What Filipino books or TV shows can I offer to my child?
By Alex Deakin
Teaching your child a language such as Filipino requires regular exposure as well as plenty of time and patience. One good way to fulfill these needs is by showing them good content in the Filipino language, either in the form or books of television. But, you might not know where to find them.
We here at The Learning Library, who have been teaching Filipino as a second language since 2009, recommend that students watch and read good Filipino shows and books in order to have the sufficient exposure that is key to language acquisition.
Here are some tips and steps you can follow on how to know what books and TV shows you can show to children to help better learn Filipino.
Picking The Right Book
Books are the best way to learn a language because there are stricter grammar rules in writing as compared to conversational speech. When choosing the book to use for teaching Filipino as a second language, these may be helpful tips:
Make it something your child can comprehend
When picking a book for your child the most important factor is that it should be something they understand. Focus on getting books that fit your child's reading level, please keep in mind that many books have age recommendations, these recommendations presume that your child is a native speaker in that language. If you are trying to expose your child to a 2nd language try a book that is said to be for younger children to ensure that your child can properly understand what it is they are reading.
Choose something interesting and engaging
To make sure your child will read you must provide them with books that they will find interesting and engaging. Pick a book about something your child would want to read by themselves even if you aren’t around. If you can tell your child is interested in space, get them a book about astronauts and they are much more likely to want to read it.
Maximize dual-language books
Some books will have both English and Filipino translations. If you want your child to focus solely on learning Filipino, try covering the English text. This can be done by simply cutting out a piece of paper large enough to cover the text and then using a sticky tack to keep it stuck.
Choosing Shows / Videos
Good television can also be a catalyst for children to better take in knowledge. Educational programs can provide the right type of visual stimulant to keep children engaged.
Picking a TV show or video is similar to picking the right book. The right show will use words that your child would know and is about a topic engaging enough to keep her listening. But what else is important to know?
Look for something entertaining
When using shows to gain familiarity with the language, it must be entertaining and enjoyable -- ideally something the child would want to watch again and again. It need not be educational. If the goal is language exposure then the most important factor is enjoyment.
Choose something with shorter episodes
A child will not often be willing to sit through a long show in an unfamiliar language. Short episodes are good, multiple segments in one episode -- making it easier for the child to sit through and giving him time to process what he watched -- is even better.
Try a read-aloud show
These are videos where a storyteller encourages the child to read by showing them the book pages and guiding them along the way. Shows like these are very good at teaching grammar and vocabulary as you get both written and conversational text. Another tip would be to look for read-alouds that are from a story your child is familiar with, that way they can focus on the language as they already know the plot.
What do we recommend?
With time and effort, you can find good print and online resources for language exposure. Here are 3 recommendations to give you a head start!
Karapat Dapat is a well-illustrated book on the United Nations’ Rights of a Child: the art on each page helps explain complex and sensitive topics to grade school children. It helps children understand what each child should be enabled and allowed to do, no matter their background. A story of empowerment your child will love!
This tells the tale of Elias, a child growing up and finding his roots. It aims to teach children the value of nature and safeguarding the environment. The story has a good number of illustrations -- a great way to keep your child interested!
Kuya Kim’s show Matanglawin (which ended in 2020) is a science-environmental educational program that showcases issues ranging from plastic pollution to Philippine history. You can find the videos on YouTube. The show is easily understandable because it uses conversational Filipino, and the host’s exaggerated delivery style makes the words easy to understand. The videos are both educational and interesting to children of any age.
Take the time to search and find something your child will take to. You can also check out this list of other Filipino books available online. Check out this article to know more about other effective ways to teach a language to your child.
Get Started
We trust this helps you find good media that allows your child to realize the beauty of Filipino language and culture. For more recommendations on books and shows be sure to follow WIKA’Y GALING! On Facebook and Instagram
Looking for an online Filipino class? The Learning Library’s WIKA’Y GALING! online program provides teacher guidance, access to over a hundred Filipino online storybooks, a learning portal for daily practice in reading and writing. Learn to speak Filipino and sign up for a free assessment here. You may also e-mail us at inquiry@learninglibraries.com or visit our website to know more about Filipino enrichment through our Tagalog lessons for kids.