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Teaching English to pre-schoolers
My child is only two and a half years old and doesn't go to school yet. Is it too early to teach him English? How can I introduce him to English?
Isa, Spain

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It is said that children learn language more different than adults. I have a 2-year-old daughter. She was able to distinguish between English alphabet and Persian since she was less than one and a half year old. It was amazing when she got an English book off the shelf -one of my computer book- and pretended to read it by saying a, b and c, then she opened a Persian book of mine and making up a kind of story. I usually sing alphabet song while showing her letters. I believe by singing a song and reading books we can help child to understand and get interested to learn every language and I am doing it by help of approachable materials and this usuful site.
Jale, Iran

Dear Parents,  What do you mean by 'teaching'? If it is classical language teaching (e.g. teaching grammar, using course books, etc.) it is not good for the young ones. BUT if a new language is introduced to them in an interesting way- so they feel that using another language is fun and also if you try to help your children to acquire another language like you do with your mother tongue you will see miracles! When you start 'teaching' your mother tongue to your child you hopefully do not say,' Come, my dear one, let's practise the past tense today.' You simply use it and your child copies you. You also use a lot of songs, nursery rhymes, etc. You praise him/her and gently correct if it is needed and sooner or later - but normally by the age of one or two your child uses the language quite properly by saying some sentences.This also works in case of a foreign language. Sing songs, say nursery rhymes and tell stories in English for your child and you will se how clever they are in copying you in using another language. :-))))  According to Early advantage homepage 'All of the scientific evidence points to children having nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain by learning a second language.'    As I am a teacher of English and a mother of two I have some experience in this.  I started to 'teach' my own children when they were under 5. They enjoyed it very much. Now they are school and just to mention one thing, their listening and speaking skills concerning English are much better than their fellow counterparts. The method I used and still use is called 'Kids Club English'. It is from Britain (French and Spanish are taught there)  while in different places in Hungary and other countries we use English and German, as well. (see www.lcfclubs.com) Two years ago I started a new age group - children under 3 with the help of Jazz Mataz. (also the material of lcfclubs) It is fantastic! The language I use during the 'lesson' is English. I do not simply play and sing in English with the children but involve parents actively in the games,too! Actually, most of the time  they play with their own children, I only show what and how to do. The parents' knowlegde of English varies  from a low (practically nothing) to a very high level. Their knowledge of English has no significance at all! Those children who are a bit closer to the age of three do speak some Hungarian so after some weeks they sing the songs and rhymes and they do the counting with me in English. Of course children under 2 may say some words in their mother tongue but they understand the other language and react properly! Not only their language skills, but other things such as playing ('working') with others, musical skills, sence of rhythm, memory,etc. develop this way without making much effort. (Think about yourself learning another language!)  For them the other language is fun, a new way of communication! So I warmly advise anybody to try a second language and if you want to use the net, too, try LCF englishzone! You can find songs, stories, games in a fun and interesting yet useful way! Good luck for any of you.
Ottilia Szemeti, Hungary

i think better to teach earlier as possible.coz laying a good foundation is very important.
Fareesha, Maldives

Hello, I think it's nice to know that in that age, the babies are in their golden age-so I believe in the old saying that the younger the learners, the easier they learn something. I agree with Babu, that it's better not to ask the children to learn since in their age, they should improve their psychomotor, motoric&sensoric skills by playing & also by developing their relationship with their parents but moreover to learn while play. I ever asked one parent & she said she taught her son to count in English while they're stepping. If I were you, I would do the same thing, started with the using of the mother tongue so he/she will be able to communicate with others&then help him/her to explore the second language/foreign one by watching movie, singing a song, play simple games&give simple instructions/comments, like: Good!, Okay! completed with gestures. One thing to be noted is that probably he/she won't be able to speak as fast as the others because he/she learns several languages&he/she gets confused. But don't worry because they'll pass this period, you may call it as 'silent period' because at that period, in fact, they're trying to make a pattern of what they usually hear&then if they're sure, they'll say something. If you want to know more, you can read many books about second language learning wrote by Ellis or Mitchell and Myles. See, ya...    
Victoria Dian Ginting, Indonesia

Hi! I have to tell you that I teach english to children who are two in a kindergarten. You would have to see how they are be able to hold a short conversation with a foreign person when they go on holidays. In Spain, children don't start to learn english until six (in most schools) and it's a shame because children between two and six can learn more than in all their lives.
Eli, Spain

