Two-Year-Old Learning a Second Language

by | Languages | 2 comments

My name is Anna and I have a daughter who will be turning two in December. I am convinced that I will homeschool and I found your website quite helpful. I plan on purchasing your Teaching the Trivium in the near future. If you could guide me in an area I would be appreciative. The situation is that I have some in-laws who are quite zealous in wanting to teach my daughter the French language. It is something that I have planned for the future but I wanted to wait a little while, and my first preference for the second language is actually Latin. My question is — is two years old too young to teach a second language? I have a perception that it is good to learn one thing at a time and learn it well. Any guidance would be appreciated. Anna

Wow! What an opportunity!! Let them teach her all they want and let them start now. They will be teaching her inductively, which is how all children learn a language. But leave the book learning (grammar) till age ten. I would probably also leave the writing till a little later age. Let the in-laws go ahead, communicate to them that you are tickled pink for them to do this, and don’t micro-manage it. Laurie

Thanks for the reply. I think the “micro-manage” phrase in your reply was the most helpful. I am trusting in the Lord and trying to manifest the fruits of the Spirit. Again, your guidance was more encouraging than I can tell you. God bless you. Thanks also for the opportunity to receive your emails! Anna

2 Comments

  1. Adele

    Don’t let the chance go to learn more languages, ever!

    Here’s my bit of advice: Try to let each person “stick to their language”. For example, if you speak English to her, don’t give in to the temptation to speak French to your daughter when the in-laws are there. Also, ask them to speak French only as far as possible, not with English in-between. That prevents the confusion many people dread with multiple languages. The child easily learns in which language to respond to which person, and associates that person with that language.

    My husband and I speak to different languages to our boys (since before their birth), and some friends speak English, the older son (6) is fluent in all 3.

    Reply
  2. Perla Sarmiento de Adams

    Hello Anna:

    And if you want that your girl learn Latin, start now! You can read to her in Latin (most classic fairy tales are available in Latin), you can teach her poems and songs in Latin, teach her vocabulary, common sayings etc.

    Bye, bye

    Reply

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