Language Links
Language Links, founded in Falmouth, MA in 2000, is dedicated to providing you and your children with quality foreign language immersion programs. Our creative teaching techniques have proven to be both fun and effective. Small groups of students are immersed and immediately engaged in Spanish as they participate in activities that are designed on an individual class basis to meet the needs and interests of students learning styles and levels. Students learn listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through a variety of interactive, repetitive and progressively challenging activities. Our multi-sensory approach includes dancing and singing to authentic Latino and Spanish music, playing language games, making arts and crafts projects and producing short skits, all in SPANISH!! Our unique approach reduces language-learning stress while maximizing a child's "window of opportunity" or what linguists and doctors refer to a child's "critical period" for flexible cognitive development, Parents and experts have found that learning a foreign language stimulates a child's mental development.
Why study a language at an early age?
A child's brain is best suited for learning a second language. Linguists refer to the ages from birth to age ten as the "critical period" for acquiring language with native like fluency and pronunciation. Young children are able to absorb a second language as they are exposed to it in an enjoyable, interactive, repetitive, and natural environment. Children will quickly imitate and produce new accents and sentence patterns within the second language simultaneously developing cognitive flexible abilities.
What can I expect my child to learn?
Children are able to sing along with and act out the lyrics to traditional Spanish and Latino songs within weeks.
Students respond to teacher's instructions through action.
Students are able to produce short responses to questions, identify various objects, follow classroom, arts and crafts, and game instructions all in Spanish!
Students quickly learn to play games in Spanish. In that time they become the verbal leaders and cue-givers in games and activities.
Elementary students also learn to read and spell with accurate pronunciation and comprehension.
The completion of each program shows students building on listening, speaking, reading and writing skills moving closer and closer to proficiency in a second language.
As students progress they will begin to produce language with more creativity and sophistication eventually creating and presenting dialogues and skits.
Curriculum
Curriculum is designed on an individual class basis to meet the needs of the students within each class.
Students receive language CD's "los discos compactos" and books "los libros" to reinforce language learning at home. Students should listen to their language CD's at least 5 times a week "cinco veces cada semana". Students who lsiten to their CD's feel more comfortable singing and participating in language games during class.
Language is taught through immersion in a visually stimulating child-centered environment using authentic Spanish and Latino music, dance, dialogues, games, arts and crafts, stories, projects, and skits.
Elementary students are asked to complete additional written work and projects at home in order to enforce writing and reading skills in Spanish.
Are all children in the same class at the same level?
No. Children of all levels thrive on the interactive communicative approach to language learning. Classes are designed to meet students at their level of learning withing each class. Language Links believes in challenging individual students through activities that address multiple learning styles while respecting and allowing students to learn at a pace that is both fun and safe for them.
