How to teach a foreign language when you can't get curriculum for it....?

[MeganS]

My husband is from South Africa and speaks Afrikaans. We want our children to learn it, but have no idea how to go about teaching them. I've told him he just needs to try to speak both English, and Afrikaans to them, but he doesn't. I know it has to be hard, because I don't speak it, so he feels like he would have to explain everything to me. We just don't know where to start. I've searched to try to find curriculum, and I can't seem to find anything. Any advice/ ideas?? TIA!

[cappuccinosmom]

If you can encourage him to speak it, do. Let him know he doesn't have to translate for you.

I'm surprised you haven't found anything. Dh's language is much less well known and there are several different programs for learning. Even if you end up having to use a course geared to adults, they all start with the basics and you could add to it to make it more fun for the kids.

While you're searching for a curriculum, at the very least you can familiarize your kids with the sound of the language. There should be a ton of stuff on youtube in Afrikaans--television and music.

[Tjej]

Childrens books in Afrikaans would be a start. It'd give him something to read/say in the language. Simple stories and some of those "first hundred words" books where he could go over vocabulary.

Tjej

[lerlerler]

Find your local rugby club. Go to a game. Chances are good that there are plenty of kids on the sidelines speaking Afrikaans... get a playdate going.

THis is partially in jest, but DH plays rugby and it's astonishing how many Springboks are about

[MeganS]

My MIL is coming to visit in September, and we've asked her if she could bring some children's books. And I'm going to keep trying to get him to speak Afrikaans to them. We use to have a CD ROM program that had over 100 differnt languages on it, but we lost it.... I think I'm going to try to find a similar one again. It had a lot of food basics, and traveling basics on it. I found a website that has South African tv shows on it, so I'm going to see if I can get them to sit through some of them. As for rugby, that might benefit my kids and hubby. He LOVES rugby, although the only local team is a touch rugby team. We might try to go to a game, and see how it goes. Thanks for all the replies.

[eclipse]

It's not a children's curiculum, but what about this? http://www.openlanguages.net/afrikaans
If you start learning it through something like this, you can start speaking it with your children - and if you know some, your husband might be more comfortable speaking to the children with you present.

[MeganS]

Originally Posted by eclipse

It's not a children's curiculum, but what about this? http://www.openlanguages.net/afrikaans
If you start learning it through something like this, you can start speaking it with your children - and if you know some, your husband might be more comfortable speaking to the children with you present.

That is a great site!!! I've never found it before. I'm going to start listening to it, and try to get my kids to listen as well! Thank you so much!!!

[PGTlatte]

Amazon has some materials for beginners:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ikaans&x=0&y=0

I see a CD of children's folk songs on the list.

This page might be helpful:

http://www.south-african-homeschool-...afrikaans.html

Here is a business with children's books in Afrikaans:

http://www.anansibooks.co.za/bin/anansi/index.php