Hi all, My husband and I speak a little bit of Spanish, but would love to enroll our 2 year old into a Spanish class. We are looking for something that maybe my son and I can do together for one hour a week, nothing major. We live in the Denver metro area, so we are looking for something around town. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks in advance!
Thank you to all of you that responded with some suggestions on where to start looking for Spanish classes. We are actually going to work with my friend's nanny one hour a week at our house. She is a former teacher and I think this will be the best fit as she can work with me on verb tense, which I struggle with.
To Mary O- Before I became a stay at home mom I was a teacher and have spent my entire career in the classroom or studying education. My major in college was child development. It is so much easier for a child to learn a second language than it is for an adult. Their brain is developing at such a rapid rate, that they actually pick it up quite easily. There are also numerous studies that show that children who learn multiple languages are much more proficient readers than children who only know one language.
But regardless of the facts, what surprises me most is that you would be so critical on a web site that is designed for moms to support and help other moms.
Again, thanks to all of you who took the time to write back with useful suggestions.
The Integrated Language Academy has wonderful spanish teachers for toddlers, kids or adults. They teach spanish through music, art and dance!
You can go to them or they can go to you.
www.integratedlanguageacademy.com
Today, the best choice in London to learn Spanish for kids is Bilingual Beats. You can get more info about their programme for French and Spanish for children here www.bilingualbeats.com Teaching language your child with music
You are smart to introduce a second language early! The longer you wait the harder it is to wire the brain to learn languages period. 2nd language adoption is so necessary for higher learning...most Drs essentially learn a language re-learning all the body parts and diseases. Programmers do when they learn different computer languages. Lawyers do when they learn to speak lawyerese. Its just a proven fact that learning a 2nd language early can help with so many aspects of learning, especially english. As you gain an understanding of verb tenses in Spanish, its cemented when discussed in English. And vice versa.
Just wanted to add that so you don't get discouraged by people that can't see beyond 'spanish' to understand the desire for language acquisition. BTW, we are a Foster Family too. They are offering Spanish in the preschool now and its been amazing to see my 4 year old adopt the language so she can speak with her new friends. GL!!!
My daughter is in a dual language montessori in NW Denver. Unfortunately,they don't start until 3 but that is an option. I know there are a few. So you can check them out. Valdez Elementary, Sandoval Elementary and I know Bryant webster Elementary is not Montessori but dual language. I know there may be a few more so check it out.
I'm also interested in language classes for my 3-year-old so I've done some research on this as well.
(Note to Mary O: learning a foreign language at a young age actually helps a child excel in language learning in general, and it allows their brain to set up separate language centers for each language so that every add'l language learned is easier. For example, my 3-year-old knows a fair amount of sign language and his spoken language skills far exceed those of many of his peers.)
Sorry... that was bugging me. ;) Anyway, some rec. centers offer Spanish classes. I've also seen some listed at the Arvada Center (arvadacenter.org) although I couldn't find one the other day when I was looking. And you might poke around at kidspages.org or pick up one of their magazines... there's a listing for Spanish by Sarah. I've never contacted her so I don't know what her program is like but she's been advertising there for a couple of years at least, so she's been around a while. (Not that that's an edorsement, but she must at least be somewhat reliable.) I don't know what part of town you're in but there's also a kids' place over at Stapleton that does gym classes with Spanish. It's not *much* Spanish, but a little.
There are a couple of DPS schools that do immersion programs, so they might be able to point you to something for a ittle one. Hope you find something good... I'll be checking back here to see what turns up!
Best of luck!
O.
I have to recommend Lango! My daughter loves these classes! It is a method that really works!
Visit www.langokids.com
I have been trying to raise my boys bilingually (though neither I nor my husband speak any Spanish). They are 3 and 7,a nd I can say I have explored practically every possibility in Denver. There is not alot if money is an issue, and many of the other good choices are quite a commute depending upon where you live. But here is what I know:
Denver International School and Colorado International School (both are just east of Colorado Blvd) both have programs for kids as young as 3. They are quite expensive, though CIS does not require you to enroll full time, so that helps.
Liza Buddenhagen teaches Spanish for little people up to about 7 years old out of her home. It seems like a very good deal and she seems very professional and organized, but I have never enrolled because she is near Lowry, and that is just too far for me to drive for a 2 hour class. But I would check her out if the commute is not bad for you.
BIENVENIDOS
Spanish Denver
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There is a home-daycare/preschool facility in Broomfield www.thelittlehouse123.com that advertises on Craigslist alot. I have been in touch with her and may visit to see about enrolling my 3 year old in January.
In 2007 I found an ad on Craigslist for the following:
Kelli Cahoone
Los Pollitos - no phone number - try to google or search on CL)
I never pursued this, but it is something to look into.
My 7 year old is enrolled in an awesome dual immersion program in the Jefco public school systesm (Foster Elementary in Arvada). I am considering enrolling my 3 year old at escuela tlatelolco in North east Denver. Their address is ____@____.com (though I had to follow up with a phone call as I received no reply to my email inquiry).
If you want to be really extreme, you can ask me about my experience living for six months in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico! We came for the summer to immerse the kids in the language, and ended up staying for the fall semester. My kids have both learned so much Spanish that they can now have temper tantrums in two languages :)
Hope this info helps!
Visit www.DenversTotSpot.com for a list of places and groups who offer Spanish classes (and other foreign languages) for young children in the Denver area.
I'd tell you to get a Spanish curriculum and do it yourself! You've got the basics. Get some fun cards, a dvd or two from the library, a practice book at Lakeshore or some curriculum you can find online. That way you'll all be learning together and can practice together.
Good luck!
I simply looked in Yahoo Yellow Pages for Spanish schools and there is one off of Colorado Blvd and one in Evergreen. Not many that came up, but I am sure there are more not posted. I know that the one is a little school for the kids where they speak only Spanish but that is quite the commute for you.
Please let me know what you find as some day I will want to enroll my daughter is Spanish school.
Thanks.
