Australia鈥檚 multiculturalism predates the arrival of the Europeans; in the late 18th听Century, there were听, and a similar number of languages.听Further diversity has resulted from听waves of immigration dating from the听gold听rush听years听to more recent arrivals.听听To say we have a rich and fecund linguistic terrain barely credits the linguistic diversity of听the听350听home听languages听recorded in the last census.听听
Against the backdrop of this richness and diversity, however,听senior secondary听language听enrolments have听been in听decline听since听the听1960s.听Meanwhile, the world is demanding globally competent citizens and language learning is a key ingredient to success in this area.听听
If your child is already learning a language, great!听However, 鈥榩ractice makes confident鈥�. For a听skill that has such a performative focus,听confidence is key. How can your child听(or even better the whole family) supplement their school study or take on a whole new language? Here are ten useful tips for听learners at all stages of their second language adventure.
听1. Seek out community
Multicultural听Australia听is teeming with听rich听linguistic听resources听often听languishing in the minds;听and in some cases, 鈥榬otting in the mouths鈥� of native speakers, as the poet Sujata Bhatt phrased it in her piece titled,听听Connect听your听child听to these resources and enjoy the social side of language appreciation as a family. This will be a far better imitation of听the听language acquisition that occurs听in听bilingual communities.听There are numerous organisations which unite speakers of different languages in our community. For听example,听听(meaning 鈥楩rench Alliance鈥�) has classes and conversation groups in most听capital cities and regional centres. They hold dinner parties,听pastry mornings and other fun – and delicious听–听events.听For Italian, there are clubs and community colleges in most cities which offer听classes and conversation.听Whatever your language, there will be something in your city.听
2. Can鈥檛 get out and about?听Let the internet听be听your virtual community
听, while geared to schools,听provides听. Languages include Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Korean and听Vietnamese. Students can play games, work through online readers and generally explore.听Language learning apps may add to screen听time听but听they are听fantastic for building confidence. They provide the opportunity to practice in private with a feedback loop. Products which include Virtual Reality are particularly useful because of the听鈥榠n real life鈥櫶齠eeling of immersion they听create.听听
A particularly interesting resource is the听听and contributors are always adding new content. The Australian Curriculum has included Australian Indigenous听languages听to its list听of听languages听offered and the benefits to social cohesion are promising. Why not visit and see what your local traditional language is?听听
3. Visit the library
Find听your child鈥檚听favourite book in the target language. If it鈥檚 bilingual,听even better. This way they can compare their favourite passages听and learn as they go.听听
4. Switch phone language
Your child not much of a reader? No problem. Switch their phone into their target language. It鈥檚 incredible how much you can learn from听app听prompts and your phone鈥檚 operating system.听This is also a great way for听children听to learn real youth vernacular, as听many听apps mirror youth culture. Extra apps can be added, such as fitness and budgeting or wellbeing apps,听to听broaden the range of vocabulary presented to your budding linguist.听听
5. At the movies
See if you can change听your child鈥檚听favourite movies into the target language听with English subtitles.听Not only does this听tune听their ear听to the听rhythms, intonation and stress patterns听of the target language, it听improves听English reading at the same time.听听
6. A听pre-tech classic
Label everything in your house with sticky notes. Admittedly, this only covers household items, but you can expand this to magazines and other visual and reading materials to broaden the scope.听听
7. Find an international听pen pal
As a child, I听had an Italian pen pal听which was a wonderful experience.听If there鈥檚 a language teacher at your school (and there should be!), ask them to connect you with a teacher of your target language听to听help you set up a pen pal relationship.听听
8. Say听鈥榶es鈥� to that听exchange student
When听an听email comes from school asking for host families for听an听upcoming student exchange, say 鈥榶es鈥�. If your school does not have an exchange program,听you can always听connect with an exchange provider.听Host students听are听visiting听to learn听and improve their听English,听but听are usually happy chat with your little linguist听in their native language.听
9. Get an au pair
I听have managed to work from home听with four children, thanks to听the help of an au pair. I speak French, Italian and German.听I have听opted for speakers of those languages in order to practise my languages, and to provide opportunity听for听my children to develop 鈥榓n ear鈥� for languages.听If听you have the space, and need some child care, consider this arrangement.听听
10. Travel abroad
If you have the means, take听your child听to the country of the target language听for as long as you听can.听听If you can鈥檛, and they鈥檙e old enough, send them on their own.听With four children, it鈥檚 a major undertaking听for us听to get to Europe. Consequently, my 13-year-old son will听go听to Germany on a student exchange in 2021. We听will听send him to a family friend in Germany for some 鈥榩riming鈥� next year.听听
These are听my听tips, as听a language teacher听and researcher, learner,听and parent.听There are some key themes which unite them all. In 1975, a PhD student called听听She found that听a听good language learner is a good guesser; is willing to appear foolish to get his message across, and, finally, will try out听their听new knowledge.听听
While these are听habits and attitudes that you cannot force your children to adopt, they all depend on two key factors that听are听within parental control. These are听self-confidence听through safe, supported practice,听and听exposure. To gain exposure for your language learners, it鈥檚 vital to听capitalise on听every听opportunity听鈥� especially听those听that are free, easy to arrange,听and can be听accessed听in the听comfort of your own home.听听
