It can be frustrating for adults who have struggled in foreign language classes to see their children effortlessly pick up a language, simply by playing with other children who speak it. While we adults try to apply grammar rules as if they were algebra formulas, our children are able to learn languages through mere exposure. Why is it so much easier for them to learn languages than it is for us? As parents, how can we take advantage of this window of opportunity before it closes?

How children learn language

Most people are aware that children learn languages more quickly and effectively than adults do, but why? Part of the reason is because children learn a second language in the same way they learned their first one. While adults typically learn grammar rules deductively, with explanations from a book or teacher, children learn language inductively. They hear the language and are able to induce the grammar rules, much as they did when learning their first language.

Another difference is where the second language is stored in the brain. Children store the new language information in their brain alongside their first language. Adults, on the other hand, store second language information in a separate area of the brain from their first language. This makes it more difficult for them to access the information when speaking.

Young children, particularly babies, also have an edge in pronunciation. A newborn baby is able to differentiate all of the sounds of all languages. By the time they are six months of age, however, babies only respond to sounds in the language that they have been exposed to. For example, at the age of six months Japanese babies no longer respond to the difference between /r/ and /l/, a differentiation that doesn't exist in their language. This is called perceptual narrowing. We lose the ability to perceive sounds in languages that we aren't exposed to. The ability to attain native-like pronunciation, therefore, is greatly affected by the age of exposure to a language.

So when should you teach your child a second language? Most experts agree that language learning is easiest before the age of seven. Language learning ability begins to decline after that point, and lessens even further around the time of puberty.

How to teach children a foreign language

So now that you know the clock is ticking, what can you do to take advantage of this language learning ability while your child has it? There are many options for teaching your child a foreign language.

Exposure to native speakers - Since children learn languages inductively, the most effective way to teach them a new language is to have them interact with native speakers. If you aren't fluent in the language, you could hire a nanny who is. Some families hire an au pair from a country where the language is spoken. (An au pair is a young person hired from a foreign country for the purpose of providing childcare.) You could also travel to the country or participate in a study abroad program for families. Rather than staying in hotels while traveling abroad, you could stay in the homes of native speakers by making arrangements though Home Exchange or Hospitality Exchange programs that are available on the web.

Classes or school - Foreign language classes for children can be expensive and hard to find in some areas. Some school districts offer dual language programs where children are taught in both English and a second language. Call your school district office to find out if a dual language school is available in your area.

Resources - Another strategy is to read children's books in the foreign language to your child, if you can speak the language at even a very basic level. Children's music is also great for building vocabulary and offering opportunities to practice in the second language. Children love to sing along! Some parents purchase language instruction software or DVDs, but if you try this approach, make sure that the program is designed for use with children, not just adults. Amazon.com is a valuable source for such foreign language learning resources. Just do a search for the resource you are looking for and specify the language (e.g. "Spanish children's books").

However you decide to do it, take advantage of your children's enhanced language learning ability while they still have it. Your children will thank you later.

Janet Castrejon is the author of http://www.childrenlearninglanguages.com/, a website dedicated to providing advice and resources for teaching children foreign languages. She has her master's degree in education and holds a California teaching credential in multiple subject (elementary school), as well as Spanish education. She also holds a BCLAD certification (Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development), a certification for bilingual education teachers.

Additionally, Ms. Castrejon is a bilingual mother of two children. She and her husband have spoken Spanish with their children since birth. The children are currently in a dual language school where instruction in provided in Spanish and English