8 Tips To Improve Your Child’s Malay Language Skills

The national language of any country represents the whole culture of the country. When your child learns the national language, they are in a way learning the culture of the country as well, but we cannot ignore the mother tongue which most Singaporeans would take as their second language in their schools.

For the malay community in Singapore, teaching your child the Malay language is just as important as teaching them the English language. Even though everyone focuses on teaching the English language to their children, but when they learn the Malay language, it will foster a sense of cultural identity among them.

This is why Nelson Mandela once said that talking to a man in a language he gets will only reach his head. But, when you talk to a man in his native language, it will reach directly to his heart. This is why besides English, it is extremely important to teach your children the Malay language too.

We understand that teaching your child a new language is not an easy task. You will face many challenges in the process. But, there are some tips that you can follow which will make the process easier and your child will learn the language fast.

Stay tuned to find out more about the tips.

1. Talk To Your Child In The Malay Language

One of the fastest ways to teach your child any language is by interacting and communicating with them in the same language. Babies learn the language the same way. When they listen to others talking to them in some language, they learn the language too. This is why you need to communicate with your children in the Malay language if you want to improve their Malay language skills.

Besides talking to them in the Malay language, you need to encourage them to talk in the same language as well. This is the fastest way of teaching any language to your children. Not only your child will be able to learn the language, but it will also increase their confidence as well. When your child is confident enough, they will interact with others in their national language too. This will give them a sense of nationalism as well.

2. Sing Malay Songs To Your Child

According to research, music is an effective tool in learning the language fast. This is why besides talking to them in the Malay language; you can teach the language fast is through songs. When the child listens to the catchy tune of the songs, they will learn the language fast as well. Teaching the language through music offers many benefits too. The lyrics of the music are composed of enriching vocabulary as well. So, apart from learning the language fast, listening to music will also enrich the vocabulary of your child too. This will improve their writing skill as well.

For this purpose, you need to create an easy and fun environment where your children listen and enjoy the music. Providing a fun environment for your children will make the love the music. This will keep your children motivated and they will learn the Malay language without even realizing it.

3. Read To Your Children

Reading is extremely important for your child. This is why you need to encourage the practice of reading in your children by reading the books of their interest to them. This will encourage them to read and will also improve their Malay language skills.

There are many interesting storybooks along with illustrations in the Malay language that you can read to your children. When they will be interested in a book, they will try to read it themselves too. This in a way will motivate them to learn the language.

Besides learning the language, reading offers a lot of other benefits to your child. It improves their reading skills, helps them to focus on a particular subject, and increases their vocabulary as well. All these things will help your child a lot in their academic career. So, if you want to teach the Malay language to your children and improve their academic career as well, you need to motivate them to read more often.

4. Introduce The Malay Culture To Your Children

Even though the children are born with skills in language development, social and cultural experiences improve the language skill of your children too. For this purpose, you need to introduce and expose your children to the Malay culture.

When you familiarize your child with Malay culture and traditional songs, they will develop an interest in their national language. When they will start developing an interest in the culture and the traditional Malay songs, your child will be motivated to learn the national language too.

So, how can you expose your children to the Malay culture?

You can do it in many different ways which will arouse their interest in the Malay traditions and culture. You can arouse their interest in the culture through Malay dances, musicals, and drama. When your child will be interested in these dramas and musicals, they will be motivated to learn the Malay language too.

5. Play Malay Language Games With Your Child

To make language learning more enjoyable and fun for your child, you can involve them in some very interesting Malay games. Games are one of the most creative ways to help your children learn the Malay language. This will keep up their interest and motivate them to learn the language faster as well. Many Malay games will improve your child’s language skills. One of the most interesting Malay word games which will improve your child’s language skill is ‘Sahibba’.

It helps your child understand the language and improves their vocabulary as well. This in turn will improve their writing skills and help them to perform better in their schools too. So, if you want to make the language learning process creative and more fun, you need to teach it by indulging them in some creative and fun games.

6.  Learn With Your Child

A child learns the language faster when there is someone to learn it with them. so, if there is no one present to keep your child the company, you can try to learn the language with your child as well. There is no age for learning nor is everyone perfect. This is why you can learn a lot at your age too. So, even if you think that your Malay language skills are perfect, there is a lot of scopes for you to learn more about the language.

When you will give your child company in learning the language, it will keep up their interest and motivate them to learn the language faster. Besides, you can learn many interesting things about the Malay language yourself as well. This is why learning the language with your children is not such a bad idea.

7. Encourage Your Children To Participate In Community Activities

Participating in community activities is one of the most fun ways that would help your child in learning the Malay language faster. There are many fun activities that your child can do there which would make the learning process easier and faster for them.

Besides fast learning, there are many resources available in these community centers and public libraries that would help your child in learning about the Malay language and culture. Your child can take part in many discussions and debates that take place there as well. This is why participating in community activities is a good idea.

Read also: Why is CCA (co-curricular activities) important in Singapore schools?

8. Travel With Your Children

Another great way that would help your child learning the Malay language faster is by traveling. Traveling exposes your children to the culture of the country that would increase the sense of nationalism in them. When they will take an interest in the culture, they would be motivated to learn the language as well. So, if you want your child to take an interest in culture and tradition and learn the Malay language, you should take trips with your children.

Final Words

Learning Malay as a mother tongue is just as important as learning English as the first language. When your child will take interest in the mother tongue, it will promote a sense of cultural belonging among them as well. So, if you want to teach the Malay language to your children there are many activities that you can indulge your child in, or you can engage a private malay tutor to help you too.

It will help them in learning the language faster and improve a number of other skills too. Apart from this, it will enrich their vocabulary too which will help them in their schools and academic career as well.

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