If you want your kids to grow bilingual or trilingual, enrolling them in schools and speech centers when they are already in Elementary is not the way to go. You need to start even earlier, when they are 1 or 2 years old and just beginning to learn language.

According to Hann Yang Lee, creator of the Innovative Early Learning Program from Singapore, parents must take advantage of what he calls the “golden window” of language development. Kids at this stage in their lives retain everything that they learn. Their minds are sharper, faster and keener. This, however, does not mean that you can just sit with your kids, recite foreign phrases at random and expect them to learn and speak the language instantly. Teaching kids language can be very tricky and this is perhaps why some parents still fail even if they have started so early in the game.

The secret lies on combining pictures and words. According to Hann, babies need both for their brains to make a connection and ultimately, learn. Thus, flashcards are effective in teaching them new words. The use of colors and highlights that separate words into syllables is another technique that promotes better learning.

“Remember that kids are just starting to discover shapes and colors. They will learn better if you give them these elements and have them associate the pictures with the words, even if they are foreign ones.”

Flashcards, however, must be really big, oversized even. Otherwise, babies will not be able to read the words or be stimulated by the pictures. So if you have those flashcards the size of a deck of playing cards, throw them away. Your tot will not remember anything written on it.

Some parents who have time to spare make their own cards by pasting printed photos downloaded from the internet and then writing the words down on a cartolina. Others– those who are busy with work– rely on language-teaching videos that make use of the flashcard technique.

“Wink to Learn DVDs, for instance, employ all the elements that I have mentioned. It teaches proper spelling and pronunciation of words and phrases. Some videos will even teach your kids two languages at the same time. Even adults can use the videos to learn a new language.”

Still, he advises that parents keep the learning session with their kids short and fast. Otherwise, you will ruin “learning” for them.

‘Babies are discovering new things by the minute. So it is really hard to hold their attention for so long. It is important that you don’t bore them. They must associate learning sessions with something fun and exciting. Otherwise, it will be harder for you to get them to sit with you for the next session. They will come to hate learning,” says Hann.

Thus, when using flashcards, parents must just hold one up for three seconds, say the word, put it down and then move on to the next card. Those with DVDs don't have this problem anymore. They must make sure though that each session does not exceed more than four minutes per day... unless your toddler begs you to continue of course.

Although teaching your kids language is a good thing, coercing them to sit through a study session everyday is not the way to get “education” into their good graces. They are after all still just kids and should be learning about life and language not by studying but by playing.

For more information, call Powerhans at 721-1000.

Make it Work!

If you can't afford a language-teaching DVD, you can always use flashcards. Here are four ways to make sure that your kids learn the language fast.

1. Big and bold Letters
2. Colorful Picture
3. Three-second rule for each flashcard
4. Short study sessions. No more than four minutes a day.