Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
    • Mission & History
    • Our Partner Organizations
    • What is a Multicultural Book?
    • Co-Founders
    • Board of Trustees
    • Board of Advisors
    • Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
    • Team
    • MCBD Timelines
    • Make a Donation: #GivingTuesday 2022
    • Media Partners
    • Disclosure
    • Contact Us
  • FREE Diverse Books
    • FREE Diverse Books for Classrooms Program
    • FREE Diversity Book For Reviewers!
    • Authors & Publishers: Book Donations
    • Donate
  • Sponsorship
    • MCBD2023 Medallion Level Sponsors
    • MCBD2023 Author Sponsors
    • Fundraisers & Marketing Services
      • Fundraiser | Social Media Shout Outs!
      • Sponsor of the Week/Month
      • Fundraising/ Sponsored Post Services
      • Multicultural Children’s Book Day ebook
    • Medallion and Author Level Sponsorships for MCBD2023 are OPEN!
  • Reading Resources
    • Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
    • Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Kit 2022 Mental Health Support for Stressful Times
    • Raising Awareness on Systemic Racism in America Classroom Kit
    • Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
    • FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
    • Gallery of Our Free Posters
    • Neurodiverse and Autistic Voices Are Your Best Autism Resources
    • IG Live Interview Series
    • 2021 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2020 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2019 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2018 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2017 Big Giant Linky!
    • 2016 Big Giant LInky!
    • 2015 Big Giant Linky!
  • Press Kit & Stats
    • Press Kit
    • Social Proof & Media Mentions
    • 2016 Recap and Stats
    • 2015 Recap and Stats
  • Blog
  • Sign Up for Free Updates

Why learning a Foreign Language in Elementary School is Important

February 19, 2019 by Valarie Budayr

Affiliate Links

Guest post by Judy Martialay

Learning a Foreign Language in Elementary School is Important and Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) is a wonderful boost for all kids. As I mentioned in my past article on MCBD, the world that we need to prepare our children for is filled with multiple languages. Regardless of their career choices or where they may live, it is more probable than ever that they will be communicating and working with people from diverse language and cultural backgrounds.

FLES programs

Foreign Language in Elementary Schools

Why begin to learn a language early? We can learn a language at any age, but starting very young has big advantages:

1.Children have more time to learn a language. It takes many years to be truly fluent in a language. Think of how long it took your child to speak English effortlessly, practicing day in and day out.

2.Children are wired to learn languages. They have the ability to repeat any sound in a foreign language and to speak with almost native pronunciation. This means that they will not only be understood but also they will be able to hear and understand better. This ability disappears at around the age of puberty, 12 years old., just when most of our

students are beginning to study a language.

Foreign Language in Elementary School | What are FLES classes like?

I recently interviewed Mr.D,  the teacher of Mandarin Chinese in our local elementary school. All the children in our district begin Mandarin in kindergarten. They can change to Spanish in grade 3 and to other languages in middle school. The Mandarin class is described here, but classes in Spanish or any other language are similar at this level.

Children address Mr. D using the Mandarin word for “teacher”, Laoshi.  The students learn with a variety of activities, games, and songs. They greet each other and ask how they are. They learn to talk about the weather, school, countries, food, and many other topics. The day I interviewed the teacher, the children were learning the body parts in Mandarin, and they played “Pin the tail on the Dragon.”

Mandarin language

The teacher reads stories to the children. He brings comic books into the older classes and encourages them to recognize characters.

Throughout the year, kindergarten children work on a book project,“All About Me”, where they write their autobiographies. Older children work on projects using technologies with IPAD and Chrome, where they can compose stories.

The children learn the pronunciation of Mandarin, including the tones, by repetition. Repetition is good when learning a foreign language!

In kindergarten, Mr. D.introduces the Chinese characters with a book called The Pet Dragon by Christoph Nieman. Children practice the strokes needed to form the characters and gain familiarity with apps.

Mandarin books for kids

At this age, children accept this new language without question. With Mandarin (and Spanish or French, etc) they are learning to think in a different way. This ability to express ideas in a different way promotes flexibility in the brain; this ability has major cognitive benefits. They are also learning to accept cultural differences.

Children are encouraged to use their Mandarin outside of class. One girl has befriended a waiter in the local Chinese restaurant and brought him a weather wheel that she made in class. Some children’s parents speak Mandarin or have colleagues who speak the language with the children.

Boys do as well as girls in FLES classes. At this age, they have not yet absorbed attitudes that are prevalent about how it isn’t macho to speak a foreign language.

