspapers in Italian and Spanish and get an idea what's going in- because Latin was a base. I did study French in HS and German in college.
Immersing kids in ANY foreign language is good but I agree that it should be only one to start with. They need an awareness that the whole world doesn't speak English. They need the benefit of information sources from other places (I learn a lot from news and documentaries in French and German). They need to learn the principles of grammar. And they need to start early.
..Immersing kids in ANY foreign language is good but I agree that it should be only one to start with. They need an awareness that the whole world doesn't speak English. They need the benefit of information sources from other places (I learn a lot from news and documentaries in French and German). They need to learn the principles of grammar. And they need to start early.
I agree that we should include a foreign language early, even first grade or kindergarten. That's when the mind is most able to take it in. And it should be taught in a natural manner. By the time I took German in college, my brain was formed which made it very hard. Plus we spent most of the time learning German grammar and such. I could conjugate the heck out of German verbs, but never got the hang of actually speaking and hearing in German.
My daughter teaches music in a Pk - 9 school. for the older kids, they sing songs in different languages at times, even Latin. A few parents complain some, but not enough to matter. there are always some parents complaining no matter what you do. Sing only in English and someone will complain about that.
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