Our Language Programme – Early Learning
Language learning opens a portal to a whole new world to explore. For young children, who are our greatest learners, language learning exposes them to so much more than language itself. It opens their minds to excelled growth, literacy, numeracy and cultural understanding.
We are passionate about the benefits of learning a second language in the early years. This is the fundamental principle of our language programme. With dedication, refinement and academic understanding, it has been developed to ignite language learning passion, but also boost a child’s learning success and indeed, capability.
Our language programme has been designed by teachers for teachers. It is available in English, French and Spanish.
Arthur the Elf – Learn & Play
A Unique Language Programme for 4 to 7 Years old
Imagine an incredible story-teller, capable of weaving magic and mystery in to his tales of a far-away make-believe world. His name is Arthur the elf. Arthur tells stories involving three young children enjoying high jinks and adventures with mythical creatures and elves, and magical teachers too.
This is the core of the programme – stories, because story-telling works as a powerful educational tool.
The stories are delivered through picture storybooks and role play books. The activity books and flash cards are designed to extend learning in a fun and productive way.
Our materials deliver a holistic approach to a young child’s development. The programme doesn’t just meet the needs of a language course, but includes:
- Personal, social and emotional development: As children are encouraged to share, take-turns and evaluate different scenarios and feelings.
- Communication, language and academic skills: Children embark on a discovery of different communication skills including verbal and written, fundamental literacy acquisition and the firm foundations for academic learning.
- Cultural awareness and understanding: The stories delve in to different geographical areas exposing children to a wide spectrum of cultures, history and geography.
Why Learn a Second Language in the Early Years? Why Do It This Way?
Parents and teachers alike are highly familiar with the immense speed at which language develops in a child’s early years. We know and understand this on a fundamental level when we consider the acquisition of the mother tongue. It’s taken for granted that it just ‘happens’ as we speak to, with and around our young children.
However, longitudinal studies, such as one by Harvard University, demonstrate that this extends to second languages too. What’s more, the studies go further to explain the phenomenon that learning these second languages at this young age increases an incredible range of abilities including critical thinking skills and flexibility of the mind.
These children go on to do better across the curriculum, not simply in languages or literacy alone. As the Harvard study explains: “The brain, like any muscle, functions better with exercise.” Learning second languages through carefully developed programmes such as The Tales of Arthur the Elf, exercises that muscle, giving it strength for development across the board.
The evidence shows how delivering accessible and comprehensive language programmes to children as young as four is an enormous gift we can give for their future learning. It is about laying incredibly strong foundations. It is not about hot-housing, or putting academic pressure on a child, but about giving them the framework that makes future success possible in a natural and enjoyable way.
Deliver the learning in a broad spectrum programme which uses a variety of learning methods geared towards different types of learners, like Arthur the Elf – Learn & Play, and you have an intensely powerful tool.