Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam and is spoken by around 70 million people. It is a tonal language with a complex writing system. However it is not difficult to learn Vietnamese for kids, primarily because it is monosyllabic . Learning a native language in the country of origin is always easier since you are immersed in the language. However, many Vietnamese migrated to a different country after the Vietnam was in the 1970s, and while you may still speak and understand Vietnamese, it may no longer be your first language, making it difficult for you to teach to your kids.
Raising a bilingual Vietnamese child
Although you'd love to have your child fluent in Vietnamese, you may feel overwhelmed by doing it all on your own and/or finding limited resources to help you achieve your goal. You may get lucky and find a Vietnamese immersion program or you may just want your kids to understand their grandparents better. Whether your goal, it may feel daunting to get started.
Getting the verbal pronunciation right
Vietnamese is also a tonal language which means that the same word can have different meanings depending on how it is pronounced. It's important to teach your child to say the word correctly. While it's easier to do so prior to your child turning three years old, when their mind is more malliable, you can teach your child Vietnamese at any age.
While it can be challenging to learn it as an older child, it can also be great fun for the whole family. There are many resources available to help you learn Vietnamese including books, websites and apps. The best way to learn is to pass the biggest obstacle: getting started. Here are a few ideas for you to do so:
- Embracing the culture and start slow - Sometimes the best way to start is not through language at all. You could consider cooking a few Vietnamese dishes or reading Vietnamese fables, to help your child get interested in a new culture. Then you can introduce a word or two and replace an English word for the Vietnamese word throughout the day.
- Watch cartoons in Vietnamese - there isn't much in this area, but it's easier to engage a child with watching something, and it helps to immerse them in the language. Here's an example YouTube video where they simplify words and meanings through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jP3GoyvND8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqN4IC_J0k4
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doKbrU2VA84
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Knymx-u_4
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxKzXW_64k
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5i3rlDyvCg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJ9Q3Iw_Ao
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJQ-MNaPB1A
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyJuJTog-cg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-zzp8Om8NE
- Vietnamese Audio Books - Seeing the Vietnamese words may not be enough for you to teach it. Play audio accompanyments to help support your learning and to ensure the correct pronunciation https://amzn.to/3tmFFtb
- Vietnamese language books with audio - These books are great and hard to find. They allow your child to interactively learn Vietnamese with a book.
- https://www.walmart.com/ip/ANGGREK-Vietnamese-English-E-Book-Educational-Learning-Machine-Reading-Machine-Toy-Language-Learning-For-Kids-Wonderful-Gift-Boys-And-Girls/656156084
- https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vietnamese-English-E-Book-Reading-Machine-Toy-Educational-Learning-Machine-For-Kids-Boys-And-Girls-Yellow/703055908?athbdg=L1700
