I'm Kristen, the twenty-something wife and mother of one (so far), lover of makeup, comfort food and bargain-hunting Modern Mrs. My fabulous lifestyle blog is about food, family, household bits and bobs, the occasional share of a good deal, and whatever else strikes my fancy! Please, stay a while, have a look around, and say hello! 
¡HOLA! NI HAO! BONJOUR! GUTEN TAG! CIAO!
This past Saturday my family and I headed over to a Language Stars center in Bethesda, Maryland to take part in their Open House Weeks, which was a chance to tour their facility, see what they have to offer, and for L to see first-hand what Language Stars' FunImmersion® program is all about.I firmly believe we live in a time where a foreign language isn't an elective... it's a necessity. Being able to speak another language is often a job requirement, or at the very least will enable you to apply for a higher-up position within that company, and it opens up opportunity for travel. It's a well-known fact that learning another language is easier the younger that you are, so why not {if you're able} give your child a gift that will benefit them for a lifetime?
A foreign language puts the world in your child's backyard, bringing other cultures to life. Introducing Language Stars: play-based, full-immersion foreign language classes that open children's minds to new worlds. Toddlers, pre-schoolers and K-5th graders benefit from an early start, during a unique window of opportunity when their young brains absorb the magic of another language and culture easily and rapidly.
L participated in the Spanish course, which is an 85 minute class spoken entirely in Spanish. There's an 8:1 student to teacher ratio, and the teachers are recruited from around the world. Only 1 in 50 candidates will become a Language Stars teacher, and they're hired for the "experience in education, language, and 'bringing the fun'." Since L doesn't speak any Spanish, I asked how she would be able to follow along, and would parents need to have some language skills. I was told that each student is assessed in class, as they go, and are given individual goals, as well as new goals as they level in the language. Parent's don't need to learn the language as the students are sent home with fun activities to encourage the learning process. It's not "homework", it's not mandatory, but the kids will likely complete the activities because they're enjoyable. Win win!
Each class had an observation window, where you could stand from the hall and see what was going on in the room. I walked up and down the hall, peeking into each classroom, and made notes of what I noticed in both the teachers and students. What did I see? I saw teachers who were visibly excited, using facial expressions and hand motions to help the children understand what was being said. They used dry erase boards for drawings, or flash cards, or even a Pin the Tail on the Donkey-type game to teach them words for shirt, hat, etc. The kids? They were all smiling, in each class, laughing, intrigued and engaged. Even L, who had never been to a class before, was engaged and following along.
Spotted!
Everyone was very friendly, very knowledgeable, and I noticed all of the students {approximate ages 2-8} were happy and excited to be there. I was really impressed! What's more important is that L thoroughly enjoyed her class - to her it was a play date. Learning was fun! She was sad to leave, but excited to return. I did a small interview with L after her class to see what she had to say:
K: What were some of the things you did in class?
L: We learned about letters, had to guess a letter to make a word... we had to say the word in Spanish... we passed a ball while saying a word in Spanish {repeating the teacher}, we had snack {she was very excited about her Goldfish and water}, and then pinned the clothing on the snowman. We had to say shirt in Spanish, but I don't remember the word.
K: What did you like best about your teachers?
L: They used their hands and face to help me understand.
K: What's something you learned about Spanish?
L: "A" sounds like "ah", and "O" sounds like "oh".
K: If you were to tell a friend about Language Stars, what would you say?
L: I had so much fun! I want to do it again. I liked my teachers. I liked that they spoke Spanish and not English. I learned a lot of Spanish!
Classes are prorated by the week, so prices will vary depending on when you start, but a class is about $221/week. {That's the highest you'll pay.} There are discounts for additional classes, such as 10% off for two programs, 25% for three, and 40% for four programs.
If you're looking into languages for your child, I highly recommend touring Language Stars! Their Open House Weeks is going on for another week {ending Jan. 27th}. You'll be able to tour a center, meet the teaching team, and participate in a class! Language Stars offers five languages; Spanish, Mandarin, French, German and Italian {only available for the Chicago areas}. They have locations in the DC and Chicago areas. To reserve your spot, fill out the online form or call 866-55-STARS. If you decide to enroll after touring a center, you'll enjoy $100 off your tuition! Or, if you're already enrolled, you can enjoy $100 off your tuition for every family you refer who enrolls by the 27th.
Language Stars is also giving away two iPad Minis! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below!
Disclosure: Language Stars is compensating A Modern Mrs. for its honest thoughts and opinions regarding their Open House Weeks. Language Stars is responsible for this giveaway. For more information regarding my policies, please click here.
I wish something like this was around when I was growing up! I often feel at a disadvantage because I don't have the second (or third) language skills that are needed in today's global economy.
ReplyDeleteIf there was a program like this in NJ, I'd recommend it to my godchildren's mother today.