Cognitive scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that parents think using educational toys, apps and flashcards is the best way to teach their children, when all they really need to do is engage them in chat.   Back and forth conversation, they found, changes a child’s brain. It boosts brain development and language skills.   The conclusion: parents shouldn’t just talk, they should also listen.

I read this research on language development with interest as although it’s new, the philosophy behind it is something we’ve been doing at Club Petit Pierrot from the very beginning.

When I started out, twenty five years ago now, flashcards and repetition were all the rage. If your children knew all the words to Sur Le Pont D’Avignon then, as a teacher, you were doing well. But this just wasn’t for me. Instead, I believed (and still do) that young children learn a second language by absorbing it like their native tongue and I devised an immersion programme to encourage children to communicate in French from the moment they come into the class.

Those of you who are familiar with our concept or our classes will know that conversation plays a huge part in what we do. Parents often think they’ll be able to sit and spectate, they sometimes get quite a shock when they realise how important it is for them to join in.

For me, building relationships with children and communicating with them in any way we can is absolutely crucial. And not just for first or second language development, but for a whole host of other things too.

When you really engage with children and make it fun as we do, they are happy and want to communicate back. You can’t fool children, if you’re not genuinely interested in them and what they’re doing, you won’t keep their attention for very long – or even capture it in the first place. It’s also important for us that adults have fun too – we sing, play games, do arts and crafts and don’t allow the distraction of mobile phones!

Of course, it’s all well and good engaging with your children for 45 minutes in a class. The real key to success is to do this all the time, to talk with your child, not to your child. Have conversations with them about their favourite TV show, toy or even what you’ve been doing all day – anything that’ll interest them. I used to love it when my son asked “how was your day mummy?” I was always quite touched by this and it was a great conversation starter between us both.

“It’s almost magical how parental conversation appears to influence the biological growth of the brain,” says John Gabrieli, the senior author of the MIT study. “Having a conversation requires children to practice understanding what the other person is trying to say, and how to respond appropriately. This is obviously a very different skill from just listening.”

So there you go, surely there can’t be a better reason to make yourself a cup of tea, grab a comfy chair and sit down with your child for a good old chat!

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The post Talk Less and Listen More! Boost your child’s language development first appeared on Club Petit Pierrot.

3 points to guide parents on planning their children’s activities

My birthday is on the 31^st December. Every January I wake up seeing another Christmas past, another year older and a whole new year to tackle. You can’t help but feel the need to reevaluate and plan ahead.

For parents this is not only about us but also about our children: One of the decisions parents often reevaluate at this time of year is deciding which activities to enrol their children in, whatever their age there are so many to choose from!!

Over the years, running my French Lessons Club, I have seen a lot of parents feeling the pressure and a lot of children being overwhelmed. And as a mother, I learned the hard way through experience too!

SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING

1. What YOU think is important for your child’s development

•  Don’t get pressured into doing the same activities as your friends. Although I do not mean to ignore recommendations obviously but first really think what you are looking for and what your child needs.
• A good class will emphasize on one aspect of development (whether physical or language related) whithout ignoring how a child learns and it will naturally involves other areas of learning. For instance during our French classes, French is taught through many multi-sensory, creative and physical activities so children will not only learn the language but also improve their fine and gross motor skills. And during a gym class with singing, play and storytelling young children will not only develop their gross motor skills but also improve their language skills!

2. You want your child to be happy, to flourish and learn

•   Whether it is because he does not like the activity or this is something he is not at ease with or that the teaching methods are not suitable and fun. If your child is not happy during the sessions, he will not learn well, full stop!!
• Once you have chosen, you can ask for a trial lesson. But bare in mind that one session is not always enough to know if the class suits your child. It takes time to get used to a new environment. Some children will participate immediately, others will need to observe a few times before doing so. Some will cry when dropped off at first…
•  You need to give your child the opportunity first to discover, then experiment and eventually learn!
•  You must not organise too many classes as it could be overwhelming in a lot of aspects and be counter productive

3. You should expect a safe and nurturing environment

•  Check that the staff are caring and have clear guidelines to support educationally and emotionally the children, under their care.
•  Check that the staff have the necessary information about your child such as your telephone numbers and any medical or other relevant information
• Check that there is at least one member of staff fully first aid trained on sight.
• Check that the doors stay locked during sessions (as so many groups are in church halls with no caretakers).

Ah non ! There is one more important point, children who are overwhelmed with activities every day, have a hard time retaining new information. Plus, free play is a crucial aspect of child development. Whichever activities you opt for, make sure to allow time for unstructured play so that children have the freedom to test out their new skills.

I often have parents commenting with things like “I heard my child asking questions in French to her doll!” or “My little one likes to count his dinosaurs in French, unprompted.”

It’s truly amazing what our children are capable of when we give them the chance to experiment and digest in their own ways!

The post HERE WE GO AGAIN… 3 points to guide parents on planning their children’s activities first appeared on Club Petit Pierrot.