Young Children - How Long To Learn Spanish?

[prettejohn]

Hi

We moved to Argentina in February. Our 2 year old and 4 year old have been going to a local kindergarten which we're very happy with. However it is noticeable that our two children are getting frustrated at being unable to communicate with the other children as the other childrn speak very little English and our children speak very little Spanish.

Did any other expats get private Spanish tutors for their children or did they eventually just lean it through playground chat?

They are only at school in the morning and the teachers are great as they are English speakers and the school is a bilingual institution.

Any advice welcome!

 

[swiens]

they may just need more time. We moved here last August when my daughter was 2. I was worried too, but it took her until december (about 5 months) to integrate with her class mates. Maybe wait a bit and see?

 

[arlean]

Hmmm, maybe the fact that they are only there in the morning is a factor. I have friends who came with two young children already in school. Not sure what grades but young, Maybe the first in kindergarden and boy in 2nd grade. They spoke Spanish amazingly fast. I expressed my surprise to them both and asked, "Can you understand the other kids on the playground?" They said yes. But I don't remember how long it took. You've only been here three months, and both of these kids were in school all day, in public school where no one spoke English. I sure wondered at the time how it would go but they both seemed to do okay. They didn't have tutors.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Your 2-year old will pick it up as a native language immediately. Your 4-year old might take longer. I would not waste money on language tutors. Part of the problem might be that they have so much English. I would not have put my kids in a bilingual school but that's just my nature. I'm a sink-or-swim kind of guy. Besides, learning a language is a primary skill for kids. Let them do what they do best; learn to walk, learn to talk, explore, eat sleep, pee and poop.

When my Brasilian wife and I met (here in BA) her kids were 14 mos and 3 years. We decided almost on the first date that she would speak only Portuguese and I would speak only English to them. Took about 2 months until our 3-year old got the hang of what I was saying. They might not have understood every word but they definitely understood what I was saying. They are now 100% fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

 

[trennod]

GS Dirtboy thats awesome! So with one parent speaking english, how long did it take for them to become fluent in english? OP, sorry for going slightly off topic!!

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

They were understanding everything I said within the first year of being together but they responded in Spanish. I was fine with that because I knew the circuitry had been laid in the brain. Once they started getting English as a class in school they both jumped two grade levels within the first year. Our daughter has been the #1 English student in her entire school for 4 years in a row (she's in 9th grade) and our son is not far behind. I do make her respond in English now. She hates it now but when she nails her first job because she tri-lingual fluent she'll be taking her mom and me to dinner.

I forgot, I would also read them children's books in English at night.

 

[trennod]

They were understanding everything I said within the first year of being together but they responded in Spanish. I was fine with that because I knew the circuitry had been laid in the brain. Once they started getting English as a class in school they both jumped two grade levels within the first year. Our daughter has been the #1 English student in her entire school for 4 years in a row (she's in 9th grade) and our son is not far behind. I do make her respond in English now. She hates it now but when she nails her first job because she tri-lingual fluent she'll be taking her mom and me to dinner.

I forgot, I would also read them children's books in English at night.

And how have they taken to Portuguese, do they still speak it with your mrs? I am interested cause my gf and I were talking about this the other day cause although we dont plan on living here and having kids we will still like to speak spanish in the house hold!

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

They both understand and speak Portuguese, English and Spanish. If I were to rate them on their language abilities it would be first Spanish, then Portuguese, then English. However, compared to most adults here in Argentina they are highly fluent in English and Portuguese. In 7 years here I've only met a couple of adults who speak better Portuguese or English than they do. My wife and I still speak to them only in our native languages.

I once heard a "child expert" say that kids can only learn one word at a time for objects, ie learn one language at time. Anything else will confuse them. That turned out to be a big pile of horse manure. Along the way we would throw in some German (I know a little) and French (my wife knows a little). The kids can at least count to 20 and say the basic salutations and some nouns in those languages. I've stressed languages with them because I never had them until late in high school and by then it was a serious struggle. I know that with multiple languages your value to an organization is multiplied, and hence your opportunities.

 

[nikad]

I would have a maid speaking in Spanish while at home. Get her to cook some meals and talk to them a couple of hours a day, it will be will be more natural. That should help some. Or get somebody to babysit a couple of days a week, that talks to them in Spanish.

 

[prettejohn]

Many thanks for all the positive and constructive feedback. I think one of the issues is that as it's a bilingual school and the teachers communicate with them in English and then they come home and speak in English it's still a bit of an English bubble. I like the idea of getting a maid to look after them for some time and cook meals!

We're not too worried at the moment and I'll post back in three months to tell you how they're doing.