This is kind of cute. My 10 year old daughter is learning Vietnamese.

[Fuzz]

She has a friend in her class that just moved in the neighborhood and the family is from Vietnam. Her and her cousin stop by everyday on the way to the bus stop to pick up my daughter, pet my dogs, hang out, etc. (seems to get earlier every day). She couldn't speak English at all when they came over and my daughter, always the little helper, helped her out a lot in class.

So when they are hanging out here in the morning and I'm having my coffee, I started asking her to teach me some Vietnamese words and I in turn taught her some German and a little Tagalog, and my daughter would do the Spanish.

Now she is coming over with pieces of paper with phrases written in English and translated into Vietnamese for my daughter and they sit on the couch and try to learn them. It's really cute to watch them. And it's nice to see my daughter's curiosity about these sorts of things.

[LynzM]

1. That's really awesome

I'm so fascinated with languages and love learning them, and I can really identify with your daughter on this. I think it's so cool that they're helping each other like that! :bounce:

[kwassa]

2. I tried at one point

I was working in a program with Vietnamese refugees, and one of my co-workers offered to teach me.

It is really hard, though, because word meaning is dependent on vocal inflection, and the same word can have eight different meanings depending on that inflection.

Kids learn more easily, though. Immigrant kids can master English in a year.

[Godhumor]

3. The best time to learn a foreign language is while young

Your brain, while developing, does a lot better with that sort of information, so I'm willing to bet a lot of the phrases she learns will stick with your daughter for a long time.

I've never understood why foreign languages aren't started in elementary school (Rhetorical quandry, I know, but I'd be thrilled if the curriculum people found a way to introduce the subject.).

[Fuzz]

4. They do start early here.

My kids have been learning Spanish since either 1st grade or Kindergarten. Can't remember which atm.