I come from a Hindi-speaking family. So, I find it a little disturbing that my daughter struggles with it as an academic subject even though she speaks it fluently at home. I realised why this is happening.
- Hindi that we speak at home daily is more casual while that taught in school has a higher-level vocabulary.
- English books, magazines and comics were rarely available in our childhood. We grew up reading Hindi literature – ‘champak’, ‘nandan’, ‘suman saurabh’, ‘chacha chaudhary’, etc.
- Hindi was the language of all television shows – Doordarshan was the only option to watch. There were no English TV channels, Amazon or Netflix!
- We watched Hindi movies and listened to Hindi songs ardently. Today’s kids prefer Blackpink and BTS music bands and the like.
If your child is also facing issues with the Hindi language, irrespective of whether it is your mother tongue or not, here are some tips to build their proficiency:
- Introduce Them to Hindi Literature
Other than academic textbooks, let your children develop the habit of reading Hindi literature. You can easily find children’s storybooks in Hindi on Amazon, Flipkart, etc.
You can read aloud these books to your kids. If they are old enough to read themselves, be open to explaining the meaning of difficult words to them. You can even buy them Hindi to English dictionary. Hindi story podcasts are also a great option.
- Watch Hindi Shows and Movies
Make it a point to watch at least one kid-friendly Hindi language show or movie every week. Pick up some classics if possible. Ramayana, Mahabharata, Dada-Dadi Ki Kahaniya, Vikram-Baital and Shaktimaan are a few good examples.
- Make Them Listen to Old Hindi Songs
The new generation Hindi songs from Bollywood movies and pop do not hold a candle to the classic songs. The old songs have pure and elegant lyrics. Though your children may not like them, you can listen together and discuss the lyrics.
- Leverage Online Resources
The good thing about technology is that you can easily access anything at the tip of your fingers. There are apps, games and several useful resources online that can make Hindi learning easier and more fun for your children.
- Practice Writing
Let your child write at least one page in the Hindi language. They can either refer to a passage from any Hindi book or you can give them a topic for composition writing. This will improve their Hindi writing skills.
- Use the Hindi language in Conversations
If you speak a language other than Hindi at your home, try to set aside an hour where you talk to the child only in the Hindi language. You can also incorporate Hindi words into your daily interactions.
- Enrol in Hindi Tuition Classes
You can also consider hiring a Hindi tutor for your child. A tutor will work on your child’s weak areas in the subject and teach them in a structured manner. Check Hindi tutorial classes here.
Hope you found these tips useful.
