Over forty years of research shows that kids remember what makes them happy. The more positive feelings kids associate with a task or skill set, the more effectively the learning sticks.

That’s why listening to songs, singing along with favorite shows, and laughing at the antics of the characters in their favorite animated educational videos are perfect tools for language acquisition. Additionally, as children familiarize themselves with new words and phrases in songs, they’re picking up new vocabulary without worrying about whether they’re saying it correctly or answering questions according to a teacher’s demands. It makes for stress-free learning. Add all these ingredients together and you have the makings of a learning journey kids will want to engage in day after day.

Looking to start your child’s language journey with language learning videos? Here are some helpful tips to ensure the process is fun for the whole family:

Suggest, Don’t Demand:
Let your kids determine when they want to watch their favorite educational videos. Suggest it as an activity on a regular basis but never force it on your kids. Giving them the ability to decide when and for how long they want to participate inspires them to take ownership of their learning journey.

Cater to Your Child’s Learning Style:
Remember, every child learns differently. This is as true in the classroom as it is out of the classroom. Some kids are content to listen to the songs and process silently. Others might want to sing along and dance while watching. One of your children might shout out the answers to questions posed by characters while another child prefers to answer silently to themselves. Be aware of your child’s learning style and follow their lead.

Be Patient, Always: 
For many parents, it’s easy to forget that hearing and understanding always precede speaking during language acquisition. But, think about your own language development. First your parents or caregivers spoke to you in your native language. As you listened, you began to understand what they were saying. Then, after a learning period, you began to speak the language. The same is true for kids learning a second language. If they don’t immediately start speaking the language, remain calm. It will come.

Language learning can be an exciting journey for your child. Share their enthusiasm and support them in carrying the learning over into their day to day activities. Before you know it, your child will be wowing you with their mastery of their new language. Confidence and conversation will bloom organically!

The post Emotion and Learning: The Correlation That Might Surprise You first appeared on Professor Toto.

The answer might surprise you. Research studying the benefits of second language learning in young children offers up a number of compelling reasons to introduce your child to the foreign language of your choice. From longer attention spans to greater empathy, we’re spotlighting three of the biggest benefits of learning a second language as a toddler.

Elevated Executive Functioning Skills

One of the primary skill sets toddlers need to learn is what is referred to as executive functioning. This refers to activities such as sorting coloring blocks and remembering basic patterns. Covering everything from working memory to emotion regulation, these are a set of mental skills that include flexible thinking, memory, emotional self control, and following directions. Repeated studies show that bilingual toddlers perform markedly better on executive functioning tests than monolingual toddlers.

Increased Attention Spans

Toddlers aren’t exactly known for exceptionally long attention spans. However, when tested, studies show that toddlers who regularly engage in learning a second language – whether through formal, in-person immersion schools or virtual learning technology and educational videos – consistently display better ability to remain focused even in the midst of distracting external stimuli. The benefits of increasing the ability to remain on-task will serve children as they navigate increasingly complex life and academic skills in the next few years. From learning to tie their own shoes to mastering the basics of letter-sound correlation, kids who can focus will outperform those who struggle to pay attention.

Better English Skills

Unless English is not your child’s first language, teaching your kids a second language has been shown to be incredibly helpful in giving them a framework for understanding and mastering the English language. Why? By activating the language learning centers in the brain, you’re activating a multi-purposed set of neural connections that translate organically from one language to the next and give children a boost in language development capabilities.

Looking to start your toddler on a bilingual journey? Start your 7-day trial of the award winning Professor Toto series today!

The post 3 Reasons to Teach Your Toddler a Second Language first appeared on Professor Toto.

As it turns out, babies as young as 6 months can start differentiating between sounds in multiple languages. In a wildly watched TED talk, Patricia Kuhl explores what she calls the “linguistic genius of babies.” According to her research, not only can babies differentiate between languages, the practice is actually incredibly beneficial to their development.

Children are like sponges; built to constantly absorb new information. Their brains are focused on the basics of language acquisition and social-emotional learning and not cluttered by abstract thinking and concerns. This mean that your three year old’s ability to take in and learn a second language actually far surpasses yours! In fact, repeated studies have shown that this window of learning actually begins to close around age 11. At that point, it becomes much more difficult to pick up additional languages.

Consider your own memory. Sure, you likely find yourself struggling to remember the name of the neighbor you met last week but we’re willing to wager you can quickly recall the lyrics to your favorite song. A young child’s brain operates in much the same way, only faster. By presenting a new language through lessons based in songs, rhymes, and melodies; children quickly grasp the basics of almost any language that’s presented to them.

But, why? Why sign up for language classes for toddlers and kids? Assuming you don’t live in a bilingual household, you might be wondering whether the additional instruction and extra work on your part is worth it. The answer is a resounding yes!

Research repeatedly shows that bilingual children learn faster, demonstrate improved problem solving abilities in all areas of life, enjoy higher rates of creativity, and have exponentially more career opportunities later in life. More and more, we live and work in a global economy. Preparing your kids for success in the world of today and the future means preparing them to communicate and interact with those who don’t speak their native language. Additionally, children who are exposed to a second language early in life develop into more open-minded and tolerant adults.

All the research aside, language lessons are simply fun for young kids! Wondering how to get started? Sign up for two free Skype lessons to get a feel for the instruction and experience. If it’s working for you and your kids, we invite you to continue on with our experienced staff of instructors.

The post Think Your Child is Too Young to Learn A Language? first appeared on Professor Toto.