Can I Teach My Child English At Home?

In a completely globalized and AI-cluttered world, it’s only natural that, as a parent of a 21st-century child, you want to empower them with every tool possible. This includes the gift of speaking English, a lingua franca that can open countless doors on both a personal and professional level.

Maybe you make the effort to speak English to your child at home, put on some of your favorite music in English or watch English cartoons and videos. If this is the case, it is likely that you have signed them up for English lessons and are helping them with their homework. While these are all noble intentions, it is possible that, counterintuitively, you are inhibiting your child from speaking the language. Let’s see why!

Evidence suggests the single most common mistake parents make when helping their child with English at home has to do with “overparenting.” According to the Novakid survey, a whopping 84% of teachers described behaviors that could be sorted under that category. Below are the findings from the feedback collected as part of an exploratory, open-ended question:

• 128 teachers stated that parents often “answer” for their children.
• 84 remarked that they tend to “correct” every mistake.
• 25 mentioned they “spoon-feed” the correct responses to the kids.
• 24 mentioned “interruptions” and “coaching” as part of the problem.
• 20 called out “perfectionism” as a parental expectation.
• 12 said that children are under too much “pressure”. 

Before diving into the attitudes and behaviors that can hinder children’s language learning process, let’s explore the concept of overparenting. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “too much involvement by parents in the lives of their children, so that they try to help with or control everything that happens to the child.”

Whether it takes the form of feeding children the answers, interrupting them to correct pronunciation or minor grammar mistakes, or not giving them enough time to express themselves, this parental over-engagement “can inhibit the development of confidence, competence, and independence”, according to clinical psychologist and Ph.D. Daniel S. Lobel.

As a matter of fact, the feedback Novakid gathered from teachers reflects these same patterns. As one of our teachers explains, “When parents constantly stop to correct every minor grammar or pronunciation error, it causes language anxiety and makes kids shut down”. Likewise, another instructor points out that “answering for the child too quickly can reduce opportunities for the student to think, recall vocabulary, make mistakes, and build confidence independently.”

While overparenting can undermine the confidence and autonomy needed to learn a new language, there are multiple things you can do as a parent to spark your child’s interest in English and help them develop their language skills.

A great starting point is finding a good English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. ESL teachers are qualified educators who are specialized in “creating a safe, low-pressure speaking environment where mistakes are treated as a normal part of learning,” highlights one of our Novakid instructors. Children are encouraged to build a strong rapport with their teacher, lower their guard and feel comfortable expressing themselves. In fact, sometimes teachers make mistakes on purpose in class as part of their approach. 

There is a wide range of actions you can take to make your kid feel confident and comfortable with their English, which is the very foundation for language development. Here are some simple, practical ways to encourage your child to learn English:

1. Step back a little

“The constant pressure to be perfect completely crushes a child’s confidence. Instead of learning to think in English, kids become terrified of making a mistake,” explains one of Novakid’s teachers. Indeed, language acquisition is a journey made up of stepping stones and it requires room to stumble.  

That is why it is so important for children to be able to make mistakes and not to feel judged or self-conscious when speaking, especially by their parents, whom they look up to and want to make proud. In fact, “when parents step back and let them speak freely, fluency follows naturally”, says the same teacher.

2)  Make it a fun habit

You can encourage your child to speak, listen, read, and have fun with the language by creating opportunities to communicate, but it’s important to set some ground rules so English practice doesn’t turn into a lesson or a test.

One simple way to do this is to set aside 30 minutes for English each day in a dedicated place, so that you can both associate that room with the language practice. That designated spot will remind you not to correct your child’s mistakes so that you both can enjoy the moment without the pressure of getting everything right. 

While it’s great that you want to help your kid with their English, the evidence suggests you might be doing more harm than good. It’s better to leave language learning to a teacher. 

In fact, Novakid English School can help. Its online lessons combine age-appropriate activities with real conversations, giving children the opportunity to practice English in an engaging, supportive environment. 

Combining daily practice at home with regular lessons is a great way to make progress and reinforce language and communication skills. You can sign up for a free online English lesson here.

Sources:

Lobel, D. S. (2022). Overparenting: Too much of a good thing. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/my-side-of-the-couch/202207/overparenting-too-much-of-a-good-thing

Cambridge Dictionary. Overparenting. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/diccionario/ingles/overparenting