I have 5 siblings and we all learned English at various ages after we immigrated from Germany, ranging from 7 yrs. up to 17 years...only the 17 yr. old sibling has grown up with an accent. It really just took one summer of imemrsion in the streets and neighborhoods around out new home and we were conversational by the time school began in the fall. By the time I was in high school ,teachers were schoked when I would tell them English was not my native tongue! So, definitely let this family know it is NOT too late!

I definitely think the DVD/video idea is fantastic. I use it occasionally now to try to re-claim my native German!

Play groups with other families trying to encourahe their children to speak English is a great idea and maybe they could start one if one can't be found.

I'm curious, since we are on the subject of language...Are any of you familiar with SPANISH teaching programs there (Madrid mainly) for high school students? Like one-2 week programs? my daughter would be interested in summer of '07 and we've found a lot for college bound Spanish learners but not high school.

Thanks for any feedback!

Tanja

Follow-up, nearly 1-year later. Still looking for an in-home English tutor for the now 8-year old. He's still energetic and does seem to understand me most of the time when I speak to him in English - although he answers me in Spanish. Requesting 2 days a week after school for 2-hours each time. Contact me directly via email or Private Message. Thanks!

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,
Have you considered contacting American college students who are studying in Madrid for a semester or a year? I studied at Saint Louis University for one semester, and one of my profesoras asked me to tutor her two daughters in English. She just wanted them to practice talking and reading in English. So, I would go to their apartment once a week for about an hour or two and just play games, listen to English music, draw, and read with the girls. This professor often asked American students to do this so that her daughters (who were 10 years old at the time) would just become accustomed to native English speakers. They already knew some English from school. I don't remember how much she paid me, but it wasn't a huge sum, although she did give me bus fare, too. I was happy to have a little spending money!

Hi la historiadora! Thanks for your reply!

You wrote:
We're only considering someone with teaching experience and preferably someone with some experience teaching children. Teaching children (or just being around children) is MUCH different than being around teenagers or adults - as you probably already know.

The person we're seeking won't necessarily be a sit-down teacher either but rather a kind of play-partner in English. We think it may be more useful to use this method than a boring-ish, classroom "ME TEACHER, YOU STUDENT" - like method.

Saludos, MadridMan

I have to agree you can pick up accent free English upto your teen years by spending a summer in England or America. That is the way most people do it. Several other options are English TV or DVDs, that is how most expats I've meet learn the language.

thankfully getting English TV is much easier than it used to be. Every DVD offers English as well as Spanish TV has the OV option on certain channels.

From a cost point of view watching TV is probalby the cheapest, the other alternative is private english school. cost I believe is around 3000 a year. (much much cheaper than countries in Northern Europe)

I just discussed this very thing with one of my wife's co-workers on the way to the airport today (Chris and her had to fly out today rather than Monday morning as usual) Anyways her kids are 7 and 9 and she wants them to learn english as well. They do get a bit of English at school but very very little and like most parents in Spain the kids go to an after school academy, so they choose one that offered English lessons as part of the program. They have to drive a bit further but the kids get 2 hours a week with native english speakers and she said its really helped. They are starting to speak more in sentances etc. The price was pretty reasonable as well, less than private lessons, and the class size is limted to 6 or so.

I also asked about watching TV in English and when they were younger it was easier but now the kids are older they prefer Spanish.

Personally I asked what was involved in teaching kids as I have just finshed my TEFL (yeah for me) and I've decided that teaching children isn't for me. I'm going to focus on adults and businesses.

Hi again! I'm still looking for a tutor for the same, now 9-year old boy in his home for 2 or 3 days a week, 1 or 2 hours per day. Anyone new eyes reading this thread have any thoughts or direction apart from the above statements?

Saludos, MadridMan

Boink!

MM - you might want to ask Chica (Becky) - I'm sure she will be able to give you some suggestions if not a contact. For those that don't remember, Chica is an American married to a Spaniard - living in Madrid - and owns an English language school. info@iberenglish.com or rebecca@iberenglish.com

Thanks Puna! I'll do that. Last time I checked with her she didn't have any leads but maybe that's changed since then.

But the good news is a British message board member contacted me via PM and gave me the name of his son who lives here in Madrid and has experience teaching conversational English to children. We're going to contact him and see where it takes us.

Saludos, MadridMan