In Plain Language

How to Teach Kids Language Through Music Feb 16, 2021

If you want to make language learning an even more exciting and successful journey for your child, music (and particularly salsa music!) is a great way to start. Tamara Marie, host of the Learn Spanish Con Salsa podcast, explains why and gives tips to get started in this episode of In Plain Language.

You can learn more about Spanish Con Salsa by visiting www.SpanishConSalsa.com.

Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language.

Shop Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and many other trusted retailers, or by visiting www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

3 Common Myths About Raising Bilingual Kids Nov 30, 2020

If you've embarked on the exciting journey of raising a bilingual child, you know just how much (and sometimes conflicting) information there is on this topic. Nadia Granados, BA, MA, PhD, and Briana Santiago, BA, MA — who are sisters and founders of LinguaLearner, an engaging Spanish and English preschool curriculum that you can do with your child at home — describe three common myths and what parents need to know in today's eye-opening episode.

You can learn more about LinguaLearner at www.LinguaLearner.com.

Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language.

Shop bilingual books and language learning resources at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

The Importance of Getting Kids Access to Their Own Books at Home Nov 09, 2020

Research shows that kids who grow up in homes with books have better academic success and life outcomes. In today’s episode, we speak with Rebecca Cohen, co-founder of Brooklyn Book Bodega, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn.

She explains why it’s so important to have books kids can call their own at home, gives tips for building your own home library, and has great insight on how to get involved — whether you’re looking for free books for your own home library or want to help other families get access to books.

You can learn more at www.BrooklynBookBodega.org.

Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language.

Shop bilingual books and language learning resources at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

Boost Your Child's Reading Comprehension (In Any Language!) Oct 26, 2020

Reading comprehension is a critical building block of learning, whether your child is reading in their native language or a new language!

In today's episode of the In Plain Language podcast, Spanish teacher Erin Coleman of The Engaged Spanish Classroom gives tangible tips and activities for gauging and boosting your child's reading comprehension. You can visit her blog and shop here for more resources: www.TheEngagedSpanishClassroom.com.

Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language.

Shop bilingual books and language learning resources at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

Support Your Child's Language Development at Home Oct 12, 2020

Strong language skills can set your child up for success in all subjects! If your child is spending more time learning from home than usual right now, they may not be exposed to the language-building activities they would typically have in school.

In today's Season 2 kick-off of the In Plain Language podcast, Diane Paul of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association gives expert tips for supporting your child's language development at home — without it feeling like homework for them.

Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families worldwide by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language.

Shop bilingual books and language learning resources at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten This Summer! Jun 18, 2020

What skills do kids need to have when they enter kindergarten? Should they know how to read, or how to count? What can you do if their preschool has been closed and they've been watching Frozen on repeat for the past four months? Not to worry: Carrie Shrier, an early childhood educator at Michigan State University Extension, has straightforward tips and strategies to get your child ready this summer (no cramming required).

To keep your child learning at home, shop Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books & audiobooks at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com or on Amazon now! These are the teacher-recommended resources that will teach your child language skills and help them embrace their unique voice.

This is our last episode of Season 1 of In Plain Language! We'll be back in October 2020 with new language learning resources for you and your family. Thank you so much for joining us!

The Fascinating Ways Video Chat May Impact Language May 29, 2020

Over the past few months, many children (and adults) have moved completely online for virtual learning and work. But how is this affecting language — and is it possible it’ll have long-term effects on how we communicate with each other? In today’s episode, we talk about the linguistic impact of the past few months, and hear insight on how video chat specifically may change language from Kristen Syrett, associate professor of linguistics at Rutgers University.

To keep your child learning at home, shop Malty the Blue Tiger teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com or on Amazon now! These are the resources that will teach your child language skills and help them embrace their unique voice.

Helping Kids Move Past the Fear of Mistakes Apr 16, 2020

When your child is learning a new language, making mistakes along the way is a natural (and important!) part of the journey.

In today’s episode, you'll hear from Lauren Stengele, a non-native Spanish speaker, language teacher, and bilingual homeschooling mom, about helping kids get comfortable with learning language and making mistakes along the way. Plus, she'll touch on how to not be too hard on yourself through each season of raising bilingual children.

To help others on their bilingual journey, Lauren writes seasonal plans designed to help families speak more Spanish at home. Take 10% off these plans now with the code MALTY on her website, www.BilingualTogether.com, where she also writes about raising bilingual kids and homeschooling in two languages. You can find Lauren on Facebook and Instagram (@bilingualtogether).

