The Sandwich Technique is a method used in foreign language teaching, and can be used with our young children when introducing new vocabulary in the target language.
For example, if your child’s dominant language is English, and you’re trying to teach a new phrase in French, it might sound something like this:
Il pleut!
It’s raining!
Il pleut!
We can also use it to translate just one word of a longer phrase:
Demain matin, nous allons à la bibliothèque – library – bibliothèque.
When we “sandwich” the familiar phrase between the new phrases, it helps the child integrate new vocabulary and conveys meaning quickly.
We should use this method sparingly; most of what we say to young children can be inferred from context and interpreted without translation.
But for the times when we do need to convey meaning quickly, the Sandwich Technique can be utilized to communicate efficiently while not sacrificing the child’s exposure to the target language.
