2nd language to offer

[Blackhorse]

Hi,

I hope I can draw on your experiences again. As I am now going through my application, I am thinking about all the things I would want to offer to the children and parents if my application should be successful.
I was born in Austria (I have lived in the uk for 6 years now ) and am therefore fluent in German.
Do you think moms and dads would be looking for their children to maybe pick up a new language while they are being looked after?
I am raising my daughter in german and my partner in english so that she will be able to speak both once she is older.

Just wondered if this is something that might be of interest to the parents ...

hope you all have a nice day :jump for joy:

Nicole

[sarah707]

A little boy I care for is being taught French at home, in the hopes he grows up bilingual and I imagine there are parents who would like this ...

Looking at it from the other side though, you are going to come up against some parents who think it's all a bit airy fairy and no good teaching them another language when they can't speak their mother tongue properly yet.

So I suppose you need to be prepared for both reactions ...

I wonder if it would be worth your while doing classes? :D

[Annie_T]

i would say you offer german language hun, as some parents may come to you for that alone,

i myself cant offer languages .. i struggle with my english as it is haha na i just get in a fuddle if i get excited etc :blush:

put what you think is needed that you can provide hun x

[crazybones]

I think its great if you can offer it. I had the opposite when I looked after a bi-lingual lo for 4 years. It benefitted myself and my children greatly as we would help her and she would help us. All great fun when a 3 yr old is correcting my schoolgirl French :laughing:

[Jinx]

I think offering a second language can be a huge bonus so I would definately mention it. I wonder if you will need a 'use of foreign language policy?' lol :D

Jinx x

[Spangles]

Personally, I would think that was brilliant but I know a lot of people are of the opinion that introducing two languages will be confusing for the child and also the parents might worry that they won't know what their child is talking about if they can't speak German!

For me though I would think it was a great opportunity for my son as having another language can only be a benefit and at young ages they pick it up so easily.

I would say you offer it though as it's just like baby sign, some parents think it's great and others don't, you can't please everyone.

[kindredspirits]

i'd say theres no harm in offering it - but you have to be prepared for a parent coming and saying they don't want you to speak german to their LO - in which case are you going to speak it to your daughter when they're around, iykwim. i would either say i do speak german sometimes so they could pick it up - or decide no i won't speak it in front of mindees - i think a mismash would be confusing for the kids if you speak german to your daughter in front of them, but not to them.

[Rubybubbles]

not from a minding pov, but one of my friends is from germany and has brought her children up speaking german to them, and her hubby talks english.

It is very amusing when she is telling them off (I have no idea what she's saying) but get the jist of what she is saying! I think it's great idea to use it for childminding, my own 2 did pick some up from them, although she did speak english to them, but taught them 1,2,3 s ect


I must email my friend! she moved on and it's been so long ekkkkk thanks;)

[Rubybubbles]

also! she would talk german to the kids, and they would always reply in english how fab is that:clapping: this was when they were 2 and 4 ish

[manjay]

I think it is a fab idea. I live in a very bilingual village where lots of children are brought up with parents/ teachers speaking both languages. Being English myself makes me feel a bit left out. I am going to college in September to aid my Welsh speaking skills so I can offer a bilingual setting. Even one of our Foundation phase areas of learning is Welsh Langauge develpment. Slightly different speaking german but I think if you make it clear to parents from the outset that you speak to your daughter in German there should be no problem. As a parent I would have no problem

[tulip0803]

I agree that many parents would come to you purely for that reason. But as said before there are others who cannot see the point of learning other languages. Very sad people:( .

Like Manjay I live in a Welsh speaking area, with Welsh speaking schools but there are still some people who go on about children being taught only one language (English). It is very sad as the earlier they are introduced to another language the easier it is for them to speak it. Being bilingual makes it easier to learn other languages too and can help with problem solving as the children are able to hold 2 concepts at once (thought to come from having the 2 different languages and being able to understand from an early age that 2 different things are the same). My DDs are both fluent in Welsh while I struggle trying to learn.

Where I work there is a little girl who is not 3 until Sept and she speaks fluent Polish, English and Persian. When she starts school she will learn Welsh too.

[ajs]

go for it i wish this country was less xenophobic and encouraged learning another language from an early age.
my greek friend speaks Greek to her kids and dad speaks english she tells them off in rapid greek and they aged 7 .5 and 2 answer her in english too.
i think it's cool.
they were later talking but they speak 2 languages fluently which is more then i do
mum also speaks French, Italian, Russian and a smattering of Spanish as well as English and of course Greek

[Angela234]

Yes offer it my my sister in laws grandchildren speak french and english as Mum is French and Dad English the children pick it up really well at a young age a great chance if the parents are happy with it

Good luck

Angela