Helping Families Keep Heritage Language Alive at Home is Arteirinha's Mission. Today, we've compiled 5 simple tips that can ease this journey, making it more natural and spontaneous.
1. Reading to children, in general, is an excellent way to enrich their vocabulary. In families where Portuguese is the heritage language, setting aside a moment to read to your little one can be an excellent tool. For children who may have some resistance because they always want a favorite book that is in English, it's worth investing in buying the same title in Portuguese or bilingual.
2. Engaging in activities together, especially those that require following instructions and dialogue, provides an excellent opportunity to create a "Portuguese Only Time" ritual. This can also be a great way to strengthen cultural roots through activities like cooking Brazilian recipes, for example.
3. Providing an environment where Portuguese is the common and predominant language within a particular group is undoubtedly one of the most "natural" and "spontaneous" ways to encourage your child to communicate comfortably and confidently in Portuguese. This can be achieved by participating in Brazilian community events in your area and organizing dinners, playdates, game or movie nights, bringing Portuguese into your home frequently.
4. Our Arteirinha Box is an art and craft with all content Brazil-themed. Your child gets to engage with aspects of the Brazilian language and culture that they would likely only have access to if they lived in Brazil. Additionally, your child gains another option for "Portuguese Only Time," but in a fun and playful way.
5. Expose your little one to Portuguese music from an early age. Rhythms and melodies help us memorize words much more easily, providing another way to enrich vocabulary.
Which of these tips were you already following, and which ones would you like to implement now?
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