Online English lessons for children in Peru: adding English to Spanish, Quechua or Aymara

When do children in Peru start English at school?

English is in Peru's national curriculum, but the point at which it starts varies by school. In some schools it begins earlier than in others. Your child's school is the best source for what their class covers and how often English is taught.

Because starting points differ, children in the same year can have very different English. Extra lessons do not need to race ahead of school. Their job is to give your child more time to listen and speak, so school English feels easier when it comes. A child who has already sung English songs, played English games and answered simple questions walks into their first school lesson with confidence instead of nerves.

Can a child who speaks Spanish and Quechua or Aymara learn English too?

Yes. Peru's official languages are Spanish, Quechua and Aymara, along with other Indigenous languages where they are spoken. If your child grows up hearing more than one of them, that experience is a strength, not a burden. Children can learn two or three languages side by side.

Mixing words from different languages for a while is normal and does not mean your child is confused. Keep using your home languages, and let English be one more. Our guide on a bilingual child mixing languages explains what to expect.

Why is reading English harder than reading Spanish?

Spanish spelling is very regular. Once children know the letters, they can read almost any Spanish word aloud. English is different: the same letters can make different sounds, as in cat, cake and car, and the same sound can be spelled in different ways.

Children who read Spanish well sometimes read English words the Spanish way, so time comes out as tee-meh. That is a sign they are reading carefully with the rules they know. Phonics gives them English rules to use instead. It teaches the sounds one by one, then shows how to blend them into words. Start with what phonics is and see how sight words and phonics work together.

Which sounds take practice for Spanish-speaking children?

• Vowels. Spanish has five vowel sounds. English has many more, so bit and beat, or hat and hut, may sound alike at first.
• H. Spanish h is silent, so English h can drop away: happy may sound like appy.
• S at the start. Spanish speakers often add an e before s plus a consonant, so snake becomes esnake.
• Th. Latin American Spanish has no th, so thumb may start with an s or t sound until your child gets used to it.

All of these are normal. Children improve by hearing the sounds clearly many times and copying them, which is easiest with a teacher who listens to them one at a time.

Look out for false friends as well: words that look alike but mean different things. A Spanish carpeta is a folder, not a carpet, and a librería is a bookshop, not a library. Children usually find these funny, and the laugh helps the right meaning stick.

How can I fit lessons around the school year in Peru?

The school year in Peru runs from about March to December, with a break in July and the long summer holiday from December to February. A 25-minute lesson fits around school and homework, and keeping the same time each week turns it into a habit. Peru keeps the same time all year, so your slot stays the same through the seasons.

What can I do at home to support English?

You don't need to speak English well to help a child aged 4 to 12. Short, playful moments work better than long sessions.

1. 1Sound hunt. Pick an English sound, such as b, and find things at home that start with it.
2. 2Song of the week. Play one English song often until your child can sing along.
3. 3Picture book time. Read a simple English picture book together, pointing and naming things, and keep reading in your home language too.
4. 4Teach me. Ask your child to teach you a word or game from their lesson.

For more ideas, see our phonics games for home, most of which take five minutes and need no equipment.

What should I expect after a few months of lessons?

Progress is gradual and uneven. In the first weeks, many children understand more than they say. After a few months of regular lessons, you may notice your child answering in short phrases, singing songs from their lessons, or sounding out simple words. Younger children often show progress through play first, older children through reading and writing. If you are unsure, ask the teacher what your child has learned and what comes next.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Peru?

CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.

For a child in Peru who reads Spanish, Phonics Starter introduces the sounds of English letters one step at a time.

Visit our Peru page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Peru haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Peru are priced in Peruvian soles: see the prices for Peru.