Why should I enroll my child in a Spanish immersion Program?
Children can take in a second language best at a young age. Studies indicate that individuals who learn a second language during their first years of life are more proficient in the areas of language, math, reading, and writing. In addition, children fluent in two languages develop excellent analytical reasoning skills, concept formation skills, and cognitive flexibility. Needless to say, knowledge of a foreign language opens more doors and increases the individual's chances of career success.

Is there any English spoken in the class?
The class is complete immersion, which means no English will be spoken except in emergency situations. Communication with parents will be in English. Once children enter the classroom, they are immersed in (surrounded by) the Spanish language.

How will my child understand what is going on in class?
Young children learning a second language will learn Spanish the same way they learned their first language. The teacher will use hand and body cues, stories, inflection, facial signals, songs, games, and fun to make clear what is being conveyed. This way of teaching is known as Total Physical Response (TPR), and it is very successful in communicating in situations where the language is not understood. Children learn to explore and examine their surroundings and environment. In a short time, they catch on to what is being communicated. Young children do not have the same inhibitions that older people tend to have while learning. They are natural mimics and have little fear in making mistakes; they absorb the second language much more naturally and without hesitation than an older child or adult might.

Does a second language interfere with a child's English ability?
In most cases, learning another language enhances a child's English ability. Comparing and using two language systems is helpful to children's understanding and use of each.

My child already speaks two languages, will a third confuse him?
No. It has been our experience that bilingual children become trilingual almost effortlessly. The time of least resistance for a human to learn multiple languages is from birth to age 6.

Is any prior exposure or knowledge of Spanish required?
No prior exposure or knowledge of Spanish is required. We assume children coming to our class are being exposed to Spanish immersion for the first time. However, we welcome and encourage children who have some prior knowledge of Spanish - they tend to be natural tutors and helpers to the other kids!

Do we, as parents, need to know how to speak Spanish?
It is not necessary that parents speak Spanish. The teachers instruct your child with proper pronunciation, grammar, and accent. Of course, having reinforcement at home is always an advantage, but children with little or no reinforcement of Spanish at home are just as successful in immersion programs as those with native speakers at home. Parents often enjoy learning Spanish at the same time as their children. Most parents observe that the younger students quickly surpass adults in their learning curve.

Do I have to wait for the beginning of a semester to enroll my child?
No. You may enroll your child (space permitting) at any time of the year. We recognizes that children learn and develop at different paces. Our curriculum is tailored to the child's current developmental stage.

What types of activities will my child participate in at Mi Mundo?
Mi Mundo offers developmentally appropriate activities such as circle time, when students share in common experiences and discuss activities for the day. We offer snack time where the children help prepare the snacks and indoor/outdoor centers where students work on developing fine motor, gross motor and problem solving skills. Because we use an emergent curriculum, the specific activities depend on the interests of the children.

What is the class size?
Our teacher child ratio is one to six. Our largest class may be 14. Our school will only accept a total of 40 families to ensure a high quality preschool experience for your children.

Which country are the teachers from? Are they native Spanish speakers? What are their qualifications? Do they have teaching licenses?
Our teachers are native Spanish speakers from different Latin American Countries. They are gifted as natural teachers and each teacher brings a different view of the world. Our teachers have BA degrees in Child Development or related fields, some from their native countries. All of our teachers and staff have had background checks and are licensed as preschool teachers by the Commission On Teacher Credentialing.

Is the preschool associated with any of the public Spanish immersion programs?
No, Mi Mundo is a private preschool and receives no public funding. Our program is run exclusively with our tuition base and minimal fundraising.

Will my child have a hard time when introduced to a school program taught in English?
No. Studies show that exposure to a second language at an early age, enhances the part of the brain that processes language. Therefore, children are able to understand the intricate nuances of language more quickly than non-bilingual students.

What happens to my child's Spanish fluency after preschool, will my child lose it?
Learning a second language is much like riding a bicycle. The foundation for the language has been created, the wiring is in place. To help them continue the natural progression of learning a second language we will offer after-school enrichment classes which will focus on reading, writing and the acquisition of more involved terms and sentence structures for our graduates. Please take a look at our After School Enrichment Programs.

Why do parents choose a Spanish immersion preschool over an English preschool?
Our families are enlightened and globally aware they are seeking to both jumpstart their child's language proficiency at the child development stage where it's easiest to absorb two languages; and strengthen their child's multi-cultural awareness. Our school helps put their children on a path to global citizenship.

Useful Links:
http://www.cal.org/earlylang/benefits/research_notes.html

http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4724

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/04/135043787/being-bilingual-may-boost-your-brain-power

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/may09/bilingual.kids.sl.html

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=60

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/opinion/30kristof.html?ref=nicholasdkristof

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