Raising an “English Brain”: Lessons from Life in Penang

Hello, I’m Saori.

It’s been three and a half years since we moved to Penang, Malaysia. My eldest daughter Hikari (born in 2018) and eldest son Zen (born in 2020) attend a local international school.

Lately, I often get asked, “Can your children speak English now?”

Honestly, yes, they can. But getting there involved several stages. Today, I want to share the real changes we’ve seen and what we focus on at home.

The First Three Months: The “Silent Period”

When we first moved, Hikari was 5 and Zen was 3.

For the first three months at the international school, neither of them spoke much at all. They couldn’t understand the teacher’s instructions and could only communicate with friends in Japanese.

As a former elementary school teacher, I knew this “silent period” is a natural part of language acquisition. But as a parent, it’s still worrying.

Hikari, especially, is very sensitive. She would come home and vent her frustration at not being able to express herself at school.

On days when she cried, “Mommy, why can’t I understand English?” I almost questioned our decision to move.

Six Months Later: English Shifted from “Sound” to “Meaning”

The change came about six months after our move.

One day, Hikari was humming an English song at home. She still didn’t know all the words, but I noticed she had naturally picked up the rhythm and intonation of English.

In linguistics, this stage is called “phonological awareness development.” Children first input the “sound patterns” of English into their brains.

Then, around the one-year mark, Hikari started telling me about her day at school, mixing English and Japanese.

She’d say things like, “Today, my friend and I did sand play.”

This ability to “code-switch” (alternate between languages) is a sign that English and Japanese are becoming independently organized in the brain.

Three Things We Do at Home to Build an “English Brain”

Here are the specific methods we practice in our household.

15 Minutes of “English Only” Time in the Morning

During breakfast, we read English picture books or have simple conversations in English.

When I ask, “What do you want for breakfast?” Zen, who initially just pointed, can now answer, “Cereal, please.”

The key is not to correct mistakes. Even if the grammar is wrong, the priority is to let them experience the success of being understood.

Unify Screen Time with English Content

At home, we generally keep TV and tablet content in English.

Shows like “Bluey” and “Peppa Pig” on Netflix are great for exposure to Australian and British English. Hikari has recently started mimicking lines from “Bluey” with an Australian accent (laughs).

But we don’t force it. Some days they want to watch Japanese anime, so we allow Japanese on weekends to create a healthy balance.

Weekend “English Treasure Hunts” at the Library

Penang has public libraries with a rich collection of English picture books.

On weekends, we go to the library and give the kids missions like, “Find three books about animals today.” When they choose their own books, their motivation to read is completely different.

At the library, they also have chances to interact with local children. Seeing kids of Malay, Chinese, and Indian backgrounds playing together in English is a true snapshot of daily life in Malaysia.

Your English Level Doesn’t Matter

I often hear, “I can’t teach my child because I don’t speak English myself.”

But I don’t think that’s true.

I could barely speak English when we first moved. Even so, by watching English YouTube channels with my kids and borrowing books from the library, we’re learning together as a family.

In reality, children absorb language from school and friends, regardless of their parents’ English ability. I believe a parent’s role is to “create an English-rich environment” and “model a learning attitude.”

The Three-Year Age Gap: Different Speeds of Language Acquisition

Comparing Hikari (Grade 2) and Zen (Kindergarten), there are differences in their language acquisition speed.

Hikari, who was 5 when we moved, had a solid foundation in Japanese. She tends to learn English grammar and vocabulary more consciously. In class, she can now understand the teacher’s explanations and ask questions.

Zen, who was 3 at the time of the move, is absorbing English and Japanese almost simultaneously. In his mind, the two languages blend naturally, and he switches between them depending on the situation.

Some research suggests the critical period for language acquisition is between ages 3 and 12. Being in an English environment during this time makes it easier to acquire native-like pronunciation and grammatical intuition.

Our youngest daughter, Yukari (born in August 2024), is only one and a half. I’m already looking forward to seeing how she develops.

Summary: English Proficiency is the Result of an “Investment”

People considering an education migration often ask me, “How much will their English improve?”

Honestly, it varies greatly from child to child. But if you provide the right environment, a child’s ability to absorb is astonishing.

At the current exchange rate (1 MYR = 39.62 JPY as of May 4, 2026), the annual tuition for an international school in Penang is roughly between 80 and 150万円 (approximately USD 5,500 to 10,000), which is less than a third of the cost in Singapore.

When viewed as an investment in English education, I truly feel that Malaysia offers incredible cost-performance.

Most of all, seeing my children laugh, discuss, and learn with friends in English makes me feel we made the right decision to move.

Next time, I’d like to share more details about our criteria for choosing a school.

Thank you for reading to the end.