Students of all abilities can succeed because there is ample time and repetition for practice to master the language.

What can parents do to encourage their children?

In our mostly monolingual country, your support as a parent can make a big difference. Point out the benefits of knowing another language. Find a relative or friend who speaks the language and is willing to have conversations with your child in the language.

You can encourage your budding bilingual children by finding opportunities for the kids to practice, with free apps, Duo Lingo,  programs on Youtube,  and movies about culture. Take the children to a restaurant where food from that country is served. Make visits to local cultural events.

What can you do if your district doesn’t offer FLES classes?

In the U.S., only about 25% of elementary schools, public or private, offer any form of FLES program. If your school district doesn’t have FLES classes, what can you do?

The benefits are so important, you don’t want your child to lose this opportunity. Go to the school principal and/or superintendent and ask that they begin these programs. If possible, go with like-minded parents; there is strength in numbers.

Meantime, find a program that you can use at home with your child, like ¡Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish or Bonjour! Let’s Learn French. These books are designed for parents to use with their children, 6-10, whether or not they know the language. The audio program is free and downloadable on the website http://www.polyglotkidz.com, along with lots of resources. The books are easy and fun to use for the whole family. There may be private classes available in your area, summer camps, and lots of resources online.

Every child should have the opportunity to begin to learn a second language early and to continue learning that language until he or she is proficient.

For free downloadable infosheets about the benefits of learning a language other than English, please visit http://polyglotkidz.com/benefits_of_knowing_another_language/

Please make sure that your child has the early language advantage enjoyed by their peers around the world. Request a FLES program for your school. Find alternatives for your child if necessary, and learn or review the language yourself. Enjoy!

About the Author

Judy Martialay

Judy has taught languages on Long Island and is an active member of the Public Advocacy Committee of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers. She lives on Long Island with her husband. Has two daughters and a granddaughter. Her missions are have let every child have the opportunity to learn a world language at an early age, and she wants parents, everyone to have fun with a language and appreciate the beauty of the cultures of our world. Judy is the author of ¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish  and her newest book, Bonjour! Let’s Learn French will be published in October

“Language study promotes tolerance for diversity.”
Visit: http://www.polyglotkidz.com
¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish

 

NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winner Winter 2017

Judy Martialay
Honorable Mention Educational Purple Dragonfly Book Award 2017
Available on Amazon.com
softcover printed:
http://amzn.to/29Hu1hn
Kindle:
http://amzn.to/2ey4yhV
B&N:
http://bit.ly/2eNNi6o
Like me on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJudyMartialay/
follow me on Twitter
Judy Martialay@judyruth10
Lead with languages

 

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

Filed Under: Author Visits, Language Tagged With: Foreign Language in Elementary School, Mandarin books for kids, Mandarin language

Comments

  1. Eugenia says

    February 21, 2019 at 9:16 am

    Awesome article, Judy!

    • Valarie Budayr says

      February 21, 2019 at 11:56 am

      Thanks for stopping by, Eugenia!

  2. Carré de sucre says

    March 10, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    FLES in French : français langue étrangère et seconde !

Help us get diverse Kidlit into schools!

Join our Read Your World
Newsletter and Blog List
Be the first to know about the latest Read Your World news, new children's books, exclusive offers, and special events.
Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter!

Make a Way Media Super Platinum Sponsor

Language Lizard Platinum Sponsor

Mia Wenjen Founders Circle

Audrey Press Founders Circle

Publisher Spotlight Gold Sponsor

Publisher Spotlight 2023

Interlink Publishing Gold Sponsor

Interlink 2023

Cardinal Rule Press Silver Sponsor

Barefoot Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low Books Silver Sponsor

Lee & Low 2023

Kimberly Gordon Biddle Silver Sponsor

Vivian Kirkfield Bronze Sponsor

Patrice McLaurin Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

The Quarto Group Bronze Sponsor

Carole P. Roman Bronze Sponsor

Star Bright Books Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Redfin Canada Bronze Sponsor

Redfin Canada 2023

Rent.com Bronze Sponsor

Bay Equity Home Loans Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward Bronze Sponsor

Title Forward 2023

Brunella Costagliola Bronze Sponsor

Brunella Costagliola 2023

Stay in the loop with all MCBD Happenings!

MCBD is included in the Top 100 Children’s Book Blogs!

Children’s Book Blogs

Copyright © 2023 · Multicultural Childrens Book Day on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cleantalk Pixel