When my husband picked up our sons from school one afternoon, he noticed the guards speaking to the students in English. It surprised him. The school was also his alma mater, and he remembered Filipino being commonly spoken on campus. A guard explained that some students now had difficulty speaking and understanding Filipino, so they had learned to adjust.

This is not uncommon. A child may understand a question in Filipino but answer in English. Another may recognize a word but become shy when asked to say it aloud. This does not always mean a lack of interest in the language. Sometimes, it comes from a fear of making mistakes.

Daisy Jane C. Calado, a reading intervention specialist for 20 years and center director of ReadPlusPH, a learning center that helps children improve their reading skills in English and Filipino, says some children grow up thinking Filipino is difficult, particularly because many of its words seem long and unfamiliar.

Their confidence may also be affected by how others react when they try to speak or read the language. “Most of the time, it involves people laughing at slang or how someone reads or speaks unfamiliar words,” she tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “This creates a stigma that they are doing it wrong, causing them to fear trying again to avoid being judged.”

A child may become more hesitant when others laugh at their accent, pronunciation, choice of words, or the way they read an unfamiliar passage. Instead of pointing out an error or asking the child to repeat a word in front of everyone, an adult can pronounce it correctly and invite the child to try again. “Beyond the rudiments and technicalities of the language, modeling and encouragement are two vital elements,” Daisy says.

Filipino can be introduced without immediately turning it into a lesson. Daisy suggests starting with familiar games and rhymes. The hand-clapping game “Nanay, Tatay,” for example, introduces words for family members and household chores. The movement and rhythm make the words easier to remember, while the subject is already familiar to many children.

Age-appropriate Filipino shows about the environment, culture, and everyday experiences can also help. Interviews with Filipino athletes, artists, professionals, and other personalities allow children to hear the language spoken naturally by people they admire. In this way, Filipino is no longer associated only with homework, tests, memorization, and correction. It becomes part of stories, songs, food, sports, and conversations at home.

Families do not have to speak Filipino in every exchange. They can begin with greetings, names of familiar objects, short questions, songs, or one conversation during the day. What’s important is to give children regular opportunities to listen and respond without making each exchange feel like a test.

The right reading material can make Filipino less intimidating. Decodable books build on letter-sound patterns children already know, while the Marungko Sequence introduces sounds in a planned order rather than alphabetically.

Daisy co-wrote Lampara Books’ “Decodable Comics for Fluency,” which includes 150 books each in Filipino and English. The Filipino set progresses from simple texts to multisyllabic and frequently used words. The stories also draw from Filipino heritage and children’s everyday experiences, helping them learn about the language and culture as they read.

A teenager beginning to learn Filipino should not be treated like a preschooler, even if they are at a similar language level. Explain how the lessons can be useful and give older children a say in what and how they learn. Younger children may respond better to books, games, songs, and regular exposure.

Someone who is not fluent should never be made to feel less Filipino. Learning a language takes time, and progress will not be the same for everyone. Daisy recommends being honest that learning Filipino, like any language, can be difficult. Rather than expecting immediate fluency, adults can recognize each learner’s effort and remind them that laughing at someone who is still learning is never acceptable.

Appreciation for Filipino should not be limited to Buwan ng Wika. At home, families can continue sharing the language through games, local stories, songs, conversations, and traditional dishes.