Finny wrote:
A month later, she probably speaks to me in about 80% Spanish spontaneously (i.e., without my repeating things in Spanish or repeating things and asking her to repeat them to me in Spanish), compared to a month ago, when she was probably at around 10%!
That is awesome. I am sure you being home with her in the summer as well is no small contribution. I am becoming increasingly impressed when fathers( or the primary working parent) are able to speak a minority language with their children.
I use the same strategy with my son, but he's only 20 months now and doesn't know the difference between the languages really, or enough vocabulary to really be switching just yet -- but that day is coming quickly When he uses assign English word I ask "can you tell me....." in French and have him repeat the French every time and I even pretend not to understand his English sometimes (but I'll suggest the French of what he was asking fairly quickly to avoid frustration). He speaks about 95% French with me and 40% French with his dad. But gosh I am really falling the pressure to get my French to a higher level. I really need to improve over the next year and even the next 6 months will be really important to be able to keep going with this. The pressure is enormous.