Remember:

·        Sometimes especially during the first weeks, your children may feel stress or may express dislike for their language class.  This is very normal for children who have never been exposed to a different language, but they will be fine if we explain to them that this is part of the process of learning a second language. Eventually they will enjoy the challenge of learning a second language J so don't let them give up

·        Students have the best chance of acquiring a near-native accent if the language experience starts early, before puberty. After puberty, almost everyone will have some accent, even if they live for fifty years in a country where the target language is spoken. Just like me J

·       In any language and in any culture, there is no record of infants speaking before they comprehend a huge chunk of the target language. Infants are silent for at least one year while they internalize a map of the target language. During this silent one year period, infants internalize a blueprint of phonology, grammar and semantics before they utter anything intelligible such as “Mommy” or “Daddy.” They achieve this stunning mapping that I call “language-body” conversations (which is the essence of a technique I call the Total Physical Response, known world wide as TPR). Be patient and consistent!

·        Working the daily assignments is not enough. Students need to play with the language like a toy. My model here is Dr. Sam Slick, former chairman of the Foreign Language Department at Southern Mississippi State University where I was invited to speak a few years ago. Let's have fun!

·       If comprehension is important, then why not translate? Translation sounds good, but it does not work very well. The reason: The student’s brain perceives what the instructor is saying in the target language as lies, lies, lies. And the brain will not store lies in long-term memory. Remember Mark Twain’s comment, “ If you tell the truth, you don’t have to have a good memory.” Full Immersion!

Learning a foreign language should be elementary

Now, more than ever, our children need to learn another language. So they can communicate, understand others and compete in a global environment. For the sake of our kids, it’s time to speak up for language education. Visit www.yearoflanguages.org and get involved.

Benefits of learning a second language

Students may not be fully aware of the value of learning a second language, but more and more parents are recognizing that knowing a second language will give their children many advantages in the future.
Learning a second language at an early age...
• Has a positive effect on intellectual growth.
• Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
• Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
• Improves a child's understanding of his/her native language.
• Gives a child the ability to communicate with people s/he would otherwise not have the chance to know.
• Opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
• Gives a student a head start in language requirements for college.
• Increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset.
(From: http://www.discoverlanguages.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3651 & http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/french/FSL/whatsnew/FSL_handbook/default.html)

Compete. Win. Be-Bilingual!

Learning a second language opens a window of opportunities, but it is not just the learning of the language itself, it is also the understanding and appreciation of other cultures, foods, traditions, religions, and politics. Worldwide, people of all races and cultures are educating themselves in English, as well as the American culture.  The world is progressing as its people master the art of languages and the beauty of cultures. How can we be expected to oversee a world when we have not studied its vast sea of cultures and languages?

Learning Spanish

Learning Spanish  is not as hard as you might think. Using audio resources, gammar exercises, vocabulary, fun games, and a combination of visual and auditory learning techniques will enhance the learning process for your child or for yourself.

To learn proper pronunciation of any language, you must hear it spoken correctly over and over again. Audio resources can be a great addition to helping get you accustomed to hearing the language so you learn to translate what you hear quickly and accurately. Some audio resources can also be taken in your car so you can learn as you are running errands or picking up kids from school or even as entertainment on a road trip.

A very important part of learning to speak Spanish is grammar. Most languages have different grammar structure than English. It is important to understand how to create proper sentences both when speaking the language and writing it. Look for classes that provide sufficient grammar exercises so you can learn correct grammar through comprehensive instruction and plenty of practice.

Another component to learning Spanish is vocabulary. An ample glossary is important, but you may not need to invest in a Spanish dictionary right away since there are so many good online Spanish dictionaries that can be used to complement your studies. However, finding a Spanish language learning program should include asking about the amount of vocabulary that is taught in the program.

It is also important to find a Spanish class or course that takes a variety of learning styles into consideration. This is especially important when learning Spanish for kids. Some children are auditory learners while others are visual. The best Spanish learning practices will provide a combination of visual and auditory learning techniques to appeal to more students in a single session and will help provide an great learning experience for you or you child..

Spanish

Learning Spanish is very important these days and can be very benificial. Spanish is the second world language, after English, for international communication and the third as an international language of politics, economics and culture. More and more companies in the US give special hiring consideration to employees who are bilingual. Some people want to learn Spanish to secure a new job, some people are traveling to a foreign country, while others want to learn to know how to speak to friends. Whatever your reason, Spanish is one of the best choices when it comes to a second language and the advantages of knowing it will be a life long asset!

The Silent Period of Learning a New Language

Most new learners of language will go through a "silent period," where they are unwilling or unable to communicate orally. They may understand much of what is going on around them except they are not yet comfortable speaking in the new language, because it is difficult for them to express their thoughts orally. Children, going through this silent period, should not be forced to speak before they are ready. They need time to listen to others talk, digest what they hear, and observe their fellow classmates' interactions with each other. Just because they are silent, doesn't mean they are not learning the language. You will find that children in the "silent period" are learning many words, ideas, and idioms, although they may not yet be comfortable with speaking as part of the group or individually.

Many factors play in to the length of the silent period. It can vary greatly for students in classrooms from a few days to a year. This is simply due to a student's experience with language, their personality, and their emotions around learning a new language. It can vary so greatly. When the child is silent in the dominant classroom language, it can be hard to know where they are in acquiring the language, so we do different things to find out how much they are learning and what they are absorbing.

Having a student feel comfortable around the language and making learning fun is important. We ask the questions that allow the student to respond with nods of "yes" or "no". Having children draw pictures is helpful also. They can then try to describe in one-word answers what they have drawn. Many students will begin using their first words when it is something about what they enjoy or about their family. We accept as response facial expressions like smiles. Nonverbal cues from children in classes can include establishing eye contact, flipping through pages of writing for us, or pointing to an answer. We may share a word or two in the child's language to help in the understanding, or ask a child to share with us what he or she sees in a picture in a book.

The silent period at any age can last many months. Even students who understand a tremendous number of words or phases and concepts can be overwhelmed at the thought of trying to speak in the new language. If we can convey through our verbal and nonverbal cues that we want to communicate and trust that the communication will come, the student will eventually start to speak and begin to feel comfortable with speaking. Classrooms that are engaging and fun, non-threatening, and honor a child's native language and all cultures, can help with a student's motivation.  Each student’s ability to learn to risk speaking and level of comfort speaking the new language will come in its own time. The silent period is just a learning period and part of learning a new language.