Back to School Tips
This week we were proud to send our children back to school. The excitement and anxiety was obviously palpable, and they’ve finally made it through their first week – hopefully it was a great one! For those of you who have chosen to send your child to a language immersion program, you may be facing a variety of different difficulties than those who send their children to school taught in their native language. Here are a few tips to help your child adjust to a new school – and a new language.
- Begin Consistent Routines
With a new school year, comes a new routine. Having one in place can help your child adapt to their new surroundings more easily. Whether your routine includes reading a book in their second language each night, or watching an informational documentary in their second language, these things can and will help.
- Make Friends
Help you child adapt to their new school by scheduling play dates with classmates on the weekend. Not only will this help them adapt to their new environment, but it will also encourage them to practice their second language outside the classroom.
Another way you can do this is to find extra-curricular activities that are played in their second language. The more opportunities you give them to practice their second language, the more comfortable they’ll feel.
- Be Supportive
If you don’t know the second language they’re learning, make it a goal for yourself to learn with them! If they know you’re supportive of their learning, and offer as many ways as possible to improve their second language, the better.
If you are knowledgeable of their second language, then find activities to do together and speak to them as much as possible in the new language.
In any of these situations, it’s important to offer encouragement and opportunities for them to excel. Nothing can help a child succeed than to set them up for success.
Good luck this year at school and all the best with the new learning that awaits!