If you're helping your child learn at home right now, be sure to also check out Malty the Blue Tiger teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com or on Amazon. These are the resources that will teach your child language skills and help them embrace their unique voice.

5 Activities to Improve Your Child's Writing Skills Apr 02, 2020

Hi Malty friends — it's your host, Kelsey! Want to raise an incredible writer? As the author of Malty the Blue Tiger and a former journalist, I'm excited to share with you my favorite writing activities for kids, and how they can help inspire a love of writing in today's youngest authors.

If you're helping your child learn at home right now, be sure to check out our teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks! (Psst: You can take an extra 15% off your order with the code PODCAST at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.) You can also find our bilingual children's books on Amazon! These are the resources that will teach your child language and help them embrace their unique voice.

Have questions about speech, language, or writing, or simply want to chat? Come say hello! Send Malty the Blue Tiger a message on Instagram or Facebook, and I'll respond personally! You can also find plenty of free language and speech resources on our website.

How to Keep Kids Learning at Home Mar 20, 2020

Many schools across the country are closed right now due to COVID-19. If your family is in this situation, we’re here to help with tangible, useful tips for keeping your kids learning at home — and tricks for when you feel overwhelmed.

We spoke to two homeschooling parents who have been doing this for a while: Julia Mederich, a mom of two (a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old) and the founder of Northwoods Children Homeschool Blog, and Syeda Sanjeda, a mom of two (a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old) and co-founder of Homeschool Panda. They have great tips for helping your kids think, grow, and learn from home.

For more activities and resources for learning at home, visit www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com. We have plenty of free tips and resources, plus interactive bilingual audiobooks that teach kids Spanish! On our site, you can also snag a signed edition of our dual language books, which come with a motivational note for your little one.

See More: www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com

The Kool-Aid Man, Malty & More! Top Storytelling Tips From Voiceover Artists Mar 05, 2020

Does storytelling occasionally feel more like a chore than a special family activity? Do you want your child to learn important reading skills AND to grow a love for reading? These invaluable storytelling tips from the pros — voiceover artists Sheli Baez (the voice of Malty the Blue Tiger!) and Brock Powell (the voice of The Kool-Aid Man!) — will help.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to use great storytelling to grow your child’s literacy skills such as reading comprehension, visualization, and critical thinking — and to turn them into an avid reader for life.

Follow Sheli on Instagram: @shelibaez

Follow Brock on Instagram: @brocktalks

Shop teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks now! Take an extra 15% off your order with the code PODCAST at www.maltythebluetiger.com. These are the resources that will teach your child language and help them embrace their unique voice.

Why Do Kids Make Up Their Own Languages? Feb 20, 2020

Did you ever make up secret words — or even an entire language — as a child? This can happen for a number of reasons, which we discuss in this episode of In Plain Language.

We'll be talking about kids who create languages for fun (a hobby that can actually be super beneficial!), kids who create code words with friends, and twin speak. Hear invaluable tips from linguist David Adger, PhD, of Queen Mary University of London and psychologist Joan A. Friedman, PhD, of Santa Monica, California.

Don't forget to subscribe and review this podcast if you love what you hear! Those little things go a long way in spreading the word about this resource. You can shop teacher-recommended language learning books and audiobooks at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com (U.S. only) or find us on Amazon (globally).

How to Use Audiobooks to Advance Your Child's Reading & Language Skills Feb 04, 2020

Audiobooks give you a special opportunity to help your child improve their reading comprehension and fluency skills — and to learn another language! Find out how to use audiobooks in the most effective ways to advance reading and language skills, raise a happy reader and/or bilingual child, and help your child succeed in school in beyond.

In this episode, we chat with Justine Bruyère, PhD, a lecturer in the reading education program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in Nashville, TN.

We just launched Malty’s NEW language learning audiobooks! Get 15% off your order at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com by using the code PODCAST at checkout today. These innovative digital audiobooks continue Malty’s adventures and teach kids new Spanish words along the way — and even come with free printable read-alongs of the story. Best of all: No subscription fees! Visit www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com to claim your 15% off now.

Have I Missed the "Opportunity Window" to Raise Bilingual Kids? Jan 16, 2020

The opportunity window refers to the first few years of a child's life in which it's said to be easiest for kids to become bilingual. But does that mean the opportunity to truly raise a bilingual child is out the window if your child is older?

In this episode, we chat with Frances Evans, the founder of the blog Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes, who successfully raised a bilingual son. However, she was worried that she had missed the "opportunity window" when she started. She shares with you what she learned!

