My two younger children as well as my grandson, (grandson is same age as my son)...all started Kindergarten in a duo language school. It was a wonderful start for them. The first year they were taught a 90/10 concept. 90% Spanish and only 10% English was spoken during class time. It was awesome to see how quickly each child would catch on and learn a second language this way. Everyday activities became a new challenge to them since they now was 'hearing' a new way of understanding. They did not only learn to read but also to write so by the time each one was out of 5Th grade they had become not only bi-lingual, but bi-literate also.
Each year English was introduced more each day until by 3rd grade they were on a 50/50 model and by 5th grade it was switched so that it was more like 70-80% English.
Two are now in middle school and doing college level Spanish. They are also taking French and my one daughter has also taken up Chinese by going to a Chinese language school on Saturdays.
I truly believe that their love of learning languages stems from starting at an early age. Statistics have proven that a child's brain learns differently at certain ages and the 'old concept' of waiting until high school to start a foreign language is totally incorrect. A child will not only learn a second language better at an earlier age but also will take on the accent and will become more fluent than one at an older age due to the difference we learn speech and sounds when we are younger.
To answer your question on what will help to learn a language? Involve your self as much as possible in ways of not only the language that you wish to learn but the culture as well. Go to multicultural events, attend a church where both languages are spoken, eat at resturants that specializes in the food from the country that you are learning the language. Take up a cooking class of the foods that they eat.
If you want to learn Spanish for example, there are also many good Spanish channels on T.V. that the shows are entirely in Spanish. We discovered Sesame Street is all in Spanish. (for young children of course).
Buy music in the language you are learning and learn to sing along.
Also there are many bilingual books available online where the pages are in both English and the language you would like to learn. Many with tapes that you can follow.
If you know someone that is totally fluent in the language you wish to learn, have them speak only to you in that language and try to guess what they are saying. It helps.
Involve yourself as much as possible in your daily life in the second language and soon you will pick up alot along the way.
One thing my daughter's 2nd grade teacher told me that peaked my interest. 'You will know when your child becomes bilingual, and that is when she starts to 'dream' in both languages. Also will forget how to say something in English and but knows it in Spanish." Well this has happened and it really showed us the program worked.
Learning a second, third or more languages opens the world up for our children. If you have a chance to start your child in a second language at an early age, please don't hesitate. Not only are you doing them a great favor for better job opportunities, but also they become much more understanding of other cultures.
Sorry! lol I sound like a commercial for duel language schools/programs but it has been a way of life around here for so long and I can't say enough about children and early learning.
I wish you and everyone luck in learning another language. As for me, I'm still working on English which has been my only language for me. lol My kids laugh at my 'Spanish'. lol And Chinese...well forget it..I think the only things I know is 'cat' and 'big head' and one sentence...about a school bus. lol don't ask!
pk
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