Why is early language exposure important for children?

There are many reasons why early language exposure is important. Here are some examples:

1. Learning a foreign language at a young age brings life-long benefits, which extend well beyond the realm of language learning itself.
2. Young children who are exposed to foreign language have a more natural ability to string words together and pronounce them authentically from simply absorbing the spoken language.
3. Children are at an ideal age to gain proficiency in a foreign language because it is taught in a fun and stimulating environment.
4. Studies show that students who learn a foreign language before puberty are more likely to achieve native-like pronunciation than those who pick it up later in life. The more time a child spends in the target language (immersed), the more proficient they become.
5. Research has shown that young children have the ability to absorb a foreign language naturally. Experts estimate that between the ages of 5 and 12, humans already lose their ability to hear and say new sounds.  When you taking advantage of the window of opportunity that exists between birth and adolescence allows a child to optimize his or her learning potential, and speak the second language with a native accent.  Studies have also shown that young children who learn a second language often enjoy many additional cognitive benefits, such as increased problem-solving skills, heightened spatial relation skills, and enhanced creativity. When children enjoy their environment and feel safe, they absorb their surroundings and learn without even realizing it.

What types of activities will my child participate in at Union?

At Union, your child will benefit from typical preschool activities while learning a second language. The daily schedule at Union includes, but is not limited to: circle time, teacher-directed activity time, student-directed activity time, lunch time, outdoor play time (weather permitting), arts and crafts time, story time, singing time, and circle time once again when students reflect on the activities of the day.

What is the class size?

We make every effort to maintain a 6 :1 ratio of children to teachers in order to create a meaningful experience for each student. Our commitment to small class size ensures that the teacher is able to engage each student in the Spanish language as well as provide meaningful interaction with other students in the class.

Is there any “Spanglish” spoken by teachers or aides in the preschool?

No. Research shows that complete language immersion is important to acquisition at a young age.  During Spanish time, teachers will only speak Spanish and during English time, teachers will only speak English.

How will my child understand what is going on in class?

Young children learning a second language will learn similarly to the way they learned their first language. The teacher will use hand and body cues, stories, inflection, facial signals, songs, games, and fun to make clear what is being conveyed. Part of this way of teaching is known as Total Physical Response (TPR), and it is very successful in communicating in situations where the language is not understood. Children learn to explore and examine their surroundings and environment. In a short time, they catch on to what is being communicated. Young children do not have the same inhibitions that older people tend to have while learning. They are natural mimics and have little fear of making mistakes; they absorb the second language much more naturally and with less hesitation than an older child or adult might.

Is any prior exposure or knowledge of the second language required?

No. We assume children coming to our class are being exposed to second language immersion for the first time. However, we welcome and encourage children who have some prior knowledge of a second language – they tend to be natural tutors and helpers to the other kids!

Do we, as parents, need to know how to speak the second language?

No. The teachers instruct your child with proper pronunciation, grammar, and accent. Of course, having reinforcement at home is always an advantage, but children with little or no reinforcement of the second language at home are usually just as successful in immersion programs as those with native speakers at home. Parents often enjoy learning the second language at the same time as their children. Most parents observe that the younger students quickly surpass adults in their learning curve.

How can I help my child learn the language?

• It will be very helpful before and throughout the preschool session to ensure that your child HEARS a lot of the target language. Try to find some good audio resources. Besides the tapes and CDs you might buy or check out at the library, don’t forget the radio and TV. Parents should expose their children to as much passive listening of the target language as they can. The child doesn’t have to concentrate on it; they will not be listening to try to understand. Studies show that after a while they won’t even hear the radio but it will be affecting them. Little by little they will begin to anticipate the rhythm of the language, even before they understand the words. Soon, they will also begin to recognize certain words.
• Use the weekly Language Take-Home Cards that we provide. Each week, we will send home a Language Take-Home Card that will have words and language concepts that the children will be learning or experiencing each week. Parents should try to use the words and concepts at home to reinforce the language learning throughout the week. Studies have shown that language learners must encounter a word at least 12 times in different contexts before the word becomes a part of the language learners vocabulary. Your help with word and concept encounters will be beneficial for your child’s language learning experience.
• Parents who know some of the target language can try to run through all the permutations of the new expressions that the child learns. For example, suppose your child just learned to say:”lo siento” ( or I’m sorry). To make this new element of the language stick, you should reinforce it’s use at home. The child will soon be able to say it comfortably.
• Encouragement: positive feedback is very powerful. Also, don’t correct their inaccurate attempts to speak the target language. Don’t interrupt the flow of their conversation. Don’t make language practice feel like work.   It should be something special, even something “secret” in your family. Kids like the mystery and intrigue of having something special of their own. Speaking the target language should be a joyful, non-threatening experience. If they make mistakes in their grammar, don’t worry about it. It will come. You can correct their errors if you choose, by using the same expression correctly a few minutes later.

How much of the second language will my child retain/remember?

It is difficult to quantify exactly how much a child will retain since each child is unique in his/her language development. However, studies have shown that exposure to foreign language at a young age aids in learning a second or third language at adolescence and adulthood. The familiarity with the second language will also help them to “pick it up again” at a later age.