As every September 26 since 2001, today the European Day of Languages is celebrated. This initiative aims to honor the plurality of languages existing in our continent. In Europe, more than 200 languages coexist, so today's celebration represents 800 million people. A perfect occasion to remember the importance of learning and knowing other languages.
Nowadays, much more importance is given to learning other languages in schools, especially English. For the children, learning other languages is as simple as learning their language native, so it is essential that from a very young age they coexist with other languages to become familiar with them.
Knowing other languages will open the doors to many opportunities, your children will have the possibility to move around the world with ease. Not counting the opportunities in the labor field that you will have if you handle any other language, especially English, German or, curiously, Chinese.
On the occasion of today's celebration, we are going to see some tips with which you can introduce linguistic diversity at home. In a simple and easy way, so that both your children and the rest of the family can enrich their culture.
Adopt a word on the European Day of Languages
With this activity, your children will become familiar with other languages in a very simple way. So that they not only know English, but they will be able to know other languages that may be more attractive to them and that they want to know and learn.
The activity consists of the following:
- Each member of the family has to choose a word that you like a lot, their favorite word that will be the one that each one adopts.
- Then you must choose the languages in which you would like to translate the word to know how to spell and how to pronounce it.
- Prepare a large card where you can write the words adopted and their options in different languages.
- Every day, you will have to use the adopted words in their different languages. Thus, each member will introduce new words in the vocabulary of the whole family, in their different languages.
This activity can be as long as you want, if you make it a routine, you can easily get acquainted with other languages. Without forgetting that your children will enrich their vocabulary, as well as their desire to learn other languages.
The map of languages
Image: Guiatur.es
With this activity, children will work on different very important areas of their learning. On the one hand, they will know the different languages that coexist in Europe. But in addition, they will learn to locate the different countries that make up this continent, the capitals and the official languages of each zone.
You will need a very large white card to be able to draw the map of Europe in large. You can join several cards until you get the desired size. Use one of the walls of your house to place the mural, so you can go expanding over time and will always serve to continue learning.
With the help of the images and resources that you will find on the Internet, draw the map of Europe and its different countries. You can add color to make it more fun, write in large and clear letters the countries and their capitals. Then, start playing with your children, first they must indicate all the languages they know and try to guess in which countries they are used.
They will be able to look for ideas in their stories, in the drawings that they like the most, in their classmates if there is a child born in another country or wherever they want to search. Little by little the map of languages will be completed, do not be in a hurry to do it, or use the Internet to complete it quickly. Let the children try to search for themselves, it will be a challenge for them if you make it a fun game and get involved with the children.
Today on the European Day of Languages, do not forget to remember at home what important and enriching that is to know other cultures, other languages, other customs. Traveling to other countries and interacting with people from all over the world will be easier if your children are fluent in other languages.