How to Teach Toddlers and Infants a Language

Creating Good Language Learning Environments for Very Young Children

(Ages 0–2) (p. 63)

1. • Direct lots of rich, meaningful speech toward your child from birth.
2. • Encourage friends, relatives, babysitters, siblings, and other visitors to speak and play with your child in the second language.
3. • Engage in interactions that pique your child’s interests—for example, by using attention-grabbing toys, picture cards, or other props while you use the language.
4. • Build up positive associations by singing and dancing to silly songs, listening to music, and playing games in the language.
5. • Read stories to your child. Interact both with the book and with your child (for example, by acting out the stories and using funny faces and voices). Keep this light, fun, and brief.
6. • When you’re looking for child care, find someone who speaks the second language.