There is no harm in exposing the child to a foreign language at an early age provided it is controlled and not forced. Creating a listening environment at home can really work wonders. At the same time our mother language should not be neglected. Reading stories and through rhymes and songs the child can get slowly initiated into the language.
Aradhna Wahi, India

There is some discussion about the faultlessness of the parents lingua, but hey I do make mistakes in my mother tongue nobodys perfect. To expose a child to foreign music, rhymes and books is not all about language, but also about culture. There are huge differences and it doesn't only enrich the life of my youngsters, but mine aswell. Never forget we're going global and I hope my kids will be able to talk to yours one day!!! I´m teaching children aged 2 to 8 and aslong as the "lessons" are fun they do learn easy. It´s mostly the parents who want to see them learning Vocabulary and grammar.....I myself don't learn languages that way, I need to hear it and delve into the whole culture. Beware all you out there it asks for a lot of commitment to teach or learn a new language. Look at what you can gain though!!!
Karen Fichtner, Germany

It's better to teach them as soon as possible. Like this they'd have a good base to practise their English earlier. They can just improve it at the major age. I'd like to learn it to all of mine who are pre-schoolers.
Carole, Cameroon

I also think It is good for children, it is fun like a game.I would like to use internet in every  Bulgarian school to learn English.
Krasi Parusheva, Bulgaria

I think that children are like little sponges, i have been teaching english as a foriegn language for 5 years and my best student was under 3 years at the time. I only taught her animal snap, food pairs and other similar games to start with but this taught her that english is fun so when it came to her starting school she was top of her class in everything not just english.
John McCall, Korea

Yes, i do expose my children to english since they born with some singing and music. they love stories as well. I think we should expose them to multiple languages as early as possible.
Cheah, Malaysia

It is a good way to introduce english to your kids by reading story books to them. You will be suprised with the outcome.
Baba Hadil, Malaysia

yes, i do read english story books to my daughter who is 3  and simultaneously translate difficult words in our native language (hindi) so that she understands better !
Seema Nagrath, India

For my daughter I taught colours , small house hold things chair table paper book etc.Good morning , thanks, please etc English rhymes small picture story books ask him questions.Enjoy and teach Not to ask him to sit one place .see your face.
Lakshmi, Qatar

I think, English, as a language, has different "distances" to different languages. It definitely closer to alphabetical and audio driven languages than to Chinese, which is non-alphabetical and "visual driven". So, in China, I believe it's a little to early to teach a two year old English. That is, I believe, a harzadous confussion for him.
John, China

Yes it is to early to teach english to any child who's age is only two and half year, i would like to advice that don't teach him/her as extra. You can create family environment for English.
Hari Prasad Singh, India

I think a two and half year old can wait to learn a language which is not usually spoken at home. Though listening to the music, poems in other languages is alright.
Rama Rawat, India

Dear eager Parents, I might advise to the contrary. I happened to hear from a lady philosopher and psychologist that the minimum age to start learning a foreign language is five years. On starting to learn a foreign language earlier kids stand a chance to ruin the stage at which they acquire the basic concepts because the clarity of concepts is denied to them in the presence of two languages. Nobody denies the right of a parent to start teaching his young infant. But, and this is doubtlessly true, very young children pick the foreign language rather than learn it. If the parent's foreign language is faultless, prise to her or him. But if it isn't, her/his baby is very likely to pick his faults and errors as he goes along. It seems to be true that it is only the language which is spoken as a native at least by one of the parents that can mean an achievement to a very young child.Even in this little argument, there is two to one to discourage one in starting to teach a foreign language to a very young child. I should think twice if I had to do it. But fare well those who start early!
Marija Liudvika Rutkauskaite, Lithuania

I agree with Marija from Lithuania because small children who do not speak their native language well enough, might get easily confused and you will be confronted with bigger problem than just learning English. I think that watching cartoons in any foreign language is quite enough for their age.
Maja, Serbia

I also think its will be too early to teach english at the age of 2 and 1/2 years old but we have to create english speaking and listening envirnment to him/her at home. It would be best if we get internet off line progromme in this web site.
Babu Ram Kunwar, Kathmandu, Nepal