HELPING YOUR CHILD MAINTAIN THEIR MOTHER TONGUE

Helping your child maintain their mother tongue is important for the following reasons:

1. It helps to support the learning  of a new language or languages
2. Your child will have an easier time should you wish them to re-enter the national educational system or seek future employment
3. To help your child maintain connections with other students of the same culture and identity

Although it may seem daunting at times, here are some tips that can easily be implemented at home:

Early Years

• Read stories to your child in your home language
• Sing songs in your mother tongue
• Listen to CDs and watch movies in your mother tongue
• Show pictures of your home country to your child and talk about them
• Be patient and continue speaking to your child in your mother tongue even if they don't respond  in your home language
• Consider hiring a nanny/babysitter who speaks your child's mother tongue
• Celebrate cultural holidays at home
• Volunteer to talk about your child's culture at school
  

Primary Years

• Have your child read books in their mother tongue
• Maintain connections with family and friends back home via phone calls and letter writing
• Attend local cultural events
• Consider hiring a nanny/babysitter who speaks your child's mother tongue
• Organize playdates
• Play board games in your child's mother tongue
• Encourage your child to do research in their mother tongue
• Watch movies in your child's mother tongue
• Speak to your child in your home language
• Encourage your child to be proud of their heritage
• Cook recipes from your home country with your child
• Take your child back to your home country as often as possible

Have you had any other successful ideas that you would like to share with us?

Additional Tips for Parents

Helping Your Child Learn a Foreign Language
Teaching Your Child to Read Without a Struggle
Improving Your Child's Writing Skills
Improving Your Child's Reading Skills
Improving Your Child's Speaking & Listening Skills