Hello my dear.

Very often, parents want their children to learn English as soon as possible. And the skill of reading in this matter is far from the last place. But if in Russian at some intuitive level it is clear what needs to be done, then English is already a problem. So mothers turn to me for advice on how to teach a child to read in English.

And today I decided to answer all your questions: how to do it at home, how to do it quickly and correctly, and what exercises you should pay attention to first.

The most important thing before starting

To teach your toddler to read from scratch, you need to learn at least a few words in another language. Believe me, if you immediately sit down to learn to read, you will only get screams, tantrums and a wild disgust for learning the language in the future.

While you are still very young and have not gone to grade 1, just study new words together, memorize them by ear, teach your child to sound English words. It is important that he understands what the word he pronounces means.

Most educational institutions include a foreign language in their curriculum only when students enter the 3rd grade. But it will not be difficult for your baby to start learning the basics immediately after moving into 2nd grade.

By this time, he will have been taught how to read correctly in his native language, he will understand that letters form certain sounds and add up to words. Trust me, in this case, the learning will go much faster. By the way, if your child is already a schoolboy, I advise you.

Where to start?

If we talk about how to properly teach a child to read in English, then the most correct answer would be -. You need to do this in the most interesting ways for the child: teach him with the help of songs, toy cubes or magnets, cards and coloring books - in general, everything that your imagination gets to.

But remember that letters and sounds are different things, especially in English. Therefore, when training, pay special attention to this. By the way, your child will quickly learn this moment if it passes here is a course from LinguaLeo - Milana and I really liked it, so I recommend it - and you can also taste it!))

An increasingly popular method of teaching a child to read is becoming increasingly popular among parents and teachers, which is called Phonics(Phoenix). Its essence lies in the fact that your children do not learn letters separately from words. They learn the SOUND, which in most cases forms this letter. That is, they remember the letter “s” not as “es”, but as “s”. It's like in Russian: we call the letter "em", but pronounce "Machine".

Remember, my dears, that all children are different and sometimes remember information for a very long time, so do not rush your baby, and even more so move on to learning something new until you have mastered the previous material 100%!

If you want your child to develop their thinking at a super fast pace, you need to practice motor skills. It has long been known that any activity involving manual work will go a long way towards your children's mental victories!

Now new toys are constantly appearing on the market, many of which are pure trinkets!!! Personally, I am only for useful games! Therefore, I strongly advise you here's a thing for your future prodigy. It will definitely please not only your child, but also you. Make the most of your time!

The next stage after the alphabet is reading syllables. Tell your child how vowels connect with consonants, how much they are friends. And only then proceed to the last stage - the words.

Transcription - the basis of the basics

One of the most important points when learning a language both at school and at home is the correct transcription.

Transcription is graphic display of pronunciation(I dedicated it to her, where I sorted out all the icons, gave exercises with answers and shared the secrets of remembering the signs of English transcription ) .

At first, it seems that reading the transcription is simply unrealistic, because there are some incomprehensible “hooks and icons”. But I assure you, everything is much simpler. Below I will show you in the most detailed way how all the sounds of the English language are read. If you already know how the English alphabet sounds, then it will be interesting for you to see how the letters you already know are indicated in transcription.

But besides the sounds that we know from the alphabet, there are also sounds in the English language that are not shown in alphabetical letters, but are created by certain combinations of them. Let's look at their transcription and voicing in Russian speech ().

Unconventional way

There is another way to teach children to read. It is practiced both in teaching the native language and a foreign one. This method consists in starting learning not from parts to the whole, but vice versa, from the whole to parts, that is, from whole words to letters. I would recommend using this method from early childhood - from the age of 3. On you will find popular English words for children (voiced), which, if desired, can be printed and used in the form of cards - so the child will quickly remember not only their translation, but also the correct way of reading.

This method is based on the child's ability to associate the written word and the combination of sounds heard at the same time. And given the fact that usually children's memory is many times better than our adult memory (if there is a moment of interest, of course!), then this method can bring much faster results than the traditional one. I will definitely tell you more about it, but in a separate article. Subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out.

I can also recommend a book « Learn to read English» (wonderful author Evgenia Karlova) - it combines usefulness and interest in a great way. Each parent will be able to teach their child to read English words, as the material is presented in a very accessible form.

