A1. To help your kids improve their English communication skills, you should make it a part of things they already enjoy doing. You can play games, read books, sing English songs and even watch age-appropriate English shows and movies.
English is the most widely spoken language in the world and mastering it can open many a lot of academic and professional opportunities. That’s why you should encourage your kids and help them to improve their English communication skills from an early age. Learning English will not only help them succeed at school but also give them a chance to interact with students from different countries and improve their social skills. But as a parent, how can you instil these communication skills in your kids? Not to worry! At English Path, we’ve searched seven engaging and practical strategies to develop English communication skills in children. Let’s go!
1. Talk in English daily at home
It’s a given fact that children mimic the adults in their lives. Whether it’s the way you walk or talk, your child will try to copy you. That's why it’s important that they hear you talk in English as much as possible. When they hear you speak in English, they will also try to do so themselves. Apart from dedicated study time, it'll help them express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas and practise speaking English in a natural setting at home surrounded by their loved ones.
2. Develop a family routine to speak English during meals
Learning starts at home. You can start by setting some time aside every day, maybe during meals like breakfast or lunch when everyone in the family will speak only in English. Create a conversation-focused environment where you can ask your child questions about their day, how school was and did they enjoy their classes. Encourage them to put together sentences and express themselves in English, even if it’s not correct. It’s a great idea to share your own experiences. It’ll create a two-way communication flow and will not only help your kid develop their English communication skills but also deepen your family bond.
3. Read a book aloud with your child
Reading aloud from age-appropriate and engaging storybooks is an excellent way to improve English communication skills in kids. After reading the story, you can discuss it with your child and even ask questions about it. While reading together, you can even take turns reading to practise different voices and expressions for different characters in the book. This activity will help them improve their pronunciation, enhance their fluency, and understand how to construct grammatically correct sentences in English.
4. Improve English communication skills musically
When it comes to improving English communication skills, music can be an excellent learning tool. By singing along to catchy children's songs and poems together, you can help your kid improve their pronunciation skills and even expand their English vocabulary. Learning English with music is also a great way to practise how to form sentences in different contexts. You can even encourage your child to act out the lyrics and make it a really fun activity.
5. Play games to enhance communication skills in kids
Kids are most happy and in their natural element when they are playing. By finding creative ways to make learning English a part of playtime activities, you can significantly help your kid improve their communication skills. You can play board games or charades where you take turns to act out characters from a book, movie names or even English songs! This is also a great way for children to enhance their listening skills and learn how to express their ideas clearly with an audience.
6. Encourage your children to talk to other students in English
Social interaction with other students at school or in the neighbourhood can be really helpful when it comes to developing English communication skills. You can talk to other parents and set up play dates where your kids can talk to each other in English. You can even plan activities like word puzzles, scrabbles or English Monopoly where they can apply their language skills in real-life situations in a fun and engaging way.
7. Enrol your kid in an English language course
While there are certain steps that parents can take at home to enhance communication skills in kids, you can help them learn English and speak confidently a lot quicker with an English language course. One such course is our Young Learners programme; where your child can not only improve their communication skills but be a part of the global community and learn about diverse cultures. They will have the opportunity to study at top study destinations like London, Malta, Dubai, Dublin and Toronto and make friends from around the world.
Remember, developing strong English communication skills does not happen in a day. You will have to plan and take time to help your kid improve their skills and speak confidently. These are only a few strategies that you can incorporate into your child's daily routine. You can also think of more fun and effective ways to improve communication skills in kids. Also, no matter how small, don’t forget to celebrate your child's progress. It'll encourage them to keep trying and become a confident communicator.
FAQs about how to develop English communication skills in kids
Q1. How to improve English communication skills in kids?
Q2. At what age should I start focusing on my child's English communication skills?
A2. You can start helping your child improve their communication skills as early as possible. By exposing them to the English language from an early age through songs, stories, and cartoons, you can make sure that they feel comfortable learning the language and pick up the skills quickly.
Q3. How can reading aloud help improve communication skills?
A3. Reading is an effective technique to improve communication skills in children. It can help them improve their pronunciation skills, become fluent when speaking with others, and learn new words and phrases to express themselves in different situations.
Q4. What are the five core skills in English communication?
A4. Five skills that you must focus on when helping your child improve their English are listening, speaking, reading, writing and body language (non-verbal communication). You should teach your child the importance of body language and how it can affect conversations and help them speak confidently.
Q5. What are the five qualities of effective communication?
A5. When you teach your child how to communicate in English, make sure to concentrate on the five Cs of communication: being clear, using correct language, providing complete information, being compassionate, and keeping it short and to the point.