How is the trilingual immersion takes place in English, French and Spanish ?
1. Why start an other language that early?
From birth to 6 years old children are learning how to talk and communicate, and then how to read and write, around 5. Learning in an other language falls within this perspective of learning speech and communication and again allows to optimize this period of interest for the child.
2. Who speaks what language? And when?
The English-speaking teacher speaks in English, the French-speaking teacher, in French and the Spanish-speaking teacher in Spanish. This simple and clear rule allows the children to quickly find their marks. Soon, it seems obvious for all the children.
The children do not learn English, French and Spanish… they are spoken to in those languages, they listen, understand, and then they speak, which is very different. This method gets closer from the family model encountered in mixed languages couples.
3. What are the linguistic objectives?
In English : Children from multilingual schools will reach the same skills in English (written and oral) than children from monolingual schools.
In French and Spanish : At the end of preschool the children have a perfect mastery of comprehension (3 to 6 years old classroom) and gradually master the speech and oral side of this other language during their primary years (6 to 12 years old classroom).
The trilingual way allows the children to reach language skills, if not equal, at least comparable in French, Spanish and English.
4. We don't speak English, French or Spanish at home, is it a problem?
The most important thing is to be as clear and consistent in the rules as we can. Learning an other language has to follow the same line of order and method as any education and is not an inconvenience in any way for the child.
No need to change habits at home to make a bridge on this other language, English, Spanish or French, if it is not already the case in the household. However, it is important that the parents show interest for French and Spanish language, even if they do not speak it. The trust granted to the child, to the trilingual project of the school, and to the teaching staff who are involved with him is a key component.
More questions?
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