Has anyone tried teaching their child thier native Indian language? I am wondering how well it would stick if they don't get to use it in daily life. I took a German...
class in high school and only remember a couple of phrases because I don't have anyone to use it with. It would be fun to have an Indian language class with those who already speak it fluently so our children can really get a feel for it instead of only from a CD. While I really like Rosetta Stone, and other programs like it I think it would be great to have, in addition, a group of Indians who would help our children in learning to be great at speaking and understanding it. If you live in a big city, perhaps this would be an option for you. Sometimes at culture and heritiage camps they include Indians, who still have thier Indian language, in thier plans to come and help out, this might be a great way to connect with them and see if they would be willing to give/lead classes. It could just be a weekly time to get together and practice talking/ interacting, making it fun, or in a formal teaching class.
Perhaps if there is an Indian resturant or grocery, near you, you could post an advertisement asking for help. Or maybe your adoption agency could help by arranging something like this as part of their post adoption options.
One thing I think would also be beneficial, as well as fun, would be for the parents to learn the language alongside the child so that they can get the daily interaction. And who knows, it may come in useful for any trips, with your child, back to India in the future! I sure wish I had known Hindi when we were bringing our daughter home because at our doctor visit, in India, the nurse asked me if I knew the language and I wonder what else they could have told me about our daughter. Even if it had been nothing more it would have been so sweet to have heard them tell me about my daughter in Hindi. Either way, it is a trip I love and will never forget.
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For us, the problem isn't a lack of Indian people in our home city . . . but rather no one who speaks the language of our daughter's birthplace. I have two school-mom friends who speak Hindi and Tamil, but no one speaks Bengali. Hindi will probably be our default. :o)
-- Nancy
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