Our Tagalog lesson continues..
By Hazel Vee
@epiffanie (11326)
Australia
September 15, 2019 3:43am CST
I was away for three months and was not able to babysit when I came back because I was sick.. My granddaughter missed our Tagalog lessons.. She already learned a few kids Tagalog songs and and some simple words and how to count in Tagalog before I left.. But she forgot most of them.. She is more talkative now but still can't form her words clearly..
She's the one who reminded me of our lessons.. But she said she just wants to listen to some of her favourite Tagalog songs while she eats lunch..
Anyway, someone suggested that I should always speak to her in Tagalog that way, she learns quicker..But I think it's better to wait till she speaks fluent in English because she might get confused and speak Taglish when she goes to school.. 
.. What do you think?..
Her other grandma is Vietnamese who doesn't speak English even though she's been living in Australia for more than 30 years..And this little girl said that she doesn't want to talk to her, because she can't understand what she's talking about..
So, I think it's better to wait and let her decide if she wants to learn more..
Bess..
Anyway, someone suggested that I should always speak to her in Tagalog that way, she learns quicker..But I think it's better to wait till she speaks fluent in English because she might get confused and speak Taglish when she goes to school.. .. What do you think?..
Her other grandma is Vietnamese who doesn't speak English even though she's been living in Australia for more than 30 years..And this little girl said that she doesn't want to talk to her, because she can't understand what she's talking about..
So, I think it's better to wait and let her decide if she wants to learn more..
Bess..11 people like this
10 responses
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
15 Sep 19
@MGjhaud hahah!.. kids are like that, we just go along with what interest them any given time ..
3 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
15 Sep 19
Oh yes! she loves Bahay Kubo, Leron Leron sinta, Tatlong Bibi, Penpen desarapen and more .. and I had to translate them ..
2 people like this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
15 Sep 19
Children of that age are very good at learning more than one language and seem to be able to keep them separate instinctively and easily provided that they get to know that Grandma A only speaks Vietnamese and Grandma B speaks Tagalog and English and Mommy and Daddy speak English (and Tagalog and Vietnamese sometimes). They may get the words confused sometimes but it doesn't matter. They sort it out eventually. My grand niece grew up speaking Spanish and English this way and now speaks both fluently and perfectly.
3 people like this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
19 Sep 19
@epiffanie Children can be so 'conservative' and damning sometimes! You may have to tell her that Tagalog is just as 'proper' as English and Vietnamese and that there are hundreds of different languages in the world, each with their 'proper' ways of speaking. I know that, in the Philippines, Tagalog is the official language and it's quite close to many of the dialects but it's not really the 'mother tongue' for quite a few. How do I know that? I corresponded with someone from there for a while (I was known as 'Lolo Kuwago') and learnt a little about the people and the customs and the languages.
2 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
20 Sep 19
@owlwings Yes.. I told her that people in other parts of the world use different languages just like English, they are all proper.. What is fascinating is that she loves listening to Tagalog songs and ask me to translate.. Maybe the animation also helps to understand some of the words ..
2 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
19 Sep 19
Thanks @owlwings .. I'm thinking that it really depends on the child.. Sometimes, my granddaughter asks what I said when I speak to her in Tagalog.. But sometimes, when I speak to her in Tagalog, she'd say, "Talk properly, I don't like what your saying"... lol ...
2 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (51914)
• Philippines
17 Sep 19
Wow she really listen to that song, I had a download that song before for an activity.
I'm glad your grand daughter wants to learn more about tagalog.
1 person likes this
@birjudanak (14320)
• India
15 Sep 19
so cute and adorable she is. Yes let wait for sometimes as she can speak fluent. If we learn them things before time then they will confused and sure comeout tagalish haha. You are good teacher and sure will learn her soon. I know some basic words like kumusta ka mabuti etc tagalog haha rest will you learn me.
2 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
15 Sep 19
Oh! you know a few Tagalog words ..Glad that you are "mabuti" ( means well ) ..
1 person likes this
@birjudanak (14320)
• India
15 Sep 19
@epiffanie yes many more words too because i have many friends from there who learned me it.
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
16 Sep 19
Children that age can easily learn languages; they say they can learn 5 languages at the same time.
3 people like this
@thelme55 (76843)
• Germany
16 Sep 19
I don´t think you have to wait. Kids can easily learn more than 2 languages at the same time. Well, my friends' son who is 2 years old, speaks in German, English and Tagalog. Well, he is still learning. Sometimes when I asked him in German, he answered me in English or Tagalog and I find it so cute. Continue teaching your granddaughter. Talk to her in Tagalog when you are with her.
2 people like this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
16 Sep 19
My granddaughter also understands when I speak to her in Tagalog .. Her mom also speaks to her in Vietnamese and she understands just can't speak it..
2 people like this
@thelme55 (76843)
• Germany
17 Sep 19
@epiffanie That is good. Just continue talking to her in Tagalog.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
21 Sep 19
Yes, that's the right decision. . .let her decide when she can already speak. She should also be taught how to speak Vietnamese.
Children are good in learning a new language.
I think you got sick when you went back there because of the heat here in the Philippines then there it's cold.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
15 Sep 19
Kids learn best in their own time so whenever she's ready I'm sure you will know. =)
1 person likes this
@epiffanie (11326)
• Australia
19 Sep 19
Yes it's a bit tricky because some kids can cope.. But this little girl just like listening to songs .. Maybe the music that she's more interested in .. So I don't insist on translating when she's not asking...
1 person likes this
