Welcome! 👋 This page is designed to help EAL (English as an Additional Language) students and parents understand how to improve English skills effectively. Being bilingual 🌍 has many benefits, including better cognitive abilities 🧠, improved problem-solving skills, and greater cultural understanding. The key to mastering English lies in improving the speed of switching 🌀 between your first language and English.
Why Is Switching Important? 🔄
Scientific studies show that mastering a second language (like English) is not just about learning new words or grammar rules. It’s about learning how to switch between your first language and English:
Switching correctly (with the right meaning) ✅
Switching precisely (with more efficient use of words) 🎯
Switching quickly (with great speed and little hesitation) ⚡
How to Improve Switching Speed 🚀
Practice Switching Daily 🔀: Set aside time to switch between your first language and English. For example, think of a sentence in your first language and translate it into English.
Use Flashcards 📇: Create flashcards with words or phrases in both languages. Practice switching between them quickly to build fluency.
Think in Both Languages 🧠: Train your brain to think in English and your first language interchangeably. Start with simple thoughts and gradually increase complexity.
Speak with Others 🗣️: Have conversations in your first language with your family to explain something you learnt in English. Similarly, explain to someone in English about something you usually talk about in your first language.
Watch and Repeat 🎬: Watch English videos or listen to podcasts. Pause and repeat sentences, switching between languages to explain to others what you think about the videos or podcasts.
For Parents: How to Support Your Child 👨👩👧👦
Encourage daily practice of switching between languages. 🌟
Provide bilingual books or resources to help with translation. 📚
Celebrate progress to keep your child motivated and confident. 🥳