school

[jrmejia 31]

Hello guys,

I like to hear your comment on this topic. My fiancee's kid speaks little English. Just few words. He is 6 years old and if he gets approved with his k2, we are planning to bring him to USA this summer. He will need to join school. I am so worried he will not be able to communicate in his class and *maybe* he will have a very touch time understanding the class.

Anyone one out there experiencing the same?

My last thought is to *maybe* do home-school for the first year until we feel his English is good enough to go to a class room.

So many details that we need to think when bringing our SO and their kids.

[cathy2904 97]

Hello guys,

I like to hear your comment on this topic. My fiancee's kid speaks little English. Just few words. He is 6 years old and if he gets approved with his k2, we are planning to bring him to USA this summer. He will need to join school. I am so worried he will not be able to communicate in his class and *maybe* he will have a very touch time understanding the class.

Anyone one out there experiencing the same?

My last thought is to *maybe* do home-school for the first year until we feel his English is good enough to go to a class room.

So many details that we need to think when bringing our SO and their kids.

My opinion would be that at 6 he will pick up a new language very quickly, once he is immersed in English and the best way for him to get total immersion is to be with English speaking children and not at home where he will still hear and be able to use his mother tongue. It will be tough for him so expect some bad days and don't expect too much academic progress at first (maybe you can help him with that side outside school) but he will get so much socially and linguistically from being in school. Encourage him to invite friends home and to visit his friends in their homes. Schools are pretty used to having EAL (English as an Additional Language) speakers in their classes and should have strategies to help him but generally the younger the better.

[jrmejia 31]

My opinion would be that at 6 he will pick up a new language very quickly, once he is immersed in English and the best way for him to get total immersion is to be with English speaking children and not at home where he will still hear and be able to use his mother tongue. It will be tough for him so expect some bad days and don't expect too much academic progress at first (maybe you can help him with that side outside school) but he will get so much socially and linguistically from being in school. Encourage him to invite friends home and to visit his friends in their homes. Schools are pretty used to having EAL (English as an Additional Language) speakers in their classes and should have strategies to help him but generally the younger the better.

Thank you very much for your recommendation. In the mean time, we might hire an English student to help him after school.

[cathy2904 97]

Good plan. Pity I am going to be in Georgia or I would offer! LOL

[Moomin 292]

My fiance's son is 5 years of age and he's picking up on my language(I'm the alien as they call it). I have some relatives in California, one of them a girl. She visited my home country when she was ten without knowing a word of Danish. She started out with just the simple pointing and asking and developed into speaking and understanding a bunch of words - this was just by playing with her grand cousins. Before she(they) left she could speak more Danish than her father.

As long as your fiance's son isn't limited with his mom only speaking in their native language when they communicate I reckon it won't take him long to improve. Children are fast learners, and curious creatures! : ) IMO the best way of learning a language is simply by communicating - the same way your fiancee probably improved her language throughout the time you've known each other.

Edited May 2, 2011 by moomin

[jrmejia 31]

Good plan. Pity I am going to be in Georgia or I would offer! LOL

Thank you very much! We would love to. (We are in New York)

[payxibka 10,045]

Hello guys,

I like to hear your comment on this topic. My fiancee's kid speaks little English. Just few words. He is 6 years old and if he gets approved with his k2, we are planning to bring him to USA this summer. He will need to join school. I am so worried he will not be able to communicate in his class and *maybe* he will have a very touch time understanding the class.

Anyone one out there experiencing the same?

My last thought is to *maybe* do home-school for the first year until we feel his English is good enough to go to a class room.

So many details that we need to think when bringing our SO and their kids.

My 11 yr old son several years ago spoke no English when he arrived in June... by September he was in school with ELL classes. Now we can't get him to shut up.

[jrmejia 31]

Thanks every one, I guess now all I need to do is "wait for them and welcome them home".

[tallcoolone 102]

If you moved to Texas and he/she spoke no English then the kid would be in the majority..........

We are over flowing with Illegal Aliens and Anchor Babies from Illegal Aliens in Texas............

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

6 year olds definitely learn very quickly, but some after school help is probably a good idea for the first few months, also as the type of lessons and subjects will be different from what he is used to.

Also, you say they are coming in the summer- if so, investigate the possibility of intensive English lessons for the boy before school starts. These are usually geared at the university or Highschool student, but there may be some for smaller kids too. if not, make sure he is around lots of other English speaking kids before school starts (mom and kid groups, library events, playground etc), and he will pick up some of the language that way.

[B_J 2,752]

Don't worry about it at all. Like others said, young children pick up languages much faster than adults. Also, immersion is probably the fastest way for a child to learn a language. Plus, most schools have ELL students. And, you said you're from New York so I'm pretty sure he won't be the only child they've encountered who is learning English.

He'll do great. Don't worry. Now you just need to make sure to teach him how to play sports. Make sure he can throw a spiral, field a ground ball, and make his free throws. That's the important stuff.

[tallcoolone 102]

He'll do great. Don't worry. Now you just need to make sure to teach him how to play sports. Make sure he can throw a spiral, field a ground ball, and make his free throws. That's the important stuff.

For sure keep him off the computer and computer related games. I see the kids now of days and they are like little sissy's with no self confidence.

Kids in USA are not allowed to walk to school, cuz the parents think they might get kidnapped or molested by some child rapist. Kids are not allowed to bully each other cuz it might make them feel bad .

Kids now of days are treated like a piece of glass, let them get out in the public and intermingle with other kids, have a fight now and then.

[extremerecluse 32]

Hello guys,

I like to hear your comment on this topic. My fiancee's kid speaks little English. Just few words. He is 6 years old and if he gets approved with his k2, we are planning to bring him to USA this summer. He will need to join school. I am so worried he will not be able to communicate in his class and *maybe* he will have a very touch time understanding the class.

Anyone one out there experiencing the same?

My last thought is to *maybe* do home-school for the first year until we feel his English is good enough to go to a class room.

So many details that we need to think when bringing our SO and their kids.

My ex kids from the Philippines came here before the age of ten ( 4 kids ). They were in the same situation. They learned so quickly. That was in 1985. Now, you would never know that they came from the Philippines from just speaking to them. The quicker you let them loose among their english speaking friends and classmates the better. Don't be shocked when your kid starts to correct your grammar. They will be just fine.

[Messybrownhair 251]

I am a speech pathologist who is also TEFL certified. A typically developing child should be able to pick up the language right away. Most public schools have ESL teachers and speech therapists, so just make sure the school is aware of it and they should give him the proper help

[jrmejia 31]

I do not know how to thank "ALL OF YOU". I was very worried about the situation. I like the idea to put him in some kind of summer class like it was stated by Penguin.

I appreciate your comments greatly. Here to all of you