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Grandparents as Tools for Language Learning (Part I of II)

© Valerie Borey

Grandparents can be some of the most influential people in helping children to learn a language. Children often have a very special relationship to their grandparents and will go along with them on things they would never think of doing with their parents. Since Norwegian is, above all, a heritage language, grandparents deserve special consideration in the Norwegian-learning process. With more Norwegians living outside of Norway than in their homeland, the role of Norwegian grandparents in language acquisition cannot be ignored. For those of you who are interested in passing the language down to your grandchildren, I’ve assembled a few ideas to help you in your endeavor.

Reading and Writing Letters
For those of you who are still in touch with relatives in Norway, one of the best ways to help your grandchildren learn Norwegian is to make correspondence a collaborative activity. When you receive a letter from Norway, start by reading aloud to your grandchild and stop often to explain things and check for comprehension. As your grandchild gets used to this and more interested in news from Norway, have them read aloud for you, sounding out the words as they go. Even if they seem reluctant to do this initially, you can “trick” them into the process by asking them to help decipher handwriting. This will not only keep them in touch with the “old country,” but allow them to develop a personal connection with the language.

Get your grandchildren involved in the letter writing process as well. Have them make contributions to the content of the letter by suggesting things to include. Give them practice writing by dictating and helping them to translate the sounds into written characters – this is invaluable in giving them experience with unfamiliar letter combinations. Once your grandchildren are more comfortable with the writing process, ask your relative if they have a child, grandchild, or other relative who would be interested in exchanging letters with your grandchild. This makes for great practice and keeps family connections alive over the generations.

Gossip and Secrecy
When it comes right down to it, children are social animals and like everybody else, they love gossip and secrets. Learning doesn’t just happen in school - it’s going on all the time. The more tantalizing a secret is, the more interest there will be in discovering it. There are a number of ways to use this as leverage for generating interest in the Norwegian language.

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