English Proficiency: How to Support your Children and Wards

Professor Adenike Akinjobi of the department of English, University of Ibadan has suggested ways parents can help their children and wards improve their proficiency in English.

According to her, “Nigerian teachers are also second language users with limitations. Do not rely only on your children’s teachers to help them master the good use of English.”

She advised that any parents who wanted their children and wards to be proficient in spoken and written English should adhere strictly to the following tips.

Get your child good reading materials: comic books, stories/ novels, playlets/plays, rhymes/ poems.

As they grow older, add more non-fictional texts such as newspapers and other good readable materials.

Get them standard dictionaries that are ideal for their ages and train them to use them (the dictionaries).

Try these for three months and add your observation to this post.

NOTE: Adults can also use these hints to improve their use of English.