It's Beautiful to be Bilingual

I­­fdn a recent panel of experts at an Immersion school in LA, the topics of language immersion and language acquisition were the center of the discussion. The fact that language acquisition is not only important, but also necessary for our children could not be emphasized enough and if you know me, ( a huge advocate for languages), you will know I was “En mi salsa” (Idiom in Spanish that means I felt happy diving into a topic that not only interests me but I’m passionate about). So much so, I think I didn't even blink the entire time! I truly wanted to take everything in…and I did! It’s hard to summarize the wealth of information I received, but I’ll try to do my best here:

1.   Speaking another language is a very powerful thing and the best way to end class inequality (People want to turn a blind eye to this or think there’s no such a thing, but it does exist). The world is getting smaller day after day, and only those who are well equipped can help build strong bridges among cultures.

2.   Our infants are the citizens of not only this country but the world. They have an amazing, intact, and well-functioning brain that continuously adapts without any awareness. The older we get, the less flexible our brains get. The key years for language acquisition are from birth to 7 years old. During those years, kids separate out information (without getting confused!!) and their “affective filter” is low. The affective filter has to do with mistake awareness and embarrassment in front of peers. If this filter is low, language acquisition is very likely to take place.

3.  Immersion programs are often misunderstood. People tend to look only at school scores without realizing that the possibility of getting a good score in grades K-5^th is very slim, as kids are being taught in another language and tested in English. However, as time goes by, because the intensity of the foreign language goes down (not needed anymore so much) and because the skills in one language are easily transferable to the other, kids actually outscore the kids in monolingual programs. They end up having two huge linguistic skills rather than one, not to mention the other skills they get along the way (math, reading, and problem resolution to name a few).

4.     Last but not least…it's so beautiful to be bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural!

This information applies to any foreign language. As you know, LangoKids Irvine is an after-school immersion program. We offer Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese. You are taking a big step by deciding to bring your kids to us, however, if you know of a program that offers what we do for an entire day, that’s truly the best deal and the best thing you can do for your child! We guide you in that process too. Here is another scenario... English “is in the air”. If your child goes through an immersion program already, he’ll learn English (and how to read it and write it perfectly) no matter what! Then, why not coming to us for a third language? Kids can pick up five languages by the age of five if the right input and conditions are in place. Whatever situation you’re in, when it comes to your child’s language acquisition and learning, we are here to help!

www.langokidsirvine.com
714-864-4680

 
If you speak Spanish to your kids (or any other language for that matter) kudos to you! Here there's more info for you from a group of professional moms who happily see their kids grow bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural and would not change it for anything: www.spanglishbaby.com

Cristina G. Versteegh and the LangoKids Irvine Team

The Magic of Immersion Programs

I struggled with the idea of language acquisition for my step-son. Based on research and my personal expertise, I know that different from other activities for kids, there's only one optimal time for language acquisition in kids, which is when they are basically born or (even before) up to 7 years old. My husband and I were decided to leave the country for a few months and give him the exposure he needed to be a perfect English-Spanish speaker. It was a race between the ticking clock, and his regular school where he was taught in English. It all changed when a client of mine (how ironic) told me about the Spanish Immersion School my son now goes to. The Spanish I used with my son was limited by our time constraints and no matter what we did, I thought I could not get him to the point I wanted him to be, or he had to be by the age of 5. Well, our lives have basically changed as now we have a team supporting us to raise our bilingual son, and what a team!!

Kids have an amazing potential to absorb languages naturally and really, not exposing them to another language is not only wasting all that potential, but also, closing lots of doors for them in the future. English is in the air as I tell everybody, so why not giving them something different? Something that is not so easy to access and in doing so, giving them the key to greater success? Ralph Gates Elementary School in Lake Forest has given us the chance to speed up the process now that my son is 6 and also has given me lots of reasons to believe that great education is still possible (I personally find the American educational system very disappointing I have to say).

At LangoKids Irvine we want to support language immersion schools as they are our big brothers. We've seen a lot of parents who already attend these schools coming to us for an additional language, to which I have to say...Way to Go! If knowing two languages is a plus, imagine what a third language can do for your child. Parents that take their kids to any immersion school in OC get a 10% tuition discount with us. If you have a child and dream with seeing him/her speak more than one language, take action now and learn about all the options available in your area. This week, meet the great group of people that make language acquisition and learning possible in the Saddleback district by attending the following event: http://oclatinolink.ocregister.com/2012/02/06/saddleback-parents-can-learn-about-two-way-immersion-program-feb-8/ Believe me, you'll love what you'll see!
 
See you there!

 If you are looking for language classes and camps for your kids, check us out at www.langokidsirvine.com

Have you ever thought of the windows of opportunity you can open to your kids when they acquire a foreign language?

The benefits are rewarding and endless indeed. Many experts agree that the earlier a child is introduced to a second language, the greater the chances are the child becomes truly proficient in the language and develops a native-like accent. Also, kids exposed to another language improve their overall performance at school, problem-solving skills, and scores in standardized tests. Acquiring a foreign language opens children’s minds and creates an early appreciation and respect towards other cultures; it enhances the child’s English ability (believe it or not), and will ultimately guarantee additional career possibilities. At LangoKids Irvine, we work with our kids' capacity to "acquire" (not learning), which is only possible between birth and 8 years old. At the age of 8 and up, the process that takes place is called "Language Learning" which is a bit more difficult, less natural, and it takes more time. Don't wait any longer; let us have the pleasure to do the most we can while the window of opportunity is open and make a difference in your and your children's lives!

 

At LangoKids Irvine, we believe every child should and can acquire a foreign language and we welcome Everybody:  

• Multilingual or Spanish, French, or Mandarin-speaking families seeking support in speaking a target language with children outside the home and with other children. We also support the kids that already speak the language and are ready to explore language functionality through fun grammar lessons. 
• Families with little or no Spanish, French, or Mandarin language skills seeking exposure to language through immersion.
• Educators of schools and daycare centers looking to provide a dynamic, play-based, and year-round Spanish, French, or Mandarin program for their students and families.
• Children everywhere who show fascination for other languages and cultures!