1. Lack of Consistency:

• Not integrating learning into the daily routine:

Children need to understand the importance of learning a foreign language, and for this, they need to have fun but also practice frequently in their daily activities. By seeing that the words of the foreign language they are learning are useful in their daily life to make themselves understood and get what they want, they can more easily memorize the vocabulary.

• Expecting quick progress without regular practice:

Progress cannot be made overnight. Even though children have a great ability to learn foreign languages, they need time to associate words with the context in which they are used and thus to memorize them. By adding just a few minutes per day in their daily life, along with fun lessons (such as those we offer at Kidioma, for example), children can memorize vocabulary and become familiar with the sounds and logic of the foreign language they are learning.

2. Too Much Pressure:

• Putting too much pressure on the child to learn quickly:

To learn and remember words in French or English (in a language that is not their native language), children need to have fun and find it interesting. If they feel that this activity involves too much pressure for them, they will not enjoy learning and may become frustrated or have bad memories of it. At Kidioma, we want children to have fun while discovering a foreign language. They will of course learn vocabulary, but we mainly want them to feel confident expressing themselves orally in another language, knowing its sounds and grammatical logic while having fun.

• Making learning an obligation rather than a fun activity:

This ties in with the previous paragraph. Children need to want to go to their English or French classes, and for this, there is nothing better than fun workshops! Through play, children can develop their language skills without even realizing it. If they have fun, they will retain the information and want to come back. Otherwise, they won't want to go and won't have good memories of it.

3. Lack of Immersion:

• Not exposing the child to the target language in different contexts:

As mentioned earlier, to learn a language, it must be seen as useful. Bringing in varied vocabulary in different contexts can be very interesting for this reason. For example, by reading books to your children that are appropriate for the current season (books about Santa Claus, books about summer vacations, etc.). At Kidioma, for example, we offer different themes every month, allowing children to discover varied vocabulary that can be used in different contexts (means of transportation, sports, emotions, etc.).

• Limiting learning only to formal lessons:

It is interesting to add a bit of foreign language practice to daily life. Just a few minutes a day, children can repeat the words they have seen in class in a family or friendly context, which helps with memorization.

4. Using Inappropriate Methods:

• Not adapting learning methods to the child's age and interests:

An activity that is too easy or too simple, games that don't vary, learning sessions that are too long: children may get bored or not understand. In this case, they won't see the point of learning another language and won't want to attend classes. It is important for teachers and tutors to observe and listen to the children to ensure they are having fun and staying motivated. At Kidioma, we base our methodology on the Montessori pedagogy. As a result, tutors work in a co-constructive logic with the children. During the workshop, they adapt to the day's dynamics (if the children are tired or, on the contrary, excited) to ensure they have a good time. Similarly, tutors discuss among themselves the difficulties encountered related to teaching materials or the methodology itself to adapt them.

5. Lack of Encouragement:

• Not praising the child's progress, even the smallest:

Children need approval, especially from the adults they learn from. This boosts their confidence and motivation. At Kidioma, we film the last session of each theme (once a month) so that children can show the results to their parents and thus be praised and feel proud of themselves.

• Comparing the child to others, creating a negative sense of competition:

Competition can be interesting in some cases. However, when children are pitted against each other in learning a language, it can create negativity and a loss of confidence for children who do not reach the desired level (according to the comparison). It is very important, on the contrary, to use positive pedagogy for learning foreign languages: allowing children to learn at their own pace, according to their own abilities and interests. This way, children are more inclined to share with others and get the most out of their differences.

6. Ignoring the Importance of Speaking:

• Focusing only on reading and writing, neglecting speaking:

One of the foundations of the Kidioma methodology is oral participation. Many adults today can understand and read in another language but feel helpless when it comes to speaking. They may be afraid of making mistakes, feel that they don't have the correct pronunciation, etc. To avoid this situation, it is important for children to express themselves from an early age and to normalize oral practice of foreign languages. It is also important not to focus on every little mistake. By repeating the child's sentence correctly, they will automatically learn the correct pronunciation without feeling judged. Through oral practice of foreign languages, children gain confidence and have less difficulty reproducing sounds and thus the accent.

7. Lack of Variety in Resources:

• Always using the same types of materials (books, videos, etc.):

As mentioned earlier, it is important to maintain the children's interest. For this, it is necessary to vary the activities over a learning period. Calm activities (reading), musical activities (songs, choreographies), board games or other games (with flashcards), manual and sports activities. We guarantee variety during Kidioma workshops since children engage in an average of 4 different activities during each session.

8. Not Getting Personally Involved:

• Not actively participating in language activities with the child:

It is quite obvious to notice children's interest in an adult when they play with them. Children enjoy an activity even more when an adult participates. Since they mimic adults to learn and develop their cognitive skills, it is much easier for them to learn a foreign language when adults participate. This also helps strengthen family bonds and allows for immediate encouragement and praise during the activity.

• Not setting an example by using the target language at home:

Not setting an example by using the target language at home deprives the child of essential linguistic models and real contexts for practice (especially daily life). Regularly using the target language demonstrates its usefulness and encourages the child to adopt it naturally in their daily life. Children thus memorize vocabulary that allows them to interact with their parents in a language that the parents themselves use.

And to conclude, if you are interested in how children can learn French or English, we strongly encourage you to read our article on how to combine the Montessori Pedagogy with learning other languages!

What are the common errors to avoid when encouraging your children to learn other languages?