When should you start teaching language?
Children listen to the language around them from the day they are born.
So, if you ask, "When should I start teaching language?"
there's only one answer.
Right after they're born.
However, hearing that might make you feel a little defensive, thinking you "have to talk to them a lot."
Busy daily life.
Housework, work, childcare.
It's honestly difficult some days to always talk with a smile.
In such cases, it's okay not to force "more words."
Sing your baby a favorite song.
Gaze at them with a smile.
Tap out a rhythm with your hands.
Even just doing that creates solid communication.
Language develops not just through voice, but also through expressions and atmosphere.
When pointing begins, it's a language opportunity
Several months after birth.
Around the time babbling like "ah-ah" and "ooh-ooh" starts, and pointing begins.
This period is a crucial time when the seeds of language grow significantly.
When a baby points at something and makes a sound like
"Ah!" or "Boo-boo!"
You might instinctively want to correct them and say, "That's not right."
However, what's important here is to first affirm them.
For example, if they point to a leaf and say "bababa."
In that case,
"That's right, bababa.
This is a leaf. It's a leaf."
and gently add the formal name.
Slowly, so they can see your mouth movements.
And then, expand on the word a little.
"It's a leaf, isn't it? It's green and pretty.
Look, there are many more too."
Words deepen their meaning not just as individual words,
but by encountering them within sentences.
Touch it, feel it, and it becomes a word
Even with the same leaf, shapes and textures vary.
"This one is jagged, isn't it?"
"This one is smooth, isn't it?"
Talk to them like that while actually touching it.
Seeing, touching, hearing.
The more these experiences overlap, the more firmly words are retained in their minds.
※During this period, children tend to put anything in their mouths, so please be careful about accidental ingestion.
The age at which they start speaking varies
"My child might be a late talker..."
Many parents worry about this, but language development truly varies greatly.
Some children accumulate a lot and then start speaking all at once.
Some use words as soon as they learn them.
Some progress slowly, while others grow rapidly.
All of these are forms of growth unique to each child.
Learn hiragana through "words"
During the preschool years, as elementary school approaches.
More and more people wonder, "How should I teach hiragana?"
During this period, it's recommended to learn hiragana as words rather than individual characters.
"ari" (ant)
"neko" (cat)
"inu" (dog)
"mizu" (water)
By connecting them to real objects, characters become much more familiar.
It's also good to start with the names of animals that the child is interested in.
"Ear-only picture books" that foster imagination
Another recommendation is picture books that come with narrated CDs.
Normally, you listen while looking at the pictures, but sometimes try to create time to listen "only with your ears."
When you're holding them.
While traveling in the car.
During leisurely times.
Without pictures, children begin to create their own stories in their minds.
The power to imagine.
The power to think.
And the power of language.
These powers will grow slowly but surely.
Language is found in everyday life
Even without special materials or knowing complicated teaching methods,
there are many hints for fostering language in daily interactions.
Responding to pointing.
Feeling together.
Gently expanding.
This accumulation will form the foundation for future learning.
Language is not something to be taught, but something to be nurtured together.
Let's not rush, and gently watch over them at their own pace.