Developing A Second Language in a Montessori Environment

 

We provide children with their first steps in learning the Spanish language. We offer children sounds of a foreign language during a critical period of their linguistic development. Intergration in the entire environment is a way Little Montessori House plans an effective program. We incorporate the Spanish language and Montessori materials. Children will have all the benefits of a Montessori education just with the immersed Spanish language as well. In a Montessori setting a second language may be viewed as one more learning experience within the prepared environment, offered, not imposed, in ways that will attract children’s natural interest and engage their response.

 

We are aware that children are at the prime age for language development which makes learning a second language as natural as learning to speak in our native language at home We are aware that early exposure to a second language capitalizes on their innate capacity to absorb whatever language exists in their environment. An important advantage to linguistic awareness in two languages is that it helps learn third language.

Multilingual perform at least as well as, and often better than, monolingual children when it comes to languages, school, and professional life. Bilingual broadens their scope. It means they have two worlds instead of one. Learning a second langauge does prepare us better for life in the multi-cultural, multilingual world of the twenty-first century, and can provide a competitive advantage in the workforce. The best predictor for a successful acquisition of a language is early exposure. If a child is surrounded continuously with sounds of a foreign language while his/her language window is open "window of opportunity," they will have a head start on learning multiple languages and speaking them without an accent.

Linguistic capability and cultural awareness go hand in hand; both are vital and necessities for today’s children, it opens up two worlds instead of one, being able to understand and communicate with other people and cultures is one of the many benefits of a second language. Children are highly attuned to rhythm, stress, and variations of tone, especially if these are accompanied by gestures and/or body movements. They are definitely in a "sensitive period" for the musical aspects of language. This is why I build more rhythmic movement into my lessons. The children enjoy the lessons and the absorb the words more easily. Attaching words to real, immediate objects, events, or actions. We use visuals, manipulatives, puppets, models, and pictures, along with the Montessori materials. It is essential to use a concrete, multi-sensory approach in order for the children to grasp their meaning.