When students learn a foreign language, if ever, varies widely from one country to the next. Many countries mandate the introduction of foreign language in schools by age eight, while students in the United States often wait until junior or senior high school for their first exposure to a foreign language curriculum, thus only having 4 years of study versus 10 or 12 years when introduced earlier. A basic Spanish curriculum can actually be introduced as early as preschool using programs like Excelerate Spanish. There are several reasons to include Spanish curriculum lessons for preschool and this article will take a look at a few of them.
- This is the Best Time to Start: One reason to include Spanish for preschoolers using Excelerate Spanish is because this is the best time to start teaching children a foreign language. The earlier you introduce children to a foreign language, the better, it seems that before the age of 10 is ideal, or even before the age of 5, if possible. This is because a child’s capacity to pronounce unfamiliar, foreign sounds and absorb new grammar rules is highly enhanced prior to age six. In other words, starting Spanish lessons in preschool will jump start a child’s ability to take in and learn an entirely new language.
- It’s Relatively Easy to Include in Lessons: Another reason to include Spanish in a preschool curriculum via Excelerate Spanish is because it’s relatively easy to include Spanish in preschool lessons. For their first 8 years, children are naturally acquiring language skills. They learn primarily through imitation, repetition, songs, and games. As much of a preschool curriculum can include playing games and singing songs, it would be quite easy to include some that teach a basic Spanish vocabulary to preschool students, allowing them to learn without realizing it.
- Spanish is a Relatively Common Foreign Language: And finally, a third reason to include Spanish in a preschool curriculum is because Spanish is a relatively common language and can be found in many places. While many still consider English the “lingua franca,” there’s no getting around the fact that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries worldwide. Having preschool children begin learning Spanish at such a young age will give them an advantage should they ever travel to one of those countries in the future.
In conclusion, there are several reasons to include Spanish in a preschool curriculum. These reasons include: preschool is the best time to begin teaching a foreign language, Spanish is relatively easy to include in lessons, and Spanish a relatively common language found in many countries. These are just a few of the reasons to include Spanish in a preschool curriculum.
