frequently asked questions
Q: Are the students learning from native speakers?
A: At Las Lengüitas, we know that the location a teacher is from doesn't determine whether or not they are good at teaching language. Whether it is their first language or their fourth language, the most important factors in finding a great language teacher are an excellent command of the language, a thorough understanding of language acquisition processes in the brain (and how they change through different developmental levels), and an ability to connect with his/her students on a personal level. While native speakers tend to communicate in the target language with more ease, non-native speakers tend to be much more aware of typical pitfalls and difficulties for the learner allowing them to provide extra support to reduce the struggle. Ms. Bridgette is a native speaker of English and a fluent speaker of Spanish.
Q: Do you offer anything for children who already know Spanish?
A: Because we teach Spanish through immersion, classes are easily adapted to meet the needs of the students in class. Our lessons are carefully tailored to the needs of the students enrolled. Even 2 classes of the same level, in the same day, don't look the same because different students are enrolled. While beginners pick up on nouns, verbs and the rhythms of the language, very advanced students pick up on more advanced vocabulary and grammar concepts, all during the same activity.
Q: Can both of my children attend the same class?
A: Of course! It is not uncommon for a family to have a 10 month old and a 2 year old together or to have a 1 year old and a 3 year old in the same class. For some families, their children do well together and it's easiest to come to one class instead of two. For other families, one child 'helps' the other by translating or their children distract each other so it's best to have them in separate classes. Our classes are easily adapted to meet the needs of the students in class and we encourage you to find the best fit for your family. If you're not sure which scenario is right for your family, feel free to ask. If it doesn't work out, we can always make changes to find a better fit for your family.
Q: My child has never been exposed to Spanish. Is immersion right for him/her?
A: The wonderful thing about immersion methods is that children of all levels are able to learn at their own level and pace. We use the world around us to make language understandable so absolute beginners will learn things such as names of frequently used objects (ball, puppet, dog, etc), and common commands (sit down, stand up, etc) while students who speak and understand more advanced Spanish will pick up on the finer details of grammar and the more difficult vocabulary. Our lessons are carefully tailored to the needs of the students enrolled.
Q: How will my child understand if you don’t tell them what the words mean in English?
A: It's common for children to come into their first class nervous and unsure. Most times, these same kids are begging for more by the end of that first class. Our activities are age appropriate, highly engaging and quite often the kids are so engaged that they don't even realize that none of it's happening in English. THIS is when language is most easily acquired and THIS is our goal for your child.
Q: My child is already 10 years old. Is it too late for him to learn a new language?
A: No! In fact, we teach Spanish not only to the students enrolled in our classes, but also the parents that accompany them to class! You are never too old to learn a new language and never too old to reap the many benefits of acquiring such an important skill.
Q: How will my child learn Spanish grammar without textbooks and grammar drills?
A: Your child will acquire Spanish grammar in the same way he/she acquired the grammar of their native language. Children do not study textbooks and complete grammar drills to learn the grammar of their native language. They listen a lot, practice when they are ready and make a lot of mistakes along the way. By spending time listening to many, many spoken words arranged in a variety of different sentence structures, the brain is able to sort it all out like pieces of a grand puzzle. Children are masters of acquiring language without using textbooks or grammar drills, which is a good thing because they must learn language before they can learn to read!
Q: What is the best age to learn a new language?
A: There are many schools of thought on this but at Las Lengüitas, we operate under the belief that the best time for a new language is right NOW! Each stage in life has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to acquiring new languages, and depending on the methods you choose, it can be easy or hard no matter what your age. We aim to use methods that make Spanish easy for our students and the parents that accompany them.
Q: Won’t learning more than one language at the same time confuse my child?
A: Absolutely not! Children are designed for whatever combination of languages they are exposed to on a regular basis. Research shows that even children living with 5 languages simultaneously don't get confused. There is always room for one more.
Q: What if my child starts mixing up the two languages, using them both in the same sentence?
A: This is absolutely normal. In fact, it is so normal that almost every child raised with multiple languages mixes them at some point. This mixing of languages is how the child’s brain sorts out which words go together and how to use the languages separately.
