How do we learn a language?

How do we learn a language?

I am sure you remember that special day when your young one came into this world. The joy he/she brings in can’t be put in words. What was your first reaction? What did you do after holding him/her in your arms for the first time? Think…. Rewind and think again ….

Did you utter a few words to the young one? We all did, and we went on and on, specially the mothers and grandmothers. We didn’t stop even though the baby didn’t respond.

Do you realise, that was when we started teaching him/her our language – our mother tongue. The child starts responding in a few days. He sees, feels, hears and comprehends and eventually starts responding. We are amazed listening to each and every sound he/she makes.

By the time he/she is 18 months old, he/she has learnt not just how to speak but is perfect with the usage of words, grammar and pronunciation.

Now this is the natural way of learning a language, infact the child can learn multiple languages simultaneously. This technique of naturally learning a language happens the LSRW way, which is LISTENING – SPEAKING – READING – WRITING.

Research says that learning languages while our children are young (0 – 5 years) happens naturally. It doesn’t look like a rocket science, does it?

So, when does the child learn English?

If English is not your mother tongue, then only when the child goes to a preschool that he/she starts to learn it. If you carefully look, in most of our schools, language is not taught the LSRW way, rather it’s just the other way round – WRSL.

So does it mean, we teach English from the day our children are born?

Of course not, our mother tongue helps us be closer to our culture and family. We think in our mother tongue.

English is best taught in school as a language. If taught well, children will pick it up with ease.