Give the Gift
Early
WHY INTRODUCING A SECOND
BY PRESCHOOL IS
TEXT LEPORT
if your child could grow up speaking
young, he has the best chance of acquiring
classrooms and other individualized
language? Not just learn a foreign
a native accent along with the intricacies
approaches that incorporate a wide range
haltingly in middle or high school,
of that language—whether it’s the tones of
of real-life activities (from cooking to
speak fluently from her toddler or
Mandarin Chinese, or the inflected grammar
arranging), integrate cultural activities
years? of Spanish or French.

geography to art), and introduce literacy
some families, bilingualism happens
Children in early immersion programs
as a parent or grandparent speaks
learn to fully communicate, not just
language. Yet even these families
understand. Language programs can mean
find that English starts to dominate
different things at different schools. In some
a conversational way, are best suited for
a child enters formal schooling—
schools, language is an enrichment activity,
in preschool or elementary. Without
offered for 30 minutes a few times a week.

support, the native language
Children learn some songs and phrases, and
develop further and sometimes fades
get introduced to a new culture. In bilingual
the background.

programs, one teacher speaks English and
another one speaks another language.

families who might in theory feel
Children learn to understand the second
to bilingualism can’t quite figure out
language, and pick up phrases, but tend
to make it possible for their child to
to default to speaking only in English. In a
another language—at least not until the
full immersion environment, however, all
grades, when foreign language classes
teachers speak only the target language,
available in school.

both with each other and with the children.

Over time, young children who are fully
more schools in the Northern
Maryland and D.C. area are now
surrounded by another language—whether
Chinese or Russian or Arabic—will begin
effective immersive experience.

Being bilingual has many benefits—
practical, cognitive and social.

For some families, the choice of language
is obvious: if you speak French or
or Korean, it makes sense to continue that
tradition, especially if you have a school
nearby that offers a program in your
language. For parents who aren’t multi-linguals
themselves and who have no connections
to a second language, Spanish or
Chinese can be good choices. Beyond
English, Spanish and Mandarin are the
most spoken languages in the world, and
offer many future opportunities for work
travel. Spanish is a relatively easy
to learn with many resources available in
U.S., including second language programs
stronger language programs starting
to speak that language with the adults and
early as the toddler years. Here’s why you
with each other while in class as it will feel
want to explore such a program.

natural to do so.

can reasonably learn alongside your child.

starting by preschool, your child can
Look for individualized programs with
an adult—but for young children, it’s just
bilingualism effortlessly.

rich language environments. Children
children—before the age of six or
learn language at different rates. Effective
wired to acquire language naturally.

language instruction should differentiate in
just part of what they do, instinctively,
speed, method and emphasis for each child.

thout any visible effort or strain. Just
Young children learn language best when
being surrounded by adults and peers
it is woven into their daily experiences—
elementary schools. It’s also a language
Mandarin, in contrast, is harder to master
easy to speak and understand as English,
they are surrounded by it all day.

LePort Schools are expert content developers and
implementors of Spanish and Mandarin immersion
programs at their schools in California, New York
now Northern Virginia. Starting with one language
speak the new language, a toddler or
when an adult provides the right words and
preschooler can pick it up as easily
phrases in the moment of that activity, rather
five more coming to Northern Virginia this fall
he learned English at home. By starting
than the adult-lead didactic way. Montessori
leportschools.com/nova). immersion classroom in 2012, we’ve grown to 25,



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