Parents will do anything and everything to ensure that their child has the right tools to succeed in this competitive world. And this includes being proficient in English, which seems to be the universal language. However, since kids these days are more exposed to shows, movies, books, and even Internet resources that are mostly in English, the upside is that kids, in general, have a good handle of the language. But this mostly comes at the expense of their Filipino proficiency.
And this hardship of little Pinoys in the Filipino language is no laughing matter – as most parents soon find out when they start school and have a hard time in subjects such as Araling Panlipunan and Filipino.
So if you’re one of those parents (yup, we’re struggling too), here are a few tips on how we can help our kids learn the Filipino language better:
Speak it.
One of the best ways to learn a language is to use it and speak it in actual conversation. And we can do this with our Filipino-challenged kids at home. Ask everyone at home to converse with your kids using Filipino. Conversing in Filipino in their daily lives will help them learn new words and proper contexts.
Tell stories.
Aside from speaking it, stories are also a good springboard for language learning. Plus, kids love stories. You can alternate between English and Filipino stories for your storytelling sessions. And if your kids are old enough, you can also set up read-aloud story sessions using storybooks in Filipino.
Sing it out.
Another way to learn a new language is through songs and play. Teach Filipino songs or even games to your kids, such as Leron Leron Sinta or Bahay Kubo.
Use other educational tools.
Such as Filipino movies, videos, and even online tools. Exposing your kids to these resources will make their language learning more fun and engaging.
Take it easy.
Remember, getting a good grasp of a new language takes time. If your kids have been fluently speaking English ever since they started speaking, then don’t expect them to be fluent in Filipino after just one AP or Filipino class. Be patient in translating and explaining as much as possible, and take it one step at a time.
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