Why won't my child speak German?

If your child has had some measure of German but still speaks very little, you are likely frustrated and discouraged. Your child may be frustrated as well, although he may not show it. If you spend some time identifying the reasons behind his reluctance, it will be easier for you to make a plan to help coax him out of his reluctance.

Some potential reasons for reluctance to speak German

Reasons	Solutions
Not enough exposure	Start using “German diet” approach Make a plan to integrate more age-appropriate German Keep offering input
Irrelevant topics not of interest to the child. Child isn’t motivated or interested in communicating.	Make a plan to integrate more age-appropriate German
All one-way exposure (only DVDs and audio; no conversation)	Find new sources of German Playgroups, make a plan
Shyness	Consider the confidence wave
Insecure in his abilities (“It’s too hard!”)	Start using “German diet” approach Keep offering input
Thinks German is only for adults; doesn’t have any German-speaking peers or role models.	Find peers or role models (books); plan a trip to Germany
German used mainly for discipline and not for positive communication.	Make a plan and reverse this pattern. Make German a positive aspect of life.
Doesn’t want to be embarrassed around peers	Emphasize positive aspects of bilingualism
Has been embarrassed by previous attempts to speak German, either by family or other kids.	Make a plan and reverse this pattern. Make German a positive aspect of life.

I encourage you to investigate the articles linked on this page for help in encouraging your child to start speaking German.