English
English for kids learning it as a second language
By the Parler team · Updated · Read-aloud voices: US, UK, Australia
The short answer
Children learn English best through everyday life and family: their school day, their friends, things they do at home. Keep speaking your home language, add English words for daily routines, read short books together, and let your child tell stories about their day. Parler turns those stories into illustrated pages in English, read aloud with each word lighting up.
English is spoken in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, and it is widely used in schools and workplaces around the world. Many children learn it after moving to a new country, when they start at an international school, or to talk with family who live abroad.
For a child whose first language is something else, English speaking often comes quickly from school and friends. Reading and spelling take longer, because English spelling does not always match the sound. Words like though, through and tough look alike but sound different.
Your home language is a help, not a barrier. Children who read and talk richly in their first language bring those skills to English. Keep reading and telling stories at home in your own language, and add English alongside it. For more ideas, see help your child read in a second language.
What’s different
What to know about English for a young learner
- Spelling is not always phoneticMany English words are not spelled the way they sound. Tell your child this openly, so a strange spelling feels normal and not like a mistake. Reading along while a voice says each word helps link spellings to sounds.
- Learn common sight wordsA small set of words like the, said, was, you and they appear on almost every page, and many do not follow the usual rules. Learning to recognize them on sight makes early books much easier.
- Phonics and whole words work togetherPhonics teaches letter sounds so children can sound out new words like cat and stop. Whole-word reading covers tricky words that do not follow the rules. Most schools use both, and you can support each at home.
- Talk about the school daySchool is where much of your child's English lives. Ask about their day, and let them tell you in whichever language comes out first. Turning that story into a short English book gives them words they will use tomorrow.
- Pick one accent and relax about the restAmerican, British and Australian English sound different, and all are correct. Choose the one your child hears at school, but do not worry if they hear others too. Children adjust to accents easily.
First words
English words for everyday life
Start with the words for their own day: home, family, school and play. They come up every day, so they stick.
| English | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| house | the building where a family lives | hows |
| door | you open it to go in or out | dor |
| window | glass in a wall to see outside | WIN-doh |
| bed | where you sleep | bed |
| table | where you eat or work | TAY-bul |
| chair | what you sit on | chair |
| kitchen | where food is made | KICH-en |
| water | what you drink | WAH-ter |
| English | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| mom | mother | mahm |
| dad | father | dad |
| brother | a boy in your family | BRUH-ther |
| sister | a girl in your family | SIS-ter |
| grandma | your parent's mother | GRAN-mah |
| grandpa | your parent's father | GRAN-pah |
| baby | a very young child | BAY-bee |
| family | the people you belong with | FAM-uh-lee |
| English | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| school | where children learn | skool |
| teacher | the adult who teaches the class | TEE-cher |
| book | pages to read | buk |
| pencil | what you write with | PEN-sul |
| backpack | the bag for school things | BAK-pak |
| classroom | the room where your class meets | KLASS-room |
| friend | someone you like to be with | frend |
| lunch | the meal in the middle of the day | lunch |
| English | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| happy | feeling good | HAP-ee |
| sad | feeling unhappy | sad |
| tired | needing rest or sleep | TY-erd |
| scared | afraid | skaird |
| play | to have fun with games or toys | play |
| ball | a round toy to throw or kick | bawl |
| toy | something to play with | toy |
| park | an outdoor place to play | park |
Family phrases
English phrases to use at home today
| English | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | A greeting when you wake up | good MOR-ning |
| Thank you | Said when someone helps or gives you something | THANK yoo |
| Please | Said when you ask for something | pleez |
| I love you | Said to people you love | eye LUV yoo |
| How was your day? | Asking about someone's day | how wuz yor DAY |
| Can I have some water? | Asking for a drink | kan eye hav sum WAH-ter |
| Let's go | Time to leave together | lets GOH |
| It's time for bed | Bedtime now | its tym for BED |
| Good night | Said before sleeping | good NYT |
| See you later | Goodbye for now | SEE yoo LAY-ter |
In the morning, I walk to school with my brother.
Questions
English for kids: questions
Short answers. The help center has more on using Parler.
Visit helpWhat age should my child start learning English?
Any age works. Young children pick up English sounds quickly from play and school, and older children can lean on reading skills from their first language to make fast progress.
Which English does Parler's voice use?
Parler can read aloud in American, British or Australian English. Pick the one your child hears at school, since all three are correct and children understand the others easily.
Is Parler free?
Yes, you can start free. First Page is free with 5 pictures a month for one learner, and the Storybook plan has a 14-day free trial with 30 pictures and no card needed. Words, translations, voices and reading scores are free.
Can my child learn English if we don't speak it at home?
Yes. Many children learn English mainly at school. At home, keep speaking your own language, and add short English books read aloud by a clear voice so your child can follow each word, even if you are still learning English yourself.
How long does it take a child to learn English?
Many children speak everyday English with friends within a year or two of starting school in English. Reading and writing at grade level often take longer, so patience and steady daily reading help most.
Keep reading
- How can I help my child read in a second language?How to help your child read in a second language: read aloud together, follow each word, hear a native voice, reread, record their own reading and pick books.
- How do I raise a bilingual child?How to raise a bilingual child: one parent one language, minority language at home, time and place, English-only answers, and why mixing languages is normal.
- How do I keep a family language alive when my child is losing it?How to keep a heritage language alive when your child is losing it: daily routines, grandparents on video calls, family stories and real reasons to use it.
