It is remarkable to see how bilingualism in Brooklyn has expanded in the last 12 years. It started with one pre-school, and then two… and three, four, five…and more. Very soon after, in 2006 dual language public schools emerged, attracting a wide population of children from various neighborhoods and of diverse backgrounds. The “Language” Revolution from Doctor Jaumont expression has served Brooklyn’s economic, educational, and cultural interests giving hundreds of children the opportunity to discover a foreign language and identify strongly with a culture from abroad. These programs welcome small children at an age when they are discovering and exploring how to construct speech in their dominant language while simultaneously being immersed in a French (or another foreign language) educational environment where they have to make sense of the world with more than one language.
The journey starts then when the child feels empowered to communicate to his/her peers in a language that is not spoken at home. We interviewed Pascale Setbon, one of the founders of the Language and Laughter Studio in Brooklyn, to learn more. Pascale relocated with her family from France to New York in 1997, where she experienced great difficulty in finding bilingual educational programs for her two young children. She soon found that there were many families in the same situation who were looking for a program to support their desire to maintain and strengthen a multicultural identity and heritage. She decided to address this dilemma by attending several language workshops and conferences given by Bank Street College, the Board of Education, and other accredited institutions. As Pascale explained, “At first, the child may only use their dominant language or go through a non-verbal period building an understanding of the language. Or perhaps will go through an imitative phase and finally after few months will produce phrases on their own.” Here are some of our questions for her, and some of her recommendations for French learning resources:
When can a child enter a dual language program within a NYC public school?
In Kindergarten, so the child must be 5 by December 31st. Please find more information HERE.
What resources do you think are wonderful for parents to enhance French bilingualism for children in Brooklyn?
For very little ones and early pre-school children, search for the website “Boowa et Kwala” for songs and games. You can also search for the website of “Petit Ours Brun” where there are print out coloring pages, craft ideas, games and stories. There are also some Petit Ours Brun Apps available, “Les 4 saisons de Petit Ours Brun,” “Le grand imagier de Petit Ours Brun,” “Les animaux de la ferme avec Petit Ours Brun” and more—some are available on both AppStore and GooglePlay.
For pre-school children and kindergarteners search on the AppStore for “French Alphabet,” by Poisson Rouge Interactica Ltd. For older children you can also search “BBC French Children” for the BBC’s interactive French language learning website. Additionally, for children with more French-speaking and comprehension skills do a search for the websites “UpToTen – Jeux pour enfants” or “BrainPOP Francais,” the latter has great science based activities!
For elementary schoolers (especially those in Dual Language Programs) we highly recommend the QTalk Language Material as a tool for reinforcing language through games and visual play. In our Academic French classes both on and off-site we sometimes use the Q-Talk image cards for verbs and stories, but they also offer an online game with visual and audio practice that would compliment what is done in classes and camp. There are different levels offered and all of the activities are intuitive and encourage natural language learning.
You can easily register online by searching “Q-Talk Publishing” or call 877-549-1841 where you can be set up with a username and password.
Five Essentials…the key is exposure, exposure, exposure !
- 1. Listen to French (or any other language) songs
- 2. Listen to audio books
- 3. Schedule play dates with other language-speaking families
- 4. Praise other language learning and the gift of bilingualism
- 5. Watch other language cartoons and children’s movies
What are the benefits of learning another language as a child, in your opinion?
On a neurologic level, it gives the brain a work out. On a social level, learning a second or third language transform people to become global citizens. On an emotional level, speaking more than one language brings more compassion. When learning a new language at an early age, there are more opportunities to connect with a wider range of people. Children are sensitive and realize early the power of speaking and understand several languages. I see everyday how they are impressed by their progresses and proud to be part of different communities.
Can a child whose parents don’t speak French (or whatever language they’re enrolled in at their dual language school) still thrive as a French speaker on their own?
Of course! THIS study is a great one proving it.
What if a child is going to a private school and not a public dual language program? How can they also learn another language?
Learning a foreign language is possible through different networks but bilingual literacy mostly happens when being educated in the foreign language through an immersion program or a dual language program.
We are proud to have been working with children for the past ten years to give each of them enough resources and space to embrace the acquisition of another language and culture. In a successful educational environment for foreign language learning, instructors collaborate with children and work alongside with them so that instructors are always bringing joy to their learning process. At Language and Laughter Studio, our unique connection with each child is a priority that ensures the development of their wellbeing and trust – key note of a successful educational growth. The sight of what we have accomplished in these ten years brings us joy, revealing that passion and commitment can lead to success.
The philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson defined success as the following: “To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…”
Pascale Setbon attended La Sorbonne where she earned a BA in Management and an MA in Marketing. She helped to develop the French Playgroups curriculum at the International School of Brooklyn and for two years worked at the French Institute in Manhattan. In 2005 Pascale launched her own language-diverse learning program, L’isle Aux Enfants at the fledgling Language and Laughter Studio (LLS). LLS has become a full-fledged learning center for early bilingual education. Pascale believes that children learn and make sense of their world through first-hand experiences with people and materials. With this approach in mind, Pascale encourages children to immerse themselves in the a second language through everyday activities. Complementing tacit experiential language acquisition with focused directives, classes at LLS help to facilitate bilingualism where children learn to hear, understand, and speak foreign languages with confidence and pride.