Comments on: Five Frugal Ways To Help Kids Learn A Foreign Language

By: Imene

Imene — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:11:00 +0000

I find that the most helpful thing is to have friends that can play with them in the same language. We speak french to the boys and everyone else speaks english but arabic fell down the wagon. Just because I am the only one talking this language to them. Their father doesn’t really try.
It’s hard for me to accept it because language is the gate to a culture. Thank you for the tips, I will try to implement them.
Imene´s last blog ..A budding relationship

By: Almost Frugal Finding Room in the Budget for Priorities — almost frugal

Almost Frugal Finding Room in the Budget for Priorities — almost frugal — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:05:20 +0000

[...] fundamental values. The most relevant example that I can think of is reading readiness classes in English for our two older children. The classes are taught by an American Montessori teacher and are held [...]

By: Almost Frugal Carnivals, Festivals and Link Love — almost frugal

Almost Frugal Carnivals, Festivals and Link Love — almost frugal — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:55:25 +0000

[...] I was in the Festival of Frugality at Broke Grad Student with my post on helping kids learn a foreign language. [...]

By: pamela ruth munro

pamela ruth munro — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:11:00 +0000

There are also so many opportunities to learn/enrich foreign language skills on the internet – Deutsche Welle has a whole introductory German language course for FREE. Also look at the inexpensive language software. I learned part of the Spanish I know using those cds I got from http://www.arcamax.com for about $6….

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:24:00 +0000

That’s similar to how my ex-uncle and his new wife (who I still see occasionally) are teaching their daughter. English & Spanish in that case.

It’s been quite fun to discover and rediscover my library’s French film section. And, of course, “Belle” from Notre Dame de Paris is still high on my iPod playlist.

By: Eponine

Eponine — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:56:00 +0000

I think you’re on the right track with you and your husband mainly sticking to your native languages with the kids. One of my colleagues (a Spanish teacher) grew up in Panama speaking Spanish with her mother and English with her father, and she speaks both languages perfectly.
It makes sense that your kids are stronger in English right now, because they spend so much time with their American mommy. As soon as they get into a French school, I think their French will catch up in a hurry. I know that my own French improves if I vacation in France, or even if I go to a week-long teacher training where we mainly speak French.
P.S. I’ve been reading for a couple of months now, and always enjoy reading your combo of things French and things frugal.