Another decent book — How to learn to read in English (M. Kaufman) . What is very remarkable, in parallel with learning to read, there is an acquaintance with the English-speaking culture. This awakens the interest and curiosity of the child in the language ... And interest, as you know, is already 50% of success! If not more...

Practice, practice and more practice

Oh how I love the practical parts. So today I have prepared for you some exercises with words that will help your child quickly master this difficult task - reading in English. The essence of the exercise is grouping words by sounds. A child, reading a certain group of words, will remember the combinations of letters that he sees at the same time. Thus, a clear concept will form in his head, how this or that word is read. Of course, there are exceptions in English ... a dime a dozen, and you can't keep up with all of them. Therefore, the more your child reads, the faster he will learn to read correctly.

say, may, lay, stay, way, pay, play

mate, fate, rate, late, gate

game, came, make, Kate

sun, fun, run, gun, cut, but, nut

twice, ice, rice, mice, lice

sit, pit, fit

fine, nine, mine, shine, line

not, spot, lot

gone, done

fork, cork

cope, smoke, rose, nose

here, me, fear, tear

pure, cure, lure

mare, bare, dare, care

shy, sky, my, by, buy

And if you still have questions - and I'm sure that if they are not at the moment, then they will definitely appear again - then welcome to the comments. I will be happy to explain to you everything you do not understand, dispel all doubts and help you understand even better how quickly.

Be the first to get new knowledge.

And that's all for today.
Till!

The sooner a child begins to learn a foreign language, the better and faster his speech skills will form. When should you start exercising? It is believed that the optimal age is 3 years. It makes no sense to study a second language with a child before, because he must first learn to speak his native language. Therefore, parents should be the first to deal with their child, and not wait until he goes to school. So, let's look at how to teach a child English from scratch.

Where to begin?

Learning a foreign language with a baby should be under the following conditions:

• the child has well-developed speech skills in his native language, he has a sufficient vocabulary;
• there is an opportunity to practice regularly;
• you can organize the study in a playful way so that the baby learns with pleasure.

How to teach a child English at home?

To get started, start by learning the words. Remember that children remember what interests them. What do kids love? Songs, poems and riddles. They tend to remember them well. Download audio tutorials online for learning English with young children and listen to songs with them, then sing along. On a walk, invite your child to sing a song for memory, remind him what words are found in it and what they mean.

It is better to learn vocabulary during games. For example, playing "daughters-mothers" you can introduce your baby to the traditions of England, as well as improve speech skills. To begin with, introduce the child to the relatives of the English doll, tell, for example, what fruits she likes, what clothes she prefers to wear, etc. Such a game is convenient because you can constantly come up with new thematic scenes: a doll at school, in a cafe, on a walk, with friends, etc. This will allow you to expand your baby’s vocabulary in a relaxed and interesting way. Let the child repeat new words, phrases during the game, just make sure the pronunciation is correct.

We list the main ways to teach a child English on their own:

• a joint game in which various everyday situations are played out;
• listening to songs, poems, riddles, counting rhymes and memorizing them;
• viewing children's in English and discussing them;
• reading fairy tales;
• everyday conversations with the child in English.

But these tips are applicable for vocabulary replenishment and the formation of oral speech skills.

How to teach a child to write in English?

This process requires perseverance and a more serious attitude from the child. In addition, the basis for written speech is oral. Therefore, if your child is 5 years old, he is ready to study for 20-25 minutes a day, and he already knows enough words in English, then you can begin to form his writing skills.

First you need to learn the spelling of letters and their combinations. Then we explain how to write individual words that the child already uses in oral speech. It is important to connect associations here. For example, you need to remember the word kitten (kitten). Draw with your child an animal that holds the letters t in two paws instead of mice. In the picture, write with the child an English word and its Russian version, repeat how it sounds orally. After some time, ask the child to write this lexeme without looking at the picture. At a later stage, use various exercises to reinforce writing skills: write familiar three words together, and the child will separate them; let the kid insert the missing letters in the words, etc.

How to teach a child at home in English? Reading skills are developed along with writing skills or independently. The sequence is important here:

You, too, together with the child, pronounce the words aloud - so he will better remember their correct pronunciation.

Thus, we examined how to teach a child English without tutors. And remember that the main thing in your joint classes is regularity.

