Preschool Early Years Curriculum EYC® Programme Languages Extra Activities Nutrition Locations

Bilingualism at the Little Star Day School

Between the ages of birth to two years, the more the languages a child is exposed to, the higher are the chances of the child using this skill to actually “learn” a language. At this age, the children “acquire” languages rather than “learn” them. When a child is exposed to a language at this time, the connections made in the brain actually retrace themselves later in life when the language is learnt. From the age of four to seven the child begins to use the language learnt and is the best time to formally introduce a second or third language. Since they have a firm base of their primary language, children of this age are the best targets to teach a new language to. They use language with no reservations and are open to being corrected. They are not inhibited by making mistakes. Children experiment with language. For children who have one native language at home and learn another in a formal environment it is important to begin with the letter forms and sound in the native language first.

Languages are approached in the Early Years Curriculum EYC® as a common tool of communication. The curriculum aims to show the children that a new language can be learned and acquired, the language can be spoken by non-native speakers as well, different languages can be used to express and communicate with one another, learning a new language is a skill that we acquire just like any other—learning by doing and making mistakes on the way.

Little Star Day School believes in immersive learning and teaching. The two languages co-exist, in the same room on the same days at the same time. Only the persons speaking the languages are distinguished.

The Early Years Curriculum EYC® gives the children the gift of language acquiring skills. They will be able to:

  • understand the two spoken languages
  • know that one can learn more than one language
  • get a feel for the culture through the spoken languages
  • carry the language learning skill to any place their family takes them

be sensitive to other cultures through languages

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