Hola La Believes Spanish Immersion is Best
Hola La believes, and research has shown, that the optimal way to learn Spanish is to immerse the children in the Spanish language. Just as children learn their native language by hearing, seeing and doing, they learn a second language in much the same way. Hola La classes follow this natural approach while incorporating a variety of techniques to make the language comprehensible to children. Hola La recognizes that children learn differently and with this in mind, the curriculum and teachers provide an environment in which each child's learning style can be met.
Why Spanish for Children?
- Cognitive/Critical Thinking: Research suggests that children who learn a second language are more creative and better at solving complex problems than those who do not (Center for Applied Linguistics, www.cal.org).
- Academic: Studies have shown that bilinguals outperform similar monolingual peers on both verbal and nonverbal tests of intelligence and tend to achieve higher scores on standardized tests (Center for Applied Linguistics, www.cal.org). Studies also show that young children who have been exposed to a second language may have higher IQs.
- Economic: A 5-year-old child today will graduate from college with 1 in 5 of his/her peers speaking Spanish. Opportunities follow trends. Knowing a second language increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset. As they grow older and enter the workforce, children who learn a second language will be more marketable, will improve our economic competitiveness abroad, and will actively participate in the increasingly global society we live in today.
- Social: Changing demographics mean children will have increasing opportunities to communicate with their peers as well as enrich their travel in the U.S. (Miami, LA, Texas, to name a few) and abroad: Spanish is now the dominant 2nd language in the U.S. and Europe. Spanish is also the 2nd most widely spoken language worldwide.
- Personal: Learning another language can boost children's self-esteem. Children quickly learn that there are two ways to say things and will speak Spanish with great pride, even if it is just a word or two to start. Learning another language can contribute to a child's overall sense of confidence.
Children are natural language learners. Starting them along this path early in life provides benefits that will serve them for years and years to come!
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