Do you want to teach your child Russian so that it will be interesting, will not cause protest and will bring good results? Many Russian-speaking parents, no matter how long they have lived abroad, sooner or later ask themselves this question. So, how to teach Russian to a child, we will deal with it in today's article.
- The reading time is 5 minutes.
- Family situations
- Learn the language yourself
- Offline school
- Online lessons
When there is a need to teach a child the Russian language
Consider a family where:
- mom or dad is Russian-speaking
- the other parent doesn't speak Russian
- the child was born abroad and the child's entire environment speaks English (or another foreign language)
- They do not speak Russian with the child at home, because parents are afraid that the child's head may get a language "mess". They wait until the child has mastered one language well enough to start learning Russian from scratch.
Or another situation where, for example, a mother is not comfortable speaking to her child in Russian because the father does not know the language. As a result, she often switches to the second language in conversation. After all, so the child will more quickly understand what is wanted from him. In this case, also one day there comes a moment when it is necessary to start systematic training.
Who will teach the child the language?
Homeschooling
Self-study is the most obvious option that parents usually start with. How can you organize regular language practice at home?
- often one of the most difficult tasks for a family is to follow to the principle of OROYA - one parent - one language. The idea is that each parent switches to one language when communicating with the child and does not mix them in speech. This can be difficult to do and may cause the other parent to protest. But try to agree with your partner to act in the best interests of the child, it will give tangible results;
- printables/coloring books, coloring books with captions. Everything can be used if the parents have time to sit with the child. In this case, the motivation has to come from the adult - they have to discipline themselves. Determine the days and times you can set aside for activities;
- creating a language environment - finding Russian-speaking families with children of the same age and organizing regular meetings. After all, children will be able to communicate with each other in Russian and hear more live speech. In this way, the child's motivation to learn the language grows as he or she makes Russian-speaking friends.
An undeniable advantage of this option is that language learning comes from a significant adult whom the child trusts. Consequently, he/she learns in a stress-free, home-like environment. In addition, there is no competitive spirit and there is no comparison of one's results with others.
The disadvantages of this approach are lack of time for the parent, lack of systematic approach and discipline (it can be difficult for parents to start with themselves in order to allocate enough time for studying). And, unfortunately, it can be difficult to organize meetings with friends because of the daily workload.
Offline school
Once parents realize that they can't cope with teaching their child a language at home, they look for professionals to whom they can entrust the matter.
Families are very lucky to have a Russian school in their town, and it is in a convenient location that is not too far to get to. It is great if the schedule of classes is convenient for the family, so that you do not have to sacrifice other sections or household chores. On top of that, experienced teachers who know how to enthuse the child so that he or she will look forward to the next visit. And children with whom your child will be interested in making friends and continuing to socialize outside of school.
In this case, you can rejoice at the fortunate coincidence of circumstances. The main thing is that there is no reason to give up this format.
The benefits of offline classes include:
- A systematic approach to teaching Russian from scratch, which is difficult to achieve for parents without relevant experience
- The adult can delegate responsibility for learning to professionals
- language environment is created
Unfortunately, a significant disadvantage of the offline format is the lack of a school nearby. After all, if a child has to travel far to classes, the whole family suffers. In addition, if a child is shy by nature, he or she may feel uncomfortable in a new environment, and learning will not bring the expected results.
Online lessons
Online classes (group or individual)
Let's consider the pros of this format:
- systematic approach to teaching Russian from scratch, flexible programs for bilinguals
- individual approach to the child based on the family's goals
- mini-group sessions where the child meets new children from around the world
- homework
- ability to choose a convenient schedule
- affordable prices, as the online school does not have to pay for rent and utility bills
Some parents doubt that a preschooler will be able to endure 40 minutes in front of a screen. Such thoughts are justified, because the leading activity at this age is play. Children may get distracted during the lessons and insert their own lines, this is normal. The curriculum at our school is designed so that the child interacts with the teacher and the group as much as possible. A distracted child will be gently guided and brought back to the lesson.
Important! In the process of teaching a child a language, the main thing is to look at the child and his/her interest, try different approaches and do not give up if some method does not work. Then you need to keep looking.
If you are on the lookout for training Russian language onlineYou can take a free introductory lesson at our school. Please apply in the form below and our manager will give you all the details.
