We get many questions from families who want to help their kids learn Spanish. Here’s a recent one about a common concern:
My grandson is enrolled in a dual-language Spanish program. His parents do not speak Spanish. Will he get discouraged in school?
We love that these grandparents feel so invested in whether their grandson achieves Spanish fluency! The question they are asking is an important one, so we wanted to create an article specifically to address it.
If your kids are in a dual-language program, but you don’t speak the language yourself, read on for some encouragement and practical strategies.
What Is a Dual-Language Program?
Before we really dive in, let’s first talk about what dual-language programs in Spanish are in case you are not familiar. While details can vary, dual-language instruction basically means that kids learn in both English and Spanish. For example, maybe math class is taught in Spanish, but social studies is taught in English.
While any dual-language program is beneficial, we believe two-way dual-language programs are most effective. In such programs, some of the students are native English speakers, while others are native Spanish speakers. This means that kids don’t just learn from their teachers; they learn language from each other.
If you’re looking for a Spanish dual-language program in your area, we have an ever-growing list on the TruFluency Kids home page. (Just scroll all the way down to the bottom.) Also be sure to check out our list of questions to ask when you’re choosing a dual-language program.
Do These Programs Still Work if Parents Don’t Speak Spanish?
Short answer: Yes. Tons of kids succeed with dual-language programs even when their parents don’t speak the language their kids are studying. Kids all over the world go to English schools whether their parents speak English or not.
Of course, kids will progress faster and probably have a head start if the parents do speak the language they are studying, but it’s not essential. Kids learn lots of things their parents don’t know.
Think about it: If you took calculus in high school, you probably don’t remember much of it now. But that doesn’t mean your kids can’t learn calculus.
Want some more good news? You can feel confident that your kids can learn a language because, well, they’ve already learned one — your native language!
Learning a new language is less about specialized instruction or having a natural gift, and more about having plenty of opportunities to hear and use the language.
Creating a Spanish-Filled Environment
For families in which the parents speak Spanish, giving kids those opportunities to hear and use the language is fairly straightforward — they can just talk to their children in Spanish.
This doesn’t mean that Spanish-speaking parents never run into troubles getting their kids to speak that language at home. Sometimes children understand Spanish but keep answering in English. That’s its own challenge, and we’ve addressed it in other articles.
But you can still create an environment that supports Spanish learning even if you don’t speak the language yourself. Here are a few ways you can supplement what your kids are learning in their dual-language Spanish program:
- Hire a Spanish-speaking babysitter who speaks to your kids only in that language.
- Fill your home with books in Spanish.
- Practice new vocabulary words together. Your willingness to learn sets a great example for your kids!
No matter how you choose to help your kids learn Spanish, the key is consistency. Your kids learned to speak English because they were surrounded by it. That’s the same way they’ll learn Spanish.
Supplement Dual-Language Programs with TruFluency Kids
Let’s return to the grandparents’ question that started this article. Yes, their grandson might feel discouraged sometimes in his Spanish dual-language program. That’s just a part of learning something new. But if he gets the Spanish practice we talked about, and his family is positive and encouraging, he should be well on his way to Spanish fluency.
If your family is in the same situation, we invite you to explore Spanish lessons at TruFluency Kids. We have online classes for different ages and Spanish experience levels. Some of our students have Spanish-speaking parents; others don’t. But all enjoy our high-energy, activity-filled classes. Your kids can learn Spanish while singing, dancing, doing crafts, playing games and even cooking.
TruFluency Kids’ instructors are native Spanish speakers, and all lessons are based on the Bellieu Method — created by our founder, CEO and language expert Micah Bellieu — which emphasizes speaking during every class. And don’t worry: Our classes are safe spaces to make mistakes.
We know how busy you are, so our classes are completely online and with flexible schedules. Your kids can study with us from anywhere! There are no more than six students per class, so each one is very personalized. After class, parents can join a Q & A to learn more.