A: At Las Lengüitas, we know that the location a teacher is from doesn't determine whether or not they are good at teaching language. Whether it is their first language or their fourth language, the most important factors in finding a great language teacher are an excellent command of the language, a thorough understanding of language acquisition processes in the brain (and how they change through different developmental levels), and an ability to connect with his/her students on a personal level. While native speakers tend to communicate in the target language with more ease, non-native speakers tend to be much more aware of typical pitfalls and difficulties for the learner allowing them to provide extra support to reduce the struggle. Ms. Bridgette is a native speaker of English and a fluent speaker of Spanish.
Q: Do you offer anything for children who already know Spanish?
A: Because we teach Spanish through immersion, classes are easily adapted to meet the needs of the students in class. Our lessons are carefully tailored to the needs of the students enrolled. Even 2 classes of the same level, in the same day, don't look the same because different students are enrolled. While beginners pick up on nouns, verbs and the rhythms of the language, very advanced students pick up on more advanced vocabulary and grammar concepts, all during the same activity.
Q: Can both of my children attend the same class?
A: Of course! It is not uncommon for a family to have a 10 month old and a 2 year old together or to have a 1 year old and a 3 year old in the same class. For some families, their children do well together and it's easiest to come to one class instead of two. For other families, one child 'helps' the other by translating or their children distract each other so it's best to have them in separate classes. Our classes are easily adapted to meet the needs of the students in class and we encourage you to find the best fit for your family. If you're not sure which scenario is right for your family, feel free to ask. If it doesn't work out, we can always make changes to find a better fit for your family.
Q: My child has never been exposed to Spanish. Is immersion right for him/her?
A: The wonderful thing about immersion methods is that children of all levels are able to learn at their own level and pace. We use the world around us to make language understandable so absolute beginners will learn things such as names of frequently used objects (ball, puppet, dog, etc), and common commands (sit down, stand up, etc) while students who speak and understand more advanced Spanish will pick up on the finer details of grammar and the more difficult vocabulary. Our lessons are carefully tailored to the needs of the students enrolled.
Q: How will my child understand if you don’t tell them what the words mean in English?
A: It's common for children to come into their first class nervous and unsure. Most times, these same kids are begging for more by the end of that first class. Our activities are age appropriate, highly engaging and quite often the kids are so engaged that they don't even realize that none of it's happening in English. THIS is when language is most easily acquired and THIS is our goal for your child.
Q: My child is already 10 years old. Is it too late for him to learn a new language?
A: No! In fact, we teach Spanish not only to the students enrolled in our classes, but also the parents that accompany them to class! You are never too old to learn a new language and never too old to reap the many benefits of acquiring such an important skill.
Q: How will my child learn Spanish grammar without textbooks and grammar drills?
A: Your child will acquire Spanish grammar in the same way he/she acquired the grammar of their native language. Children do not study textbooks and complete grammar drills to learn the grammar of their native language. They listen a lot, practice when they are ready and make a lot of mistakes along the way. By spending time listening to many, many spoken words arranged in a variety of different sentence structures, the brain is able to sort it all out like pieces of a grand puzzle. Children are masters of acquiring language without using textbooks or grammar drills, which is a good thing because they must learn language before they can learn to read!
Q: What is the best age to learn a new language?
A: There are many schools of thought on this but at Las Lengüitas, we operate under the belief that the best time for a new language is right NOW! Each stage in life has advantages and disadvantages when it comes to acquiring new languages, and depending on the methods you choose, it can be easy or hard no matter what your age. We aim to use methods that make Spanish easy for our students and the parents that accompany them.
Q: Won’t learning more than one language at the same time confuse my child?
A: Absolutely not! Children are designed for whatever combination of languages they are exposed to on a regular basis. Research shows that even children living with 5 languages simultaneously don't get confused. There is always room for one more.
Q: What if my child starts mixing up the two languages, using them both in the same sentence?
A: This is absolutely normal. In fact, it is so normal that almost every child raised with multiple languages mixes them at some point. This mixing of languages is how the child’s brain sorts out which words go together and how to use the languages separately.