Enrolling your child in a bilingual preschool can assist improve or reinforce your child's understanding of a second language and keep it from fading. When selecting a preschool for your kid, there are various variables to consider. Of course, there are the fundamentals, such as size, location, and price. However, if you're searching for something more particular, such as a bilingual program, you could be at a loss for where to begin.
The way bilingual programs integrate a second language varies. Some programs alternate between the two languages, while others concentrate on only one. It is critical to understand the things to look for and the kind of questions to ask while looking for a bilingual preschool so that you can make the best decision for your child. Continue reading to discover more about selecting a multilingual preschool for your child.
What exactly is a Bilingual Preschool?
Bilingual preschools, according to Mae Waugh Barrios, M. Ed, Bilingual Language Development Coach, ESL instructor, and author of RaisingEmergingBilinguals.com, give your child a language immersion experience.
According to Barrios, "a bilingual preschool includes instruction and activities in both English and another language." "Students must spend at least half of their time speaking a language other than English. This immersion experience allows pupils to study another language while learning their first, allowing them to make linguistic gains and achieve proficiency faster."
Why Should Your Child Attend a Bilingual Preschool?
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, have higher vocabulary1 and problem-solving abilities, and they interact and communicate with others in new and innovative ways.
Being multilingual has cognitive benefits as well, including greater attention and task-switching abilities, as well as information processing aptitude.
There are several advantages to studying other languages as a youngster. When children are young, their brains readily learn linguistic abilities.
"Early learning bilingual programs promote the language-sensitive phase that lasts from infancy to age seven," these advantages can aid your child later in life.
"When children acquire a second language, they obtain cultural competency, which fosters their capacity to comprehend, respect, and communicate with individuals from cultures other than their own."
Comparing Bilingual Preschool
Understanding what to look for in an English preschool and what questions to ask at a bilingual preschool will help you decide which program is best for your kid.
There is no such thing as a bad question while looking for the best match for your child. Preparing your questions ahead of time may allow you to concentrate more on the school's surroundings.
Concerns Regarding School Credentials
They need of examining an English preschool's accreditation and certification. Some questions to consider are:
What is the linguistic ability of the teachers in English and a language other than English?
What credentials do you expect from your teachers?
The greatest option would be a school with multilingual staff. Native speakers are the best.
Concerns Regarding the Bilingual & English Preschool Program Model
"The most generally recognized type of bilingual English preschool education is the developing bilingual model, in which the two languages are taught equally," However, some schools may employ a second language completely or largely. This is why it is critical to inquire about the English preschool's immersion program.
Good questions to ask potential preschools, according to Janet Wong, a bilingual preschool teacher, include:
How much time will my child devote to each of the languages?
What is your teaching strategy?
How many instructors are there in the room?
How can the program help my child learn a new language?
How do you cultivate cultural competencies?
What are some of my child's learning objectives for this year?
These questions might help you understand how your kid will spend their day and how the program will include a second language.
Concerning the Students
You may also wish to learn more about the pupils at the English preschool to ensure that your child will feel at ease and supported by their classmates. You can inquire about the student population's demographics, the primary languages spoken by other students, and if the majority of students come from a dual language household.
Very well Thoughts
Choosing a bilingual & English preschool for your kid gives many cognitive and language benefits, as well as the opportunity for your child to engage with people from other cultures.
Choosing the best multilingual program is not always simple.
To identify which preschool is the greatest fit for your kid, inquire about the English preschool's credentials, teaching model, and student population.
