How to help your child with English at home, even if your English is weak
You don't have to be a teacher. Your job is the routine and the motivation; the teacher and the lessons do the rest.
1. A short routine every day beats an hour once a week
10 to 15 minutes a day at a fixed time, after school or before bed, builds a stronger habit than one long, tiring session.
2. Let your child be the teacher
Ask them to teach you three words they learned today. Explaining fixes what they learned, makes them proud, and it doesn't matter if your English is weak.
3. Ask about the lesson in Arabic
"What did you learn today? What was the hardest word? What did you like most?" Simple questions in your language show you care and help them recall the lesson.
4. Songs and stories before books
A song sticks without effort, and a story read aloud teaches pronunciation and rhythm. Repeat them many times: repetition suits children.
5. Label things around the house
Small notes on the door, the window and the fridge: door, window, fridge. A simple way to make words part of their day.
6. Listening first, then repeating
Don't ask for speech before a child has heard a lot. Let them listen and repeat out loud: saying a word aloud helps them remember it.
7. Praise effort, not results
"I liked that you tried to say it" works better than "excellent" or "wrong". A child who isn't afraid of mistakes speaks more.
8. Don't correct every mistake
If they say a sentence with a small mistake, calmly say it back the right way instead of stopping them. Too much correction silences a child.
9. Use screens with a purpose
For older children: cartoons or short shows in English, with English subtitles if possible. Watch together and ask about a word or two.
10. Follow the teacher's notes
The teacher's note after class tells you where your child needs help. Focus home practice on just that.
How Lumio helps at home
- Homework after every class with spelling, saying it out loud and a short quiz, tied to exactly what was covered that day.
- A printable worksheet and flashcards for every lesson, and the English Hub open any time.
- A grade and comment from the teacher after every class, and a page showing prep, attendance and homework.
- The Parent Handbook: everything explained before and after you start, free to download.
Do you know your child's level? The free placement test tells you where to start.
Start free today
The placement test is free with an instant result, and the trial class is free too: no card, no commitment.