You'll also hear from Cindy Medina, a high school Spanish teacher who has tips for teaching older kids another language.

Shop Malty the Blue Tiger dual language children's books (available in English/Spanish or English/French) on Amazon today to give your kids new language skills and confidence in their unique voices. These books are essential tools for both bilingual families and new learners!

You can also sign up for our Malty newsletter now to get an exclusive discount on our digital language learning audiobooks for kids when they launch on February 4: https://www.maltythebluetiger.com/newsletter-page

The 5 Best Public Speaking Tips for Kids Jan 02, 2020

Speaking eloquently and confidently for a crowd is an invaluable skill — yet it's one that children are rarely taught, even as they’re expected to make great presentations as part of their academic success in school (think oral book reports, science experiment presentations, and social studies debates). However, you can instill this skill set in your child with these five easy tips.

We spoke to Lauren Mosback, a licensed professional counselor and author of My Sister’s Super Skills, and Herman Otten, a public speaking expert, to bring you the best strategies for helping your child rock school presentations and public speaking overall. By the end of this podcast, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge you need to raise an exceptional public speaker (or become one yourself — after all, these tips work for grownups, too!).

Shop Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual children's books (available in English and Spanish or English and French) on Amazon today to give your kids new language skills and confidence in their unique voices. These books are essential tools for both bilingual families and new learners!

Get your Spanish edition: https://amzn.to/2O0hBXH

Get your French edition: https://amzn.to/2K8GLSM

Love what you hear? Leave a review if you can — it means the world to everyone who contributes to and creates this show! Plus, we’ll be featuring some of your reviews on the air. You can also support this podcast with a small monthly donation at anchor.fm/in-plain-language. In doing so, you help to continue these important conversations about language.

How 3 Different Parents Are Raising Bilingual Kids Dec 12, 2019

Overwhelmed by all of the information out there about how to raise bilingual kids? Get the insider facts directly from the people who are successfully doing it right now. In this episode, you'll hear from three parents — each with a unique story about how they are teaching their kids two languages at once — and you'll get their best advice and direct, tangible tips for pulling it off yourself. After all, there's no better way to learn than to hear from someone who's been there.

You can buy Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual children's books (available in English and Spanish or English and French) on Amazon today to give your kids new language skills and confidence in their unique voices. These books are essential tools for both bilingual families and new learners alike!

Get your Spanish version: https://amzn.to/2O0hBXH

Get your French version: https://amzn.to/2K8GLSM

Love what you hear? Leave a review if you can — it means the world to everyone who contributes to and creates this show! (Plus, we’ll be featuring some of your reviews on the air.) You can also support this podcast with a small monthly donation at anchor.fm/in-plain-language. In doing so, you help to continue these important conversations about language.

Expose Your Child to an Extra 1.5 Million Words by Kindergarten! Nov 26, 2019

Consider this: A recent study from The Ohio State University found that reading to kids a certain number of times daily can expose them to nearly 1.5 million words from books by the time they turn five. Read-alouds are so important because they set kids up for academic success and expose them to far more vocabulary than they hear in everyday life.

In this episode, you'll hear incredible advice on how to expose your child to a robust number of new vocabulary words by kindergarten, teacher-backed tricks you can use to engage them in reading, and the effect it'll have on their academic success. We're chatting with Jessica Logan, lead author of the study and assistant professor of educational studies at The Ohio State University. We're also speaking with Maya Le Espiritu, elementary school teacher and creator of the blog and YouTube channel MaiStoryBook, which provides reading resources for children.

You can buy Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual children's books (available in English and Spanish or English and French) on Amazon today to give your kids new language skills and confidence in their unique voices. These books are essential tools for both bilingual families and new learners alike!

Get your Spanish version: https://amzn.to/2O0hBXH

Get your French version: https://amzn.to/2K8GLSM

Love what you hear? Give this podcast a little love with a review — it means the WORLD to everyone who works so hard to contribute to and create it! (Plus, we’ll be featuring some of your reviews on the air.) You can also support this podcast with a small monthly donation at anchor.fm/in-plain-language. In doing so, you help to continue these important conversations about language.

How Is the Internet Changing Language for Kids? Nov 14, 2019

Your kids are constantly surrounded by the Internet. Your iPhone? They beg for it constantly. Tik Tok? All their friends have it. Lit so much foji rn? They understand that in a second.

But what type of effect does this exposure have on kids, from the youngest ones who are just learning the English language to those who have been speaking it for years? In this episode, you’ll hear from two incredible linguists and get intel on the origins of the latest Internet language trends. Get all of your shocked-face emojis ready, because this stuff is mind-blowing!

