If you want to make language learning an even more exciting and successful journey for your child, music (and particularly salsa music!) is a great way to start. Tamara Marie, host of the Learn Spanish Con Salsa podcast, explains why and gives tips to get started in this episode of In Plain Language. You can learn more about Spanish Con Salsa by visiting www.SpanishConSalsa.com . Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking...
Feb 16, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 5
If you've embarked on the exciting journey of raising a bilingual child, you know just how much (and sometimes conflicting) information there is on this topic. Nadia Granados, BA, MA, PhD, and Briana Santiago, BA, MA — who are sisters and founders of LinguaLearner, an engaging Spanish and English preschool curriculum that you can do with your child at home — describe three common myths and what parents need to know in today's eye-opening episode. You can learn more about LinguaLearner at www.Lin...
Nov 30, 2020•18 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Research shows that kids who grow up in homes with books have better academic success and life outcomes. In today’s episode, we speak with Rebecca Cohen, co-founder of Brooklyn Book Bodega, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn. She explains why it’s so important to have books kids can call their own at home, gives tips for building your own home library, and has great insight on how to get involved — whether you’re looking for free books for yo...
Nov 09, 2020•18 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Reading comprehension is a critical building block of learning, whether your child is reading in their native language or a new language! In today's episode of the In Plain Language podcast, Spanish teacher Erin Coleman of The Engaged Spanish Classroom gives tangible tips and activities for gauging and boosting your child's reading comprehension. You can visit her blog and shop here for more resources: www.TheEngagedSpanishClassroom.com . Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringin...
Oct 26, 2020•18 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Strong language skills can set your child up for success in all subjects! If your child is spending more time learning from home than usual right now, they may not be exposed to the language-building activities they would typically have in school. In today's Season 2 kick-off of the In Plain Language podcast, Diane Paul of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association gives expert tips for supporting your child's language development at home — without it feeling like homework for them. Suppor...
Oct 12, 2020•16 min•Season 2Ep. 1
What skills do kids need to have when they enter kindergarten? Should they know how to read, or how to count? What can you do if their preschool has been closed and they've been watching Frozen on repeat for the past four months? Not to worry: Carrie Shrier, an early childhood educator at Michigan State University Extension, has straightforward tips and strategies to get your child ready this summer (no cramming required). To keep your child learning at home, shop Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual ...
Jun 18, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Over the past few months, many children (and adults) have moved completely online for virtual learning and work. But how is this affecting language — and is it possible it’ll have long-term effects on how we communicate with each other? In today’s episode, we talk about the linguistic impact of the past few months, and hear insight on how video chat specifically may change language from Kristen Syrett, associate professor of linguistics at Rutgers University. To keep your child learning at home,...
May 29, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 15
When your child is learning a new language, making mistakes along the way is a natural (and important!) part of the journey. In today’s episode, you'll hear from Lauren Stengele, a non-native Spanish speaker, language teacher, and bilingual homeschooling mom, about helping kids get comfortable with learning language and making mistakes along the way. Plus, she'll touch on how to not be too hard on yourself through each season of raising bilingual children. To help others on their bilingual journ...
Apr 16, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Hi Malty friends — it's your host, Kelsey! Want to raise an incredible writer? As the author of Malty the Blue Tiger and a former journalist, I'm excited to share with you my favorite writing activities for kids, and how they can help inspire a love of writing in today's youngest authors. If you're helping your child learn at home right now, be sure to check out our teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks! (Psst: You can take an extra 15% off your order with the code PODCAST at www....
Apr 02, 2020•11 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Many schools across the country are closed right now due to COVID-19. If your family is in this situation, we’re here to help with tangible, useful tips for keeping your kids learning at home — and tricks for when you feel overwhelmed. We spoke to two homeschooling parents who have been doing this for a while: Julia Mederich , a mom of two (a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old) and the founder of Northwoods Children Homeschool Blog, and Syeda Sanjeda , a mom of two (a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old) and ...
Mar 20, 2020•17 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Does storytelling occasionally feel more like a chore than a special family activity? Do you want your child to learn important reading skills AND to grow a love for reading? These invaluable storytelling tips from the pros — voiceover artists Sheli Baez (the voice of Malty the Blue Tiger!) and Brock Powell (the voice of The Kool-Aid Man!) — will help. In this episode, you’ll learn how to use great storytelling to grow your child’s literacy skills such as reading comprehension, visualization, an...
