3 Fun Activities to Boost Your Child's English Speaking Fluency

Are you looking to help your little one develop their English speaking fluency?

Well, you've come to the right place! As language teachers, we understand how important it is to create engaging, research-based activities that will foster growth in your child's English language skills. So let's explore three fantastic activities you can do with your child to help them become English-speaking superstars!

Activity 1: The Exciting World of English Storytelling

Reading and listening to stories is an excellent way to help your child become familiar with English pronunciation, vocabulary, and sentence structure. But why not take it up a notch and involve them in the storytelling process itself?

Here's how to do it:

Choose an English storybook or find an online story appropriate for your child's age and English level. Some great websites for free English stories are:

Storyline Online
Storyberries
Free Children's Stories
Librivox (audiobooks for more advanced students)

1. Read the story aloud to your child (or listen to the audio if it’s provided), encouraging them to listen and mimic your pronunciation. This practice helps develop their listening skills and natural speech patterns, as supported by Derwing and Munro's (2005) research.
2. After reading the story, have a light-hearted discussion in English about the plot, characters, and any new vocabulary your child encountered. This will help them practice their speaking skills and solidify their understanding of the story.
3. Now, it's time for some role play! Assign parts to you and your child, and act out the story together. This task-based language learning approach has been shown to be effective in improving language fluency (Willis & Willis, 2007).
   

Activity 2: English Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Turn your home into an exciting scavenger hunt playground where your child can practice their English speaking skills! This activity focuses on using English in context while having fun.

Here's how to do it:

1. Prepare a list of 10-15 objects that can be found around your home. Write simple clues or descriptions for each object in English. For example: "This object is cold and keeps food fresh" (refrigerator).
2. Give your child the list of clues and have them find each object using only the English descriptions. Encourage them to say the name of the object in English once they find it.
3. As they locate each item, engage them in a short conversation about the object. For example, you can ask questions like, "What do we use this for?" or "Can you describe this object using three English adjectives?" This helps improve their speaking fluency and confidence in using English in a real-life context.

Activity 3: Family English Movie Night

Watching English movies with your child not only strengthens their listening skills but also exposes them to authentic language use and cultural nuances. Plus, it's a fun way to spend quality family time together!

Here's how to do it:

1. Choose a family-friendly English movie that matches your child's interests and language level. Make sure to enable English subtitles to help with comprehension.
2. As you watch the movie, pause occasionally and discuss the plot, characters, or any unfamiliar words and phrases. Encourage your child to mimic the characters' pronunciation and intonation, as this has been shown to improve natural speech patterns (Derwing & Munro, 2005).
3. After the movie, engage in a light-hearted conversation about the story, themes, and any new vocabulary your child learned. You can also ask your child to summarize the movie in English, which helps them practice their speaking skills in a fun and relaxed setting.

Here’s a movie night suggestion to get you started learning and having fun practicing English speaking together!

Let's take the classic American animated movie "The Lion King" as an example for our Family English Movie Night. This movie is beloved by so many people (including me!) and can be accessed online through various streaming platforms. 

Here's how you can follow the steps from Activity 3 using "The Lion King":

1. Choose the movie: Settle on "The Lion King" as the movie for your family English movie night. Ensure that English subtitles are enabled to aid comprehension.
2. Watch and discuss: As you watch the movie with your child, pause occasionally to discuss specific scenes, characters, or unfamiliar words and phrases. For example:

• After the "Circle of Life" scene, discuss the meaning of the phrase and its significance in the movie. Ask your child what they think it means.
• When Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, pause the movie to explain any new vocabulary, such as "meerkat" or "warthog," and practice their pronunciation together.
• Talk about the characters and their relationships, like Mufasa and Simba or Scar and the hyenas. Discuss their roles in the story and ask your child how they feel about each character.

Encourage your child to mimic the characters' pronunciation and intonation, especially during catchy songs like "Hakuna Matata" or "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."

• The importance of responsibility and facing challenges, as shown through Simba's journey.
• The theme of friendship, as demonstrated by Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba's bond.
• The concept of the "Circle of Life" and how it relates to the movie's events.
  

You can also ask your child to summarize the movie in English, encouraging them to use new vocabulary and expressions they learned while watching. This practice helps reinforce their speaking skills in a fun and relaxed setting.

There you have it! Three research-based, entertaining activities to help your kids improve their English speaking fluency. By incorporating storytelling, scavenger hunts, and family movie nights into your routine, you'll create a fun and supportive environment for your child to thrive in their English language journey. Remember, the key to success is consistency and patience. So, go ahead and make learning English a delightful experience for the whole family! Happy learning!