Which sentence is correct:
I like to run
I enjoy to run
Did you pick the first one?
If you did, you’re right! Good job! 😛
The real question here, though, is WHY did you pick the first one over the second?
Because you knew the grammar rules and the syntax of the English language?
Probably not. More than likely, you just knew what sounded right.
That is the reason why I say you (or I, or anyone else) can’t “teach” your child Spanish.
Like our first language, we weren’t “taught” it
We acquired it!
That’s why we hear people say “I took 5 years of Spanish and I don’t remember a thing…”
Or “My kid tried learning Spanish on Duolingo but it just didn’t work for him…”
… “we hired a tutor but the lessons were so boring… “
For a language to stick, it has to be acquired.
And you have to be relaxed and having fun
Now, I could go on and on about the research behind this and talk about it for hours, but I’ll trust that you trust me on this one
(if you ever want to hear more about it, let’s schedule a phone call – I’d love to have that conversation with you!)
But just know that when I say you can’t teach your child Spanish, I’m not trying to be a downer.
I also can’t “teach” your child Spanish.
I mean, could, but I wouldn’t want to “teach” them, because it wouldn’t be as effective as if I helped them to acquire it.
Which is exactly what we do at Sarah’s Spanish School.
In our Spanish classes, we help students to acquire the 2nd language, just like they acquired their first language.
We focus on conversation, confidence, and positive interactions.
Our kids have fun, laugh, do cool activities, and pick up Spanish at their own pace, subconsciously.
We want them to have fun in the language-learning process, and to freely let Spanish slip off of their tongues and just speak.
And they will be praised when they do!
If we can instill in them that love for language so much that they want to continue into the upper levels and continue to learn Spanish in high school and beyond, that’s a huge success.
If we can give them the gift of acquiring the language and the ability to communicate in the language, that’s what we want to do.
So, we can’t “teach” your child Spanish, but we can help them to acquire it, love it, and have fun in the process.
I’ll send you an email when the doors re-open for your child to acquire Spanish online with me.
Until then, I hope you are enjoying your summer to the fullest!
Sarah
