English for FunWhy does my child understand English but not speak it?
Your child points to the cat when you ask "Where is the cat?" and smiles at a familiar song, but goes quiet the moment you say "Say it for me". Many parents worry that nothing is going in. In fact, understanding comes before speaking in every language a child learns. Your job is to give plenty to listen to, and to make speaking easy and safe.
Understanding first, speaking later, is normal
- Many children learning a second language go through a "silent period": they mostly listen, watch and answer with nods, head shakes or pointing, and say very little.
- A toolkit for early years teachers from the Maryland State Department of Education (USA) says this period can last from six weeks to three months or more, and advises adults not to force children to speak or punish them for not speaking.
- Those children hear English all day at school. A child who hears English for a short time each day may stay quiet for longer. That is not a sign of a problem.
- At the same time, Rose Drury (Open University, UK) warns against assuming young children simply "pick up" a new language easily. Silence is normal, but children still need the right support.
Other reasons a child is not speaking yet
- Not enough listening yet: to say a sentence, a child needs to hear it many times, in situations that make sense.
- Fear of mistakes, or feeling tested: "Say something in English for Grandma" is the hardest moment for most children.
- No reason to speak: if everyone at home understands the family language, English feels unnecessary.
- Temperament: some children watch carefully before trying. They often speak quite accurately once they start.
Signs your child is still making progress
- They follow short instructions: "Find the cat", "Touch your nose", "Clap your hands".
- They point to the right picture, or answer an English question in your home language. A correct answer in another language means they understood.
- They mouth words, sing a few words of a song, or use English to themselves while playing.
- They laugh in the right place in a familiar story.
Eight ways to help, without pressure
- Do not turn English into a test, especially in front of visitors. Let your child speak when they want to.
- Ask either-or questions: "Apple or banana?" Your child only needs to repeat one word they just heard.
- Start with what is easiest to say: single words, greetings, songs, then short patterns like "I see a…" and "I like…".
- Speak first yourself, even if your accent is not perfect. Your child learns that small mistakes are fine.
- Wait. After a question, count to five in your head. Many children need a few extra seconds.
- Praise the attempt and do not correct straight away. If your child says "two cat", just echo it: "Yes, two cats!"
- Accept answers without words: "Show me the dog" is English practice too, just before speaking.
- Play through a puppet or a teddy: many shy children find it easier to speak "for" a toy.
Easy first sentences
Tap to hear. Change one word and you have a new sentence, so your child only needs one frame.
How English for Fun handles this step
- In I Can Read, every pack ends with a "Say it" step: the child says the whole sentence out loud. The game only checks that it hears a voice, then praises the child and moves on. There is no pronunciation score and no "wrong", so shy children feel safe to try.
- The microphone is optional and parents can switch it off. Nothing is recorded or sent to us.
- Before "Say it", the child has already heard and built the sentence several times: understanding first, then speaking.
- See also 20 first English sentences for children and building listening skills at home.
When to ask a specialist
If your child is late to talk in their home language too, uses little eye contact or gesture, or you are worried about their development, talk to your paediatrician or a speech and language therapist. A silent period in a second language is normal; late talking in the first language should be checked.