English is a base that any self-respecting person should have. More than half of the world speaks English, it is considered universal and, to some extent, international. To instill in your child a love for the language and the process of learning it is very important to study English at home. Often, parents shift the responsibility for learning the language to teachers in kindergarten and at school, to tutors. However, you need to understand that at school the teacher has 20-30 children and only 45 minutes. He cannot give enough attention to everyone, hence the quality of education. The tutor often deals with the child individually, but only 1-2 times a week. This is not enough for quality language learning. You can visit an experienced teacher, but at home the process must continue. Parents should not let their child's education take its course - you should check, control and guide.

A very important condition under which a mother can teach a child a foreign language is her own knowledge. If she studied German at school as a child, it will be more difficult to take up English from scratch. You can even hurt your child by teaching them the wrong pronunciation, which will be difficult to get rid of. But if the mother has a certain school base, this is quite enough for early language learning. You can invite an English teacher to your home for a couple of classes, who will help you remember your past knowledge and talk about methods for teaching English to young children.

When can I start training

It is better to start teaching a child from an early age. The most optimal age is 2-3 years. Learning a language even earlier is justified only if the parent is fluent in the language and can fully speak English with the baby. In other cases, you need to wait until the child has a sufficient vocabulary in his native language. If this is not done, the child's speech will stall. Often in mixed families, where parents speak different languages, children begin to speak later than their peers, but at the same time in both languages.

Before starting training, you need to understand whether your child is ready for the creative process. If the baby is fluent in sentences in his native language, the learning process can begin. In addition, you need to take into account the availability of free time for regular classes. After all, from a couple of hours a week there will be no effect. To accumulate at least some vocabulary, you need to study regularly and daily for at least half an hour for kids and an hour for older children.

Starting to teach a child on your own, be prepared to prepare methodological materials, films, cartoons, various cards and pictures. It is the mother who should show a creative approach so that the training takes place easily, comfortably and in a playful way.

How to teach a foreign language to a small child

Children of the first five years of life are not ready to learn grammar, build complex sentences, understand connecting phrases and analyze them. Language learning in young children should be built in the same way as you taught your baby your native language. Everything should be very clear and consistent. Here are some ways to help you build up a small stock of English words in your 3-4 year old's head.

1. Cartoons. This is something that any kid of this age will not refuse. Search online, buy or rent cartoons with simple English phrases. At first, children may not understand speech and guess the meaning of the plot only by context and intonation. However, regular viewing leads to the fact that the child begins to understand the simple phrases "Hallo", "Bye-Bye", "Thank you". It is very important not only to listen to these words, but also to ask the child to repeat them in order to practice pronunciation.
2. Cards. This is another way to teach kids. Stationery stores have special cards on which the names of furniture, animals, vegetables, body parts, and other groups of words are written. Under each picture there is a title in English. You can repeat these names with your child, and then try to find these items on the street or at home. That is, you point to the table, but not the one in the picture, but the one that is in your house and ask the baby “What is this?”. The kid should answer in English "Table". To make the process more memorable, you can not buy cards, but make them yourself with your child. While the kid is drawing another object or animal, say its name in English several times.
3. Use phrases in everyday life. If you have already learned a few words, you need to use familiar phrases in everyday life. Tell your baby "Have a nice day" when you leave him in kindergarten, "Good evening" when you send him to bed and "I love you" when you want to express your emotions.
4. Give your child an "Englishman" toy. It can be a hare, a doll or a teddy bear. Tell your child that the bear only speaks and understands English. This will not only allow you to separate the speech, but also make the baby speak if he is still embarrassed by his pronunciation. That is, when the baby says to the bear: “Go to bed,” tell the baby that the bear does not understand and ask him to pronounce the phrase in English, after prompting it to him. In the future, hints will need less and less. This method of language learning is also successful because you can find yourself in various life situations with a bear - at the doctor's office, in the cafeteria, on the playground. A wide range of everyday situations will allow you to expand your knowledge of the English language and use phrases that may be needed in a particular case.
5. Poems, riddles, songs. Toddlers remember best small and capacious phrases, most often in rhyme. Therefore, use short phrases that are easy to remember. On a walk, invite the baby to sing together those songs that he liked. And when dad comes home from work in the evening, be sure to ask him one of the learned riddles.
6. All parts of speech. Many parents, dealing with the child on their own, make one common mistake. They teach him only nouns - dog, cat, apple. As a result, the baby cannot express himself only with objects. It is very important to learn adjectives, but don't talk about parts of speech so explicitly. Just tell your baby that "beautiful" means "beautiful" or "beautiful". Sit down, get up, run and accompany all these actions with English words. In general, use in teaching all the parts of speech that can be useful in a simple conversation.

