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These days, it is absolutely essential to have a strong command over the English language. English is spoken all over the world and is considered as an international language. Therefore, it is very important for you to make sure that your child is trained properly in English so that he is well versed with the language and is fluent in it. If you are wondering as to why English is important, then here are a few reasons that would convince you
- English is required for higher studies. No matter what your mother tongue is if you want your child to pursue higher studies, in that case, he has no other options but to opt for English. If you want your child to pursue his higher education abroad; like the UK, USA or Australia, then what other option does he have but to be well versed in the language?
- This is a global village we are living in these days. If you are an Indian and you belong to the Eastern part with Bengali your mother tongue, then how would he communicate with someone from South India? Besides, he might come across situations in his professional career where he might have to converse with people from other countries. This is where English comes handy
So, now that you know why it is important for your child to learn English, you also need to have some idea as to how you can improve his writing, reading and speaking skills. Remember, the process needs to start right at the early stage. One of the best ways to make sure that he feels comfortable with the language is by admitting him to an English medium school. It will be easier for him to get hold of the language.
In the following section, you will be offered a couple of useful tips which you might find to be handy when it comes to improving the overall English skills of your child
Tips to Improve English Communication
To us, we Indians, English is a foreign language. Therefore, it is important to remember that it will take some time for your child to master in the language. You cannot expect him to be fluent in it right from the word go. Here are a couple of tips to learn English language which might help
- Ambiance: For a child, when his brain is in an adaptive mode, the ambiance plays a very important role. You need to ensure that he spends most of his time in an ambiance where English is the primary medium of communication. This is where English medium schools in India come into the picture. In these schools, special emphasis is given on English communication and the kids are made to communicate in English with each other. Besides, while he is at home, try and create an atmosphere which is dominated by the English language. This, however, by no means implies that the mother tongue should be undermined!
- Make him love the language: The fact that English is not something which he is automatically acquainted with, it is important for you to make sure that he loves the language. One easy way to take care of this is by reading him stories in English, encouraging him to watch English cartoon shows. Besides, you also need to make sure that he communicates in English as much as he can. In this way, he will not only grow a habit of the language but at the same time fall in love with it
- Allow him to Speak: This is the most important thing. You must allow your child to speak in English. No matter if he is uttering absolute nonsense; the idea is to make sure that he develops a habit of it. As far as grammar and accuracy are concerned, they will gradually fall in place with time. The most important thing which you need to ensure that he is allowed to speak his mind. This will also help him improve his fluency
- Make him Write: Ask him to write a passage on how he had spent his day at school. Again, the idea is to help him develop fluency. You cannot expect him to be grammatically correct! As a matter of fact, there will be plenty of grammatical mistakes; however, as long as he is expressing his thoughts in English, he is on the right track.
- Make him Read: Make him read English as much as possible. There are plenty of options available as far as children story books are concerned. Make it a habit to buy him these books on a regular basis. The more he reads, the more he would notice the pattern and structure of the sentences. In this way, he will be gradually able to improve on his grammar
- Translation Helps: Encourage him to translate something which he has read in his mother tongue. This will allow him to improvise and learn the usage of proper words and phrases.
- Using Dictionary is a must: Teach him how to use a dictionary. This will help him to figure out the meanings of words which are unknown to him.
- Engage in Conversation: Engaging your child in English conversation can help a great deal when it comes to improving his skills. More he would converse, more fluency he is likely to gain
These are some of the ways you can resort to for improving your child’s English communication skills. Besides, there are other options as well as making him listen to English commentary, watching an English movie with him. The process of learning English can take some time; however, if properly taken care of, your child will be reasonably fluent in the language within a few years. This is the time when fine-tuning is required where he needs to work on his accent and enunciation.
Given the world we are living in, you have no other options but to make sure that your child is well versed in the English language
Author Bio: Garima Sharma is a versed blogger. She tries to discover new trends in the world and love to write blogs. She writes for a wide variety of topics including Education like GMAT, GRE, IELTS Singapore industry and also writes for Digital Marketing, Health, Fitness and Technology, and many more.