
With younger children, there is no need to explicitly teach grammar rules, but instead get them used to hearing and using different grammatical structures in context, for example ‘have got’ when you are talking about someone’s appearance, or ‘must/mustn’t’ when talking about their school rules. There are many fun, animated songs on LearnEnglish Kids which you can listen to with your children. The actions often demonstrate the meaning of the words in the song. Songs with actions are particularly good for very young children as they are able to join in even if they are not yet able to sing the song. Songs are a really effective way to learn new words and improve pronunciation. Older children can complete the accompanying downloadable activities to check understanding. The animated stories on LearnEnglish Kids are an excellent way for children to develop listening and reading skills. ‘Where's the cat?’ After a while encourage them to say the words by asking ‘What's that?’ Listening to stories will get your child used to the sounds and rhythms of English. Later you can ask your child to point to different things, e.g. Look at the pictures together and say the words as you point to the pictures. Younger children love books with bright colours and attractive illustrations. Revise the vocabulary when you put the shopping away at home. When you go to the supermarket, give your child a list of things to find (use pictures or words depending on their age).

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You can find free downloadable flashcards on a wide range of topics on our website. Flashcards are a great way to teach and revise vocabulary and there are many different games which you can play with flashcards, such as Memory, Kim’s game, Snap or Happy Families. Playing gamesĬhildren learn naturally when they are having fun. Repetition is essential – children often need to hear words and phrases many times before they feel ready to produce them themselves. If you have space at home, you can create an English corner where you keep anything connected to English, for example books, games, DVDs or things that your children have made. For example, you could play an English game every day after school, or read an English story with your children before bedtime.

Children feel more comfortable and confident when they know what to expect. Try to do certain activities at the same time every day. Keep the activities short and varied in order to hold your child’s attention. You can gradually make sessions longer as your child gets older and their concentration span increases. Fifteen minutes is enough for very young children. It is better to have short, frequent sessions than long, infrequent ones. Establishing a routineĮstablish a routine for your English time at home.

Be patient, and they will begin to speak English in their own time. They will need a certain amount of time to absorb the language. Don’t worry if your child doesn’t start speaking English immediately. Your child will pick up on your enthusiasm for the language. The most important thing is that you are enthusiastic and that you give your children lots of encouragement and praise. It doesn’t matter if your own English is not perfect.
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Many parents would like to teach their children English at home, but don’t know how to start. By Jo Blackmore, LearnEnglish Kids team How do I start teaching my kids English at home?