In a conversation with a small child, do not try to build too long and complex sentences. For simple phrases and initial speech, three tenses are enough for you - Present, Past and Future Indefinite. This knowledge is enough to help the child learn simple colloquial phrases that are used most often.

How to teach a language to a student

If your child is already in school, you won't get off with simple phrases. In addition, you need to start studying grammar and spelling. But you must understand that the whole process must be interesting so that the baby does not lose curiosity in learning the language.

It is worth starting the study of grammar with the alphabet. Letters are not difficult to learn, act in the same way as with your native language - show the letter, talk about words that begin with this letter. The child should pay special attention to the letters Sh, Ch, C, etc. Work through all the options - in which cases the pronunciation of the letter changes.

When the child knows all the letters, teach him to read simple words. Be attentive to pronunciation and correct reproduction of sounds. Here it is very important to prepare not only for the child, but also for the mother herself, regularly filling in the gaps in knowledge. After all, if you once miss the wrong pronunciation of a word, the baby will be sure that he is speaking correctly. This leads to a habit that is quite difficult to eradicate.

After reading simple words, we move on to simple texts. When reading the text, ask the child if he understood everything that remained unknown and incomprehensible to him. Do not constantly prompt the child to translate the word, give him the opportunity to learn on his own. Invite them to look up the word in the dictionary together and find out its meaning. When the baby begins to understand small simple texts, ask him to tell him what was discussed. In the process of learning grammar, it is very important to pay sufficient attention to oral speech, which is usually always lame.

To encourage your child to read in English, buy him an interesting book. These may be simple fairy tales, but it is best to purchase a detective story or children's adventures. If the child is about 8-10 years old and has a sufficient vocabulary of English, give the child Tom Sawyer in the original. The book itself is very mesmerizing, the child will try to find out what will happen next, even if some words are still incomprehensible to him. Interest and curiosity - that's what education should be based on.

In the future, it is advisable to teach a child on your own only if you yourself know the language at a professional level. A more serious skill in speaking and writing will only be taught by an experienced teacher or native speaker. Your task, as a parent, is to give the child the base that you are capable of. If the classes are interesting, and most importantly, regular, you can achieve impressive results.

Video: how to teach a child to read in English, in 2 months

So, you have decided that you will teach your child English on your own at home. So where do you start?

First, pick one that suits you, or pick a few that you'd like to try.

Secondly, determine the time and place of classes. The frequency of lessons should be at least 2 times a week, and at the very beginning it is better to deal with the child every day for 15-20 minutes.

Thirdly, prepare all the necessary materials. Our site contains 8 categories of free materials in English for children:, and presentations. The choice of certain materials depends primarily on the age of your child. For example, they are intended for children of primary school age. If your baby is still 2-3 years old, then it’s better to do without textbooks for the time being and try to study with cards.

Fourth, determine the topics and schedule of classes for the coming week. Read our article on how to plan an English lesson with your child. It is better to start with simple topics (Animals, Colors, Numbers, Family) and then switch to more complex ones (Body Parts, Clothing, Food, Weather).

And fifthly, while studying English with your child on your own, observe the following rules:

1. Follow the sequence, do not try to teach the child everything at once. Switch to a new topic only when you are confident in mastering the previous one.

2. Repetition is the mother of learning. During the lesson, take the time to review the material learned in previous lessons. It is better to do this at the beginning of the lesson.

3. Alternate lessons-introduction of new material with watching videos, cartoons and presentations on this topic.

4. The younger your child, the more games should be included in your classes.

5. In no case should a child be scolded for the mistakes that he will make during his education. After all, this is a completely new language for him, and he will get used to it for a long time.

6. During class, try to speak English, not Russian. Our special will help you with this. Use some key phrase to switch to English, like "Now we'll speak English" or "It's English time now".

7. Maybe not everything will go as smoothly as you would like. If your child does not like some technique, postpone the lesson for the duration of the lesson, and then try to interest him in the language in another way.

8. Learn songs in English, this is not only memorizing English words, but also the development of your baby's musical abilities.

9. Give your child frequent demonstrations of what they've learned in class, such as asking them to count their toys in English or singing "Happy Birthday to You" to friends and family on their birthdays.