How to Teach a Toddler Spanish

Young children tend to learn a second language most easily when they’re learning the basic rules of their primary language, making it a wise idea for parents with hopes of raising bilingual progeny to start teaching their children early. The benefits of speaking two languages fluently are countless, from increased academic performance and influencing college admissions to boosting the likelihood of landing a choice job once they’ve entered adulthood. Helping your children to gain second language skills is a great way to give them a competitive edge early in life and increase their appreciation for other cultures, with Spanish being a particularly useful choice in today’s world. As the second most studied language in the world, Spanish is becoming increasingly more common with each passing year. Teaching your toddler to speak Spanish as he’s honing his English skills is easier than you might think; here are a few hints and tips to turn your little one into a bilingual bebé.

• Learn Spanish Yourself – It’s exponentially more difficult to teach your child Spanish if you have no grasp of the language yourself, so take the time to familiarize yourself with vocabulary and verb conjugation. Without basic grammatical knowledge, you’ll have no way of hearing any mistakes in your child’s speech and correcting them. It’s not necessary to speak Spanish as if it was your native tongue, but understanding how to structure a sentence and knowing what common words mean is essential.
• Books, Toys, and Entertainment – There are an abundance of books, toys, movies, and television shows directed solely at primarily English-speaking toddlers to help them develop Spanish skills. Take advantage of these great tools, as they’ll help your child to become fluent in a second language while having fun. One reason shows like Dora the Explorer are so wildly popular with toddlers and their parents is because they teach basic Spanish vocabulary, turning what could be vapid television time into a learning experience.
• Music is the Universal Language – Kids love to sing and learn new songs. Simple Spanish children’s songs, especially those that are easily translated into English for comparative purposes, are powerful tools for helping kids grasp concepts, vocabulary, pronunciation, and accents in the Spanish language. There are a wide variety of CD’s and legal MP3 downloads that will bolster your children’s Spanish music collection; integrating those songs with your child’s English favorites can be quite effective in supplementing their growing fluency.
• Keep Your Expectations Realistic – No matter how hard you work at teaching your toddler a second language, he will only be able to grasp it to a certain level. Remember that your child’s command of any language is limited during the toddler years, and that he’s still trying to learn the fundamentals of speech to begin with. Be patient, and do not get frustrated when he’s not ready for a spot on Telemundo before he starts preschool.
• Hold Off on Formal Lessons – Formal Spanish lessons can be incredibly effective, but they’re not a great choice for toddlers. At this age any classroom setting is likely to be stifling and boring to enthusiastic, energetic little ones. Save the lessons for later, and focus on giving your child the basic skills he needs to develop his ability to speak a second language at home. If you can find a Spanish playgroup, however, taking part is sure to boost your child’s language development.
• Integrate Spanish into Everyday Life – Rather than setting a specific period of the day aside for “Spanish practice,” try to integrate both languages into your everyday lives. Immersion is a very effective tactic for helping language scholars of any age develop their skills, so hiring a nanny or other childcare provider that speaks Spanish fluently can increase your toddler’s comprehension by leaps and bounds. Immersion can be somewhat difficult if you’re not confident in your own Spanish language skills, so make sure that you continue to work on developing them whenever possible, as well.

Giving your child the gift of education, whether in the form of second language skills, early reading, or a concentration on music lessons for pint-sized prodigies, is one of the best things that you can do for him. Keep in mind, however, that toddlers learn about the world around them and how it works primarily through explorative play; insisting that they spend these formative years in a rigid classroom or instructional environment to the exclusion of play could be counterproductive. Remember also that you know your child best; adapt your teaching style to suit his needs, tailoring your approach to his abilities and skill level. With a bit of effort and a lot of patience, he’ll be speaking Spanish as confidently as he speaks English.
 P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by  Martina Keyhell. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:

 http://www.becomeananny.com/blog/how-to-teach-a-toddler-spanish/

10 Spanish Phrases Parents Must Learn to Communicate with Their Bilingual Nanny

As an increasing number of workers in the private childcare industry are bilingual, many parents are discovering a need to become passably fluent in Spanish themselves in the interest of simplifying communication. Additionally, learning a bit of Spanish allows parents to reinforce any second language skills that they’ve acquired from time spent with their predominantly-Spanish speaking nanny. If your childcare provider’s Spanish language skills are much stronger than her English ones, here are 10 phrases that can help everyday communication a bit easier.

1. “Repita, por favor.” – Whether you’re speaking Spanish with your nanny and her speed in her native tongue makes it difficult for you to comprehend what she’s saying, or her accent and pronunciation of a particular English word is hard to make out, there will inevitably come a time when one of you will have to ask the other to “Repeat, please.”
2. “Yo no entiendo.” – Sometimes one of you will have to say, “I don’t understand,” in acknowledgment of a difficulty in communicating or understanding one another’s intentions. This simple phrase can help to prevent a number of misconceptions or misunderstandings before they start.
3. “Me olvidé’ – Harried working parents with tight schedules and little downtime can be justifiably absentminded from time to time. Letting your nanny know that something slipped your mind by using the Spanish equivalent of “I forgot,” especially if you’ve forgotten something important, is a great way to get her attention and be sure that she understands your flub completely.
4. “¿Entiende usted?” – Even if your nanny is strongly bilingual, learning the intricacies and similes of a second language is sometimes tough. Ensuring that she understands her instructions or responsibilities for the day by using her native language to ask the question can help stave off mishaps born from miscommunications.
5. “¡Escríbalo, Por Favor!” – When pronunciation is garbled or difficult to make out, being able to read what your nanny is trying to say can be very beneficial. If you’re still having trouble deciphering an unfamiliar word after she’s written it down, being able to see the exact spelling can help you look the word up in a Spanish to English dictionary or on an online translating service.
6. “Regreso En Un Momentito.” – Quick trips to run errands or even popping into the next room for a bit still require some kind of explanation to your kids’ caregiver; if you expect to return momentarily, letting your nanny know that you’ll “be right back” or being able to understand the phrase when she uses it can be helpful.
7. “Estoy Buscando A Juan” – Kids like to slip away to hide in strange places and to generally strike terror in the hearts of their caregivers and parents. Being able to quickly and confidently share news that you’re looking for a particular child can help you and your nanny speed the process and find the tiny escapee.
8. “¿Qué haces?” – Every person, regardless of culture or language, has their own way of accomplishing certain tasks. If your nanny’s way is different from your own and you’re curious, or vice versa, being able to ask “what are you doing” without struggle can help you both understand each other.
9. “¿Qué Quiere Decir ‘___’ En Inglés?” – Learning Spanish is likely to be just as difficult for you as learning English was for your nanny, so you’re sure to have questions from time to time about translations and proper usage. “How do I say ____ in English?” is the quickest way to ask your nanny for help in this area.
10. “¿Cómo Se llama a Esto En Español?” – Just as you’ll need to know how to translate Spanish words into English, you’ll also need to be able to do the opposite. Asking how to say something in Spanish when you have doubts is an effective way of enlisting the help of your nanny and polishing your second language skills.

Investing in a Spanish to English dictionary, phrase book, or Smartphone app can help you navigate conversational obstacle courses with your bilingual nanny, as the needs and demands of your individual household will likely create the need to refer back to such aides. Keep in mind that speaking more slowly might help your nanny understand you better, but increasing your volume does absolutely nothing productive unless she’s also hard of hearing. Maintain a casual, conversational tone to avoid further misunderstandings or create the impression that you’re angry.

 P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by  Sarah Tucker. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:

/http://www.4nannies.com/blog/10-spanish-phrases-parents-must-learn-to-communicate-with-their-bilingual-nanny/