Starting with languages, input?

[seashells]

My kid is only 4.

How do you decide what language to teach? I assume you being comfortable in the language is a big factor, right? For example I know no French, so it doesn't really make sense to get a French curriculum, does it?

The area we live in is not at all diverse. I've not heard a person speaking another language (other than English) in this town, not once. So I don't think local customs are a factor, either?

The languages I'm most comfortable with are: Chinese, Spanish and Swahili. Swahili I found very easy to learn as far as I went (not too far, but I could say stuff like "It's raining" or "This costs 100 shillings" etc.). Chinese, I've forgotten most of, but I could say/write something like "I drive my car to the university at 3 o'clock." I could study up on these things again. But Swahili, I could almost see being conversational in myself if I kept up with my studies. Chinese, I could read and write but speaking and especially hearing it is really hard for me. But Chinese is more useful than Swahili, no?

Or we could do Spanish.

Anyway, what do you think? For DD age 4, all deciding this would mean is that I would start teaching her the basic words (Hello, how are you, my name is, thank you, goodbye) and probably counting to 10 (she already knows that in Chinese and Spanish though, but I only rarely count in Swahili). And then I could start studying up the language again.

[sahmmie]

Wondering and debating here as well! I'm considering either Spanish, German, or Chinese. It's a tough choice. I could help with Spanish since I took it in HS and college and I remember enough to help them, but dh would rather they learn a language that is not so common because he thinks it would make them more marketable in a job search when they grow up if they speak something other than Spanish since so many people in the US speak Spanish. I also live in a town where foreign languages are rarely spoken. I'm curious to hear what advice and insights you get. Good luck and thanks for posting this.

[sbgrace]

Spanish should be far easier to learn than Chinese. It's much more similar to English than Chinese. And there are more curriculums to use (you want him exposed to a native speaker in my opinion so do it yourself isn't best unless you speak the language, particularly since you aren't regularly contacting Spanish speakers in your life). In most areas of the US he is far more likely to come into contact with a Spanish speaking person in than either Swahili or Chinese. I live in the midwest and could go to any store right now and hear people speaking Spanish. It's quite prevalent in many areas.

Mandarin Chinese is the most common language in the world. There are less resources for teaching it last time I checked. I could see Chinese being helpful in international business/travel. It is difficult for an English speaker not exposed from birth.

I can't think of a reason to learn Swahili over the other two unless you travel there or have family who speak it or whatever. That said, learning any language at all has many benefits so picking that one is fine!

Remember also that if the child has a facility in languages you aren't limited to learning just one in the future.

[sbgrace]

Originally Posted by sahmmie

Wondering and debating here as well! I'm considering either Spanish, German, or Chinese. It's a tough choice. I could help with Spanish since I took it in HS and college and I remember enough to help them, but dh would rather they learn a language that is not so common because he thinks it would make them more marketable in a job search when they grow up if they speak something other than Spanish since so many people in the US speak Spanish. I also live in a town where foreign languages are rarely spoken. I'm curious to hear what advice and insights you get. Good luck and thanks for posting this.

If you want to do Spanish (I would given your own proficiency) maybe show hubby this link?
http://www.altalang.com/beyond-words...ages-to-learn/

2. Spanish — Approximately 350 million native speakers and the primary second language learned and spoken in the United States; Spanish is the language of trade and commerce in approximately 20 countries

Chinese is third on that list.