December 20, 2023

5 Ways to Nurture Your Child’s Interest in English

Is your child reluctant to learn or use English? Before anything else, don’t worry: this is more common than you may think and it’s far from insurmountable! 

There can be many reasons for a child’s hesitation in English. Very often, it’s simply because they don’t feel confident in writing or speaking it yet. In other cases, it could be because they’re afraid to make mistakes. 

But as it stands, English language development is essential for children. It’s not only one of the most spoken languages in the world but also one of our country’s official languages.

Fortunately for you, we’re here to help if your child isn’t currently fond of the language. Today, we’ll go over how you can get your child to love English as well as learning it. 

Make English learning fun 

This remains one of the best ways to overcome a child’s reluctance with a subject. By teaching them to associate that subject with things they like – fun or entertainment, for instance! – they start to like that subject as well. 

At My Little Campus, we structure English preschool lessons so that fun is part of the learning process. We may use word games to build vocabulary, for instance, or employ song-and-dance to let them apply their knowledge to something they enjoy. 

Game difficulty can go up as children become more and more proficient in the language. From simple group book-reading, for instance, they can eventually progress to things like round-robin storytelling.

This makes preschool English lessons engaging experiences for the children. Instead of being things they view with trepidation, the lessons become things they look forward to!

Do focused reading time or storytelling together

Love for books may not come naturally to all children, so it’s important to encourage this habit from a young age. It can do wonders for your child’s language development! 

The best way to do it is to make reading sessions or storytelling sessions a fixture in your family schedule. Associate English reading or books with a time for enjoyment and bonding. 

You can even add verve to your sessions by doing animated storytelling, where you “do voices” or even assume poses occasionally to illustrate what books are describing. It’s a great way to get children immersed in the plot or characters being read out.

Some parents even make this a daily activity, e.g. reading to their children at bed time or during breaks. Over time, as your child begins to love reading and builds an interest in English, they may even get involved by doing the reading or choosing books for you!

Choose a preschool that provides a balanced English programme

Since a lot of your child’s English learning will happen in their preschool, you obviously want a preschool where the approach to the subject is as balanced as it is fun! 

Look for a preschool where they know how to teach English to a preschool child without creating anxiety about the subject. Those that offer immersive use of the language – programmes conducted in it, for daily exposure – are good too.

At My Little Campus, you can get all this and more. We focus on building key skills and a solid foundation in the language while nurturing each child’s love for it. Our teachers are also trained in the best ways to engage children while teaching them English.

As such, we build children’s love for the subject with a variety of tools, from daily conversations about their interests to word games and puzzles. We even do regular interactive storytelling and roleplay in English!

Arrange playdates with English-speaking peers

One of the best ways to pick up a language and nurture one’s comfort with it is to perform immersion. Children learn a lot of things from their peers, so peer activities and experiences are a good solution. 

Look for your child’s peers who regularly and comfortably speak English. By arranging playdates for your child and them, you allow greater exposure to language through natural experiences like everyday conversations. 

Children can even pick up new phrases through the games they play, their chatter while interacting, and more. It’s an easy and natural way for your child to learn and also become more comfortable with using English in daily life.

Reduce the pressure on your child to learn English

If you suspect that your child is losing interest in English or lacking confidence in it due to the fear of making mistakes, you should think about reducing the pressure on your child to learn the language. At this point, it’s clearly doing more harm than good!

Try letting your child know that it’s okay to make mistakes when learning a language. You can even show them examples of mistakes that you yourself have made in the past, to show them that it’s normal and common to commit errors. 

The idea is to make sure they know that everyone is constantly learning languages. This de-stigmatises the idea of errors in English preschool learning, helping them feel more comfortable with their progress, no matter the shape it takes.

Let us help with your child’s English development 

In sum, there are many things you can do to help your child overcome their wariness of the English language. This is a language many children can become proficient in and even grow to love! 

If you want added help with your child’s English development, however, feel free to come to us. At My Little Campus, English learning is one of the cornerstones of our programme, with teachers regularly using the language to provide children an immersive, safe space to grow familiar with it. 

To learn more about how we foster a love of English among the children in our care, reach out to us today. You can also enquire about our different programmes and even schedule a tour of our facilities if necessary.