From the moment our children are babies, they are able to communicate their needs and wants. A newborn may cry because he or she has a wet diaper, is hungry or just wants to be held. As our children grow, they continue to communicate but luckily with the help of gestures or certain vocabulary, we are able to respond in the most appropriate manner we can.
The children in our Spanish classes are ages 3-6. They now use phrases or sentences so that we can meet their needs. If we really stop and think about it, as parents, most of our day consists of meeting their needs. Our children are able to express whether they are hungry, want to go play outside, or want us to turn their favorite TV. show on!
Sentence structures provide the framework students need to communicate. For example, when a child is little they may say, “milk.” We then further their sentence by saying, “You want milk?” and they may respond with, “Yes, I want milk.” To give our students the boost they need to start communicating in Spanish, a sentence structure can really help.
Give your child the structure, “Yo quiero_____ por favor.” This means “I want _____ please.” If your child says, “I want cookies please,” tell them, “I want you to say Yo quiero cookies por favor.” Throughout the day, you will see that there are numerous “wants” and opportunities to practice. Every time your child wants something, have them repeat “Yo quiero _____ por favor.” It’s ok if the noun or verb is in English. With time, they will learn the Spanish word and if you know it you can provide the entire sentence structure for them.
Some kids might follow this easily and in a few weeks’ time, they will ask in Spanish without thinking about it. Some kids might be resistant, and if they are, be patient. As long as they continue to hear you repeat the structure and are hearing it, it will stick. If you really want them to say it, try limiting or taking away something you KNOW they really like. Make it clear that you want them to say, “Yo quiero _____ por favor.” I did this with both my children and it works. They use this structure all of the time, and every time they do, the entire family praises them. Encourage your child and make a big deal about this. Trust me, it will work.