Glacier | Stop Rolling Your Accent! A child's love of English is 100 times more important than a perfect accent!

In order to find an au pair with a “pure American voice”, you swiped through 100 resumes and rejected 5 candidates with a “good personality but a Canadian accent” - only to find out that 3 months later, your child's You've rejected 100 resumes and 5 candidates with "good personality but a Canadian accent".

 

Don't worry, Glacier has seen too many parents like this! As an expert in international education for young children, we help hundreds of families match with au pairs every year, and we have found one solid truth: a child's interest in speaking English is 100 times more important than a “perfect accent”! Today, we're going to dispel the “accent myth” and show you how we can help you find an au pair who will “get your child to speak English”, rather than one who has a perfect accent but is afraid to speak English! Au pair with a perfect accent but a child who is afraid to speak English

 

 I. Ageing to see the accent: different stages, needs vary greatly  

The consultants at Courtesy often say, “Accent is not a ‘hard indicator’ but an ‘optional dish’ - it depends on the child's English foundation and age! ”

1. Enlightenment 2-6 years old: accent aside, interest is the king

Case Study: Last year, a mom in Guangzhou was obsessed with finding an au pair with a “London accent”, and the screening process took 2 months with no result. On the advice of our consultants, she chose a cheerful Australian au pair (with an Australian accent) - her child chased after her au pair every day to play “English riddles”, and in 3 months she was able to say simple sentences like “I want to drink milk” and “Play with me to build blocks”. I want to drink milk" and "play blocks with me".

The core of learning English for 2-6 year olds is “building a sense of language and a desire to speak”, not “imitating perfect pronunciation”. In our selection criteria, “personality match”, “love for children” and “good interaction skills” always come before accent:

- We will conduct a video interview to test whether the au pair can interact with the child using children's songs and games (e.g., when singing "Twinkle Twinkle" in English, will they work with hand gestures to get the child's attention);

- Specialized consultants will communicate with parents 1 to 1 to help you find candidates who “complement your child's personality” (e.g. if your child is introverted, choose an au pair who is active and loves to laugh; if your child is active, choose one who is patient and guides him/her).

2. Advanced 6+: Accents can be preferred, but there is no need for a one-size-fits-all approach.“  

If your child already has a foundation in English and has his or her own preferences for accents (e.g., preferring an American accent), Kolaihi can help you balance that as well:

- We have 2000+ candidates in our au pair pool covering a wide range of accents including American, British, Australian and more;

- The consultant will provide an “accent sample kit”: the candidate reads a favorite picture book (e.g., Peppa Pig) and the parent listens to it with the child and selects “sounds that the child would like to imitate”;

- A reminder from your au pair: you don't have to force a “perfect accent” - after all, not everyone in the UK speaks Cockney (just like not everyone in China speaks standard Mandarin)! What is important is that the au pair teaches the child “authentic expressions” (e.g. “grab a snack”, which is commonly used by American families, “let's play football”, which is popular with British children). let's play football").

3. Au pair for non-native speakers: You can be your child's “English teacher” too!”

Case Study: A father in Shanghai, who initially refused a non-native au pair, but later chose an au pair from the Netherlands (C1 level in English, professional background in education) - as a result, the child not only learned everyday English, but also became interested in Dutch windmills and took the initiative to learn the Dutch word “windmolen”! windmolen"!

The “hard threshold” for screening au pairs who are not native speakers:

- English proficiency of C1 or above (near native level with clear and understandable pronunciation);

- Education-related experience (e.g., as a kindergarten teaching assistant, with own siblings);

- Outgoing personality and willingness to interact with children (through the “Interaction Test” at Courtesy).

 

 2. 3 steps to help you choose the “right” au pair, regardless of accent

We are not an accent screener, but a catalyst for children's interest in English.

1. Needs assessment: pinpointing your core needs

A dedicated counselor will have a deep conversation with the parents: the age of the child, his/her personality, the foundation of the English language, any accent preference? For example:

- Child is introverted → Preference is given to au pairs who are “active and interactive”;

- The child likes to draw → Preference is given to candidates who can teach drawing in English.

2. Precise matching: 3-5 candidates, at your choice

Screening of qualified candidates from a pool of 2,000+ au pairs and provision of a “video interview package”:

- Includes a sample of the au pair's accent, an interactive video (e.g., a clip of playing games with the child), and a description of her educational background;

- The counselor will help you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, for example, “This au pair has an Australian accent, but is good at singing English songs, which is suitable for children at the initiation period”.

3. Follow-Up Guide: The “Secret Weapon” for Getting Kids to Speak English”

Upon check-in, the au pair will be provided with an Interaction Guidebook by a Gerlach counselor:

- Stimulate children's interest with “game-based teaching” (e.g. English riddles, picture books, role-playing);

- Regularly follow up on your child's English progress and adjust the way you interact (e.g. if your child likes dinosaurs, have your au pair tell dinosaur stories in English).

 

 III. A call to action: don't let the accent delay your child's golden years of speaking up

Consult with a Glacier Glacier Exclusive Consultant now and the first 30 parents will get it for free:

① Au Pair Accent Selection Guide (customized to your child's age and tells you when you need to consider an accent);

② 1 assessment of the child's English level + au pair matching advice.