Preschool Spanish
By Bob Lasseter, Sat Dec 10th
Why an EarlyAGE 2nd Language?
Research indicates that from ages 1 through 8 is the best timeto introduce a new language to a child. If the 2nd language isintroduced early in life children will learn it faster andretain it longer. Being exposed to a 2nd language offersnumerous benefits to young children including an improvedability to communicate, better cognitive development, richercultural awareness, improved academic performance, superioreducational opportunities and, ultimately, better jobs. Theearlier a child is exposed to a 2nd language the more likelythey will speak it with native pronunciation. One recent studyfound that bilingual children learn to read sooner than theirsingle language counterparts, have increased creative skills andbecome proficient problem solvers. Another study indicated thatbilingual children also performed better on math and verbalsections of standardized tests than single language children.Perhaps these are just a few of the reasons that teachingSpanish is becoming popular in many childcare centers andpreschools.
Why Spanish?
Spanish is the most widely requested 2nd language for thefollowing reasons:
·Over 27 million homes in the United States have Spanish astheir 1st language ·There are over 42 million Hispanic peopleliving in the United States ·Many companies are seekingbilingual (English/Spanish) employees ·Learning Spanish allowscommunication with over 300 million people worldwide ·Spanish isclosely related to the English language and is relatively easyto learn
How to Get Started?
Here are two excellent contacts for Spanish education:
·www.bocabeth.com A great source for colorful flashcards, CD’s,DVD’s and more methods to introduce the preschooler to Spanish.·www.spanishfun.net A Franchisor providing EarlyAGE 2nd languageactivities introducing preschoolers to Spanish basics includingnumbers, colors and everyday words.
About the author:Bob Lasseter is the Founder of SpanishFUN with over 15 yearsexperience in providing edcuational activities.www.spanishfun.net 1-877-SPANFUN (772-6386)
