How to help your teenager with foreign language homework (when you can't speak a word of it)

So your teenagers struggling to get to grips with their foreign language homework and you’re wondering what to do. Watching them work themselves up can be a pretty difficult situation to deal with, particularly when you haven’t the slightest clue about the language in question.
If you’ve found yourself in this situation then this http://www.ejsmith.com/ guide has plenty of great tips for helping both your child and yourself.

Find online resources
Whilst you may not know a word of what you’re child is learning, you are probably able to judge what materials look like they could be of help. The internet is an excellent resource for all sorts of engaging and innovative materials, from interactive quizzes to spelling programs.
A great place to start may be the BBC website, they have sections for each age group, and each language. You may also want to ask your child about their school’s website, very often such websites see drastic underuse and are frequently forgotten about as helpful sources of information.

Research different ways of revising
There are plenty of ways that can help your child if they’re revising for a test; here are just a few ideas:
- Help your child create a revision plan.
- Place post it notes on items that are used everyday.
- Prompt your child to interact with their revision texts, rather than just reading them.
- Make cue cards for your child, with the question on the front and the answer for you on the back.
- Hunt down some past test papers.
- Find a language teacher who can help them or tutor them

Get your child to take a learning test
Each and every child will have a different way of learning. Getting your child to take a test as to what learning style is best suited to them will help you source resources for their learning that are more effective. Learning styles can be grouped as the following:

- Visual (spatial): The learner prefers images, diagrams and spatial understanding.
- Aural (auditory-musical): The learner prefers audio based learning materials.
- Verbal (linguistic): the learner prefers to use spoken and written words.
- Physical (kinesthetic): The learner prefers using their hands to explore ideas and objects.
- Logical (mathematical): The learner prefers using logical techniques and systems.
- Social (interpersonal): The learner prefers to learn with others.
- Solitary (intrapersonal): The learner prefers to learn alone.

Arrange home or online tutoring
Home and online tutoring are the best, most effective ways of ensuring that your child has a skilled helping hand in their foreign language studies. With all the will in the world you can only provide so much help, and there will undoubtedly be areas where a professional is needed.

Additionally, because of the number of students in school rooms it may be that your child isn’t receiving the attention he or she deserves. This can mean that in areas where they should be excelling, they plateau, and in areas where they struggle, they fall further behind.

If you’d like to give your child an extra helping hand in their foreign language studies then Lingos can help if you need someone to help learn French in London. They design their courses around every student they teach, ensuring that strengths are played to and weaknesses are improved.