Our Language Immersion Model

A dual-language acquisition model

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In a dual-language acquisition model, children have the opportunity to interact authentically with two or more languages.  Your child will be enrolled in a classroom with a primary immersion language (i.e. the French classroom), but they will also have daily or weekly opportunities to interact with the other two program languages (Spanish and Portuguese). English is also an important language of our day; one of our daily learning sessions and special sessions is dedicated to English, prioritizing kindergarten readiness in literacy and math.  With this model, children have adequate opportunities to develop their knowledge of different topics in each language. The teacher will also help children make connections across languages by, for example, discussing a science topic in the French language one day, and then following up with the same topic in an English language session later. 

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At Passport to Learning Language Learning Center, we do not "teach" the other language, but rather children acquire the other language naturally by interacting and engaging in educational and fun activities in that language. The teacher designs learning sessions and special activities throughout the week based on reading and literacy, math concepts, science and social studies, as well as arts and crafts, music, physical education, dramatic play, etc. Even mealtime becomes a language learning experience because mealtime norms occur in the program language. Any experience, whether play-based, educational, or a simple routine like using the bathroom and washing your hands, becomes an opportunity to engage with the teacher in that language. 

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How do children learn language?

We know that our children's minds are like sponges, absorbing and imitating what they hear around them and learning how to express themselves in return.  What starts with a few words, soon becomes phrases and eventually sentences. The same is true with an additional language. 

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We didn't learn our first language in categories, by memorizing numbers, colors, shapes, animals, verbs, etc. We learn our first language by listening and interacting with another person in that language, generally our parents, family members, and caregivers. Through experiences like play, family meals, activities, storytelling (and more), we learn to speak a language fluently. Later, in school, we can certainly refine our language skills to have better spelling and grammar, but the fluency comes much earlier, through our interactions with people in the language.

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Multiple languages during childhood and our natural ability to acquire language

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If a child grows up in a household where one parent speaks to them in one language, and the other parent speaks to them in another language, they can naturally learn to speak both languages. (Referred to as the one-parent-one-language method). 

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If a child grows up in a home where both parents speak a language other than English, for example, Spanish, and then they go to kindergarten where the teacher and their classmates speak English, they will quickly adapt to the new environment and within as little as a few months they will be communicating in both languages.

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Passport to Learning Language Immersion center creates the environment for your child to learn a second (or possibly third or fourth) language. 

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Some parents may worry that their child will struggle or be confused, but our capability to acquire language is one of the most fundamental things that makes us unique as humans. If we can learn one language, we can almost certainly learn another (and another). Research also shows that bilingualism and multilingualism has many positive benefits on the brain, including better level of concentration, memory, vocabulary, arithmetic and problem-solving skills, and the list goes on. 

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The childcare center as a language immersion environment

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Children who attend daycare programs spend a significant amount of their day with their daycare providers, making it an ideal environment for children to learn another language in a natural way. Children quickly tune into which words or language "work" in which places. For example, "At home, I speak with my mommy in English, but in my daycare I speak with my teacher in French." ​

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Passport to Learning Language Immersion Center creates a language rich environment where children develop their comprehension and ability to express themselves in another language. The teacher designs a variety of fun and educational activities for children to engage and learn through the language and utilizes a variety of communication strategies to help children understand and respond in the language. Children will not only develop their understanding and fluency in another language, they will develop their cultural and linguistic awareness as well. 

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A specialized early childhood curriculum

When choosing an early childcare program, parents are faced with many choices regarding curriculum, center-size, affordability, and availability within a given program. Passport to Learning Language Immersion offers a specialized educational program in languages within a small learning center environment (max. capacity of 20) at a competitive price when compared to other daycare centers. 

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If this program sounds like a great fit for your child and your family, please send a message or call for more information or to schedule a tour. 

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