How can I encourage my daughter to speak English

I would have to say I agree with the person who said speak both languages. Just keep trying, and maybe even say... for instance "Rampu!" and then "Lamp" pointing at the lamp each time you say it in both languages. This way she'll learn that "Lamp" and "Rampu" mean the same thing. I don't speak Japanese, I was just watching a show that had the word "rampu" in it so I know what it means. Basically I'd suggest both you and your wife speaking in your respective languages. You speak English, She Japanese... But each of you helping her with word associations like the one I exampled above. Speaking only one language in the home, and then her going out in the world and having to learn the other language could be scary and difficult for her, maybe even discouraging when she gets older.

I have two children and am in a similar situation. Although my husband and I are English we now live in Spain. our nine year old is bi-lingual and doing very well at at school. We also have a two year old who is just starting to speak Spanish to us and to other people we meet. I think the best thing to do is to keep speaking and reading to your child in English. The best thing to start with is objects around the home and do it one word at a time. I started this way with my youngest and it seems to work. Another thing to do is to teach her greetings and 'please/thankyou' becasue these are common words we use every day when we ask for things. I hope this helps and I wish you luck :)

We have a hispanic family that lives up the street from us, and the reason that the children are as bilingual as they are is because of the fact that mom and dad typically speak Spanish with the children at home and outside the home it is primarily English. With this in mind, I would think that the best way to bring your daughter up to be bilingual would be to speak English at home and Japanese outside the house.

I suggest that at home use English. Ask your wife to speak English and use this language in your household. Your daughter will learn Japanese outside as you are living in Japan. In this way you can have your daughter speak two language at the same time.

Everything I have read - and this is an important issue for me as well - suggests that you should keep speaking to your daughter in English, all the time, whilst your wife speaks Japanese to her. Also look at exposing her, as she grows older, to English in the form of books, music, television etc. It is said that some bilingual kids reach linguistic milestones at a slightly delayed rate in the first few years - so first sentences may be later, or more muddled, than those learning only one language. Also they will typically lean/respond more to one language than another at different times. But persevere with speaking both languages to her and they will get assimilated, and eventually she will end up advantaged academically across the board... bilingual kids are statistically better at mathematics, music, and all creative skills, as by learning two languages your daughter is creating new brain pathways and connections all the time. SO keep at it, you are doing a wonderful thing for her, creating this unusual and rich environment for her growth and development!

Well in my case me and my wife is filipino, and we teach our child english language,we trained her first by watching dvd's that teaches the language,In your home you must speak the language that you want to teach, and the best way too, is to talk to your wife about it,what you want your kid to be, a bilingual or not,just like my kid she speaks english now, and filipino language is easier because we live in the country that speaks it.same to you as well...thanks!

Keep speaking Enlish to her, this is the only way to teach her English in Japan. As to Japanese, don't worry about it.