【講師コラム】アンソニー講師No. 7～Supporting Kids to Enjoy Speaking English in A Relaxed and Stress-Free Environment～

As parents, it is our greatest joy to witness our child’s milestones in every aspect. We would certainly be very proud if they can communicate their thoughts and speak fluently in the English language. However, putting too much pressure on kids for them to learn a language may not be very helpful. Every kid has different way of learning and absorbing the language. Some children find it hard to speak English. Others are shy and some don’t want to make mistakes. Thus, the best way to help kids feel more confident in speaking a new language is by creating a positive and encouraging atmosphere at home.

It is very important to let them know and understand that making mistakes is a normal of the language learning process. Everybody can make mistakes. It is how we learn from our mistakes that matter. But never pressure the kids or show signs of disappointment if your child is not ready to speak yet. The goal is to allow them to practice speaking English in a stress-free way. Saying simple words and phrases at a time is fine if that is all that they can say for the moment.

In addition, parents must look relaxed so the child knows that you are happy and proud of them no matter how slow the progress is. Also, do not interrupt when the child is speaking. If you stop to correct them, it is hard to build up spoken fluency and can affect their self-confidence. To build up their confidence, it is important to give them opportunities to use vocabulary and phrases that they already know well.

Finally, the best way to motivate kids to speak English and communicate well is to keep speaking activities fun and not too long. For example, ask your child to tell you some of the things they see while playing their favorite video games. The important thing is for your child to say English words without worrying or without being pressured. Our role as parents is to help, encourage and always be positive with them so they become more confidence in speaking the English language.