Mar 05, 2020•23 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Did you ever make up secret words — or even an entire language — as a child? This can happen for a number of reasons, which we discuss in this episode of In Plain Language . We'll be talking about kids who create languages for fun (a hobby that can actually be super beneficial!), kids who create code words with friends, and twin speak. Hear invaluable tips from linguist David Adger, PhD, of Queen Mary University of London and psychologist Joan A. Friedman, PhD, of Santa Monica, California. Don't...
Feb 20, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Audiobooks give you a special opportunity to help your child improve their reading comprehension and fluency skills — and to learn another language! Find out how to use audiobooks in the most effective ways to advance reading and language skills, raise a happy reader and/or bilingual child, and help your child succeed in school in beyond. In this episode, we chat with Justine Bruyère, PhD, a lecturer in the reading education program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in Nashville, TN. We...
Feb 04, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 10
The opportunity window refers to the first few years of a child's life in which it's said to be easiest for kids to become bilingual. But does that mean the opportunity to truly raise a bilingual child is out the window if your child is older? In this episode, we chat with Frances Evans, the founder of the blog Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes , who successfully raised a bilingual son. However, she was worried that she had missed the "opportunity window" when she started. She shares w...
Jan 16, 2020•15 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Speaking eloquently and confidently for a crowd is an invaluable skill — yet it's one that children are rarely taught, even as they’re expected to make great presentations as part of their academic success in school (think oral book reports, science experiment presentations, and social studies debates). However, you can instill this skill set in your child with these five easy tips. We spoke to Lauren Mosback, a licensed professional counselor and author of My Sister’s Super Skills, and Herman O...
Jan 02, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Overwhelmed by all of the information out there about how to raise bilingual kids? Get the insider facts directly from the people who are successfully doing it right now . In this episode, you'll hear from three parents — each with a unique story about how they are teaching their kids two languages at once — and you'll get their best advice and direct, tangible tips for pulling it off yourself. After all, there's no better way to learn than to hear from someone who's been there. You can buy Malt...
Dec 12, 2019•23 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Consider this: A recent study from The Ohio State University found that reading to kids a certain number of times daily can expose them to nearly 1.5 million words from books by the time they turn five. Read-alouds are so important because they set kids up for academic success and expose them to far more vocabulary than they hear in everyday life. In this episode, you'll hear incredible advice on how to expose your child to a robust number of new vocabulary words by kindergarten, teacher-backed ...
Nov 26, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Your kids are constantly surrounded by the Internet. Your iPhone? They beg for it constantly. Tik Tok? All their friends have it. Lit so much foji rn? They understand that in a second. But what type of effect does this exposure have on kids, from the youngest ones who are just learning the English language to those who have been speaking it for years? In this episode, you’ll hear from two incredible linguists and get intel on the origins of the latest Internet language trends. Get all of your sh...
Nov 14, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 5
You want your child to grow a large vocabulary and excel in language. You want them to thrive in their reading ability, school life, and relationships with friends and family — all of which are directly influenced by language skills. Simply speaking around your young child is a great place to start, but there's much more that you can do. Follow these five simple, smart strategies to help your child’s language skills flourish, whether they’re learning their native language or another language. To...
Oct 31, 2019•18 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Real talk: Some parents say they've noticed their children speaking like their favorite cartoon characters — who speak in different accents! But are kids actually developing an accent from watching these shows? Will they only speak like the characters they like? (After all, villains often have accents, too!). And what if English isn't your child's native language? You'll hear from Alicia Whitley, a mom who's been there, plus Liliana Diaz-Vazquez, a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in ...
Oct 17, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 3
You'd love your child to know Spanish, but you only took a semester in high school. Or perhaps your child is excited about learning Italian, and you're cheering them on, but you don't know how to help. You're not alone! So many parents have been in this situation. In this episode, you'll learn how you can foster those language skills for your little one with easy, practical tips and tricks. You'll hear from Clarissa Duskin, M.Ed., coordinator of English learners, recently arrived students and tr...
Oct 03, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Kids can feel self-conscious if they speak differently than their peers. And to be honest, a lot of kids do! Whether a child has a regional accent, has trouble saying certain sounds (like r's), or speaks differently for any other reason, this episode will show you how to help them feel confident in their one-of-a-kind voice. We'll also chat about how we can teach all kids to be empathetic and accepting of those who speak differently. You'll hear from Ellen Braaten, Ph.D. (co-director of The Clay...
Sep 21, 2019•18 min•Season 1Ep. 1
