When is the best time for children to start taking Skype English lessons for kids? You may find the answer to this surprising.
According to recent research, children are in the optimum developmental stage to learn a second language, during the first 3 or 4 years of their lives! So as soon as you feel your child is able to respond to a Skype English teacher they can start learning English online. Of course, at this very young age, a parent or other responsible family member may need to take part in the lesson.
Many experts recognise that, developmentally, the language centres in the child’s brain are most active and receptive during their infancy. We all know that during the course of normal development small babies start to make a wide range of sounds. This is the start of their language development. According to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ronald Kotulak, by the time babies are around eight months old, these remarkable little human beings are able to form all the sounds necessary to speak any language in the world.
We all see babies learning to talk and how easily they mimic sounds and simple words. They are natural language students and it does not take long for their “baby babble” to transform into recognisable words and sentences. By the time babies grow into four-year-old infants, they are able to communicate using around 2,000 words. The very young child’s process of learning language is truly remarkable.
Babies and small children learn language through imitation. Surrounding your child with visual and aural stimuli is the best way to trigger his or her language learning response. This is something that parents frequently do without even thinking about it. So, if you would like to prepare your son or daughter for Skype English lessons for kids, provide them with as many opportunities to hear and see English as possible.
If you are able to speak English, set some time aside to speak the language with your child. Remember that learning and play go together so to keep your baby or infant interested make language lessons short and fun. Do not expect very young children to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time.
Other great ways to surround your child with language stimuli include playing them short videos in English: songs, nursery rhymes and short stories. You can find plenty of fun examples on the internet on sites such as YouTube. In addition, small children love listening to stories and looking at picture books. Collect a few examples of English story books with good illustrations and your small son or daughter will enjoy these as much as books in their native language. Using these simple methods you will be amazed at how quickly your child will start repeating the words they hear.
Once you feel that your child is ready to progress to the next stage in learning English, it is time to select a teacher for specialist English tuition. One of the most convenient and comfortable way to organise this is to choose Skype English lessons for kids. Many online English teachers are happy and willing to work with preschool and very young children. There are many advantages to online learning, including; working in an environment that your child is familiar with, parental participation in lessons, working with native English speakers and having access to a ‘one-to-one’ learning programme designed especially for your child. Another benefit is that Skype English lesson with UK tutors are often less expensive than traditional English classes.
If you are interested in discussing Skype English lessons for your child, please visit our homepage to request a 15-minute trial consultation with one of our British English teachers.
Alex Jude is the Founder & CEO of Online Teachers UK. He holds a BA hons degree in Linguistics from The University of Manchester and is a life-long English teacher. Following graduation, he spent 2002-2012 living and teaching in Russia, where he lectured in General Linguistics and Translation Studies. Alex is a fluent Russian speaker and worked with the BBC at the World Cup in 2018. In his spare time, he enjoys camping/bushcraft, playing guitar and watching rugby league.
