College may seem far away if you have a toddler or preschooler, but babies as young as 6 months old can start learning
a foreign language, and 2- to 3-year-old are capable of learning and speaking several languages.
Spanish
ABQ offers private and group classes for toddlers and parents. We offer the group classes on Fridays or Saturdays
form 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. The fee for the group class is $60 for 2 people (you and your toddler) for a 5-week session.
We also offer private classes at a day/time convenient to you. Please contact us for fees and times.
The Younger,
The Better
Why teach your toddler or preschooler a second language? Words and phrases learned before puberty
are stored in a different area of the brain than language learned later in life. That’s why adult learners can’t
get rid of accents. |
Parents
can make learning fun by playing audiotapes of songs in English and Spanish and reading books to kids in both languages.
James Aaron, a father of one of our students tell us: “I truly believe my younger daughter has a large vocabulary at
this early age because of the exposure to two languages.” James, who is also learning Spanish, is married to a Panamanian
and they speak English and Spanish to their daughter.
Although alternating languages works well for some families, experts recommend that each adult stick to a designated
language to avoid confusing a child who is trying to become bilingual. Using this technique, the adult designated to speak
English will only speak English to the child, and the adult speaking the second language will only speak that language. The
child doesn’t mix up the languages because he channels one language to the first adult and another language to the other
adult.
Play Time, Say Time
Happy children, who think they’re just singing and playing, remember more of what they hear. That’s why
at SpanishABQ we believe in a structured playgroup method. We boost language retention through a playful, fun way to instruct
the child. Besides taking classes, we recommend:
- Age-appropriate Audio Tapes – Play the tapes a few times each day. Turn them off before the child becomes
bored or he’ll “tune out” and forget what he's heard.
- Videos and CD-ROMs – Look for items
that present vocabulary in a fun, creative way. Make sure your child is interested in a similar type of programming in their
native language. If your child doesn’t enjoy watching videos in English she won’t want to watch them in Spanish.
- Books – Find books with bright pictures and engaging text. Choose subjects that your child already likes. The
Thomas the Train books, for instance, are available in several languages.
It’s best to start language training early. Kids possess their greatest ability to absorb and retain languages
until the ages of 12 to 13 when their brain begins losing plasticity. Also, kids are less self-conscious than adults and not
as afraid of getting things wrong or not saying them right. This results in greater verbalization and helps kids become fluent
in a language sooner than adults.
In the
toddler and preschooler classes, kids are encouraged to participate in classes since they already know how to talk. The children
sing, play games and practice new words. We’re delighted when we see that youngsters understand or we hear them
say the Spanish they’ve learned in class
No Thanks, Mom
Some children resist learning another language. If your child balks at
learning another language we suggest ordering cartoons on the Internet in Spanish. Another suggestion is finding something
that interests your child like a favorite action figure or doll and developing games to play using the second language. Your
child may be more interested if you integrate Spanish in play, rather than in adult to child conversation.
Give your child the gift of another language while they’re
still small and it’s easier for them to learn. A second language lets them create special friendships, understand different
cultures and seize opportunities resulting in lifelong benefits!