You can buy Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual children's books (available in English and Spanish or English and French) on Amazon today to give your kids new language skills and confidence in their unique voices. These books are essential tools for both bilingual families and new learners alike!

Get your Spanish version: https://amzn.to/2O0hBXH

Get your French version: https://amzn.to/2K8GLSM

Love what you hear? Give this podcast a little love with a review — it means the WORLD to everyone who works so hard to contribute to and create it! (Plus, we’ll be featuring some of your reviews on the air.) You can also support this podcast at anchor.fm/in-plain-language. In doing so, you help to continue these important conversations about language.

5 Smart Ways to Boost Your Child's Language Development Oct 31, 2019

You want your child to grow a large vocabulary and excel in language. You want them to thrive in their reading ability, school life, and relationships with friends and family — all of which are directly influenced by language skills. Simply speaking around your young child is a great place to start, but there's much more that you can do. Follow these five simple, smart strategies to help your child’s language skills flourish, whether they’re learning their native language or another language.

Today’s experts are Diane Paul, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, the director of clinical issues in speech-language pathology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and Veronica Davis-Quiroz, a former foreign language teacher.
For more information on language development, visit www.identifythesigns.org and www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart/.

Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books easily teach kids language skills and celebrate every unique voice. Pick up your copy on Amazon today (available in English and Spanish or English and French), and consider supporting this podcast so we can continue these important conversations about speech and language!

Can Kids Get Accents From TV Shows? Oct 17, 2019

Real talk: Some parents say they've noticed their children speaking like their favorite cartoon characters — who speak in different accents! But are kids actually developing an accent from watching these shows? Will they only speak like the characters they like? (After all, villains often have accents, too!). And what if English isn't your child's native language? You'll hear from Alicia Whitley, a mom who's been there, plus Liliana Diaz-Vazquez, a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in Chicago, and Roberto Rey Agudo, language program director at Dartmouth College, as we get to the bottom of this fascinating phenomenon.
Pick up your copies of Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books on Amazon today! These remarkable children's books help kids easily learn language and celebrate every unique voice. You can also find free language and speech resources at MaltyTheBlueTiger.com. Have a question you'd like us to answer on this podcast? Send it to us at InPlainLanguage@MaltyTheBlueTiger.com. If you love language, subscribe, rate, share, or even support this podcast to help spread the word about these valuable conversations. Your support truly means the world.

Tips for Teaching Kids a Language You Don't Know Oct 03, 2019

You'd love your child to know Spanish, but you only took a semester in high school. Or perhaps your child is excited about learning Italian, and you're cheering them on, but you don't know how to help. You're not alone! So many parents have been in this situation. In this episode, you'll learn how you can foster those language skills for your little one with easy, practical tips and tricks.

You'll hear from Clarissa Duskin, M.Ed., coordinator of English learners, recently arrived students and translation services at St. Lucie Public Schools in Florida and incoming president of the Florida Association of Bilingual and ESOL Supervisors, and Edith Boncompain, vice president of education at the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in New York City.

Be sure to also pick up your copy of Malty the Blue Tiger on Amazon! These remarkable books help kids easily learn language — and teach the value of embracing what makes you one-of-a-kind. You can also find free language and speech resources at MaltyTheBlueTiger.com. Have a question you'd like us to answer on this podcast? Send it to us at InPlainLanguage@MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

How to Help Kids Be Confident in Their Unique Voices Sep 21, 2019

Kids can feel self-conscious if they speak differently than their peers. And to be honest, a lot of kids do! Whether a child has a regional accent, has trouble saying certain sounds (like r's), or speaks differently for any other reason, this episode will show you how to help them feel confident in their one-of-a-kind voice. We'll also chat about how we can teach all kids to be empathetic and accepting of those who speak differently.

You'll hear from Ellen Braaten, Ph.D. (co-director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School), Jann Fujimoto, M.S., CCC-SLP (a speech-language pathologist and owner of SpeechWorks), and Novea McIntosh, Ed.D. (assistant professor of education at the University of Dayton, Ohio, and committee member for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program).

Be sure to also pick up your copy of Malty the Blue Tiger on Amazon! These remarkable books help kids easily learn language — and teach the value of embracing what makes you one-of-a-kind. You can also find free language and speech resources at MaltyTheBlueTiger.com. Have a question you'd like us to answer on this podcast? Send it to us at InPlainLanguage@MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.

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