My son Enzo recently started day care. Because I was afraid that full time day care or nursery school would introduce too much English too soon, I decided to go with a part time program. I feel I’ve made the right decision because It’s only been about a month and he already throws around English words in our conversations.

I do not act surprised or scold, I simply say, “¿quieres decir _____? ” and insert the word in Spanish. He smiles a mischievous smile… He understands what he is doing! He knows he isn’t supposed to speak to mama en inglés!

Enzo used to watch a lot of TV in English, but now that he is hearing a lot of it at day care, I have really started focusing on Spanish and French DVDs. I’m lucky because my parents and babysitter speak to him in Spanish all the time. Moving forward, I’m contemplating the idea of making our home a Spanish/French household when it’s just the three of us. I think it will help Enzo hear his parents speak those languages constantly. Perhaps that will keep him from wanting to answer in English. Added bonus, it will also improve my French skills!

I realize that raising a multilingual baby is a lot of work and requires commitment — I feel like I have to step up my game now that he’s in day care!

How did you handle your child(ren) starting preschool or daycare in the majority language? Would love to hear your experiences! Please share any tips below!

{Image by  familymwr}

Recently my husband and I decided to go through the process of trying to get our daughter enrolled in a prestigious and private dual language school in our city. I honestly did not imagine having to go through what seems like a rigorous process this early on in her academic trajectory. She is almost three, which means she qualifies for the primary school grade classrooms. We learned that there were a limited of spots (~30) with over 125 applicants! We also learned that there are very few, if any, high quality three-year-old academic programs in town, making those ~30 spots highly competitive.

We jumped through all the hoops: filled out the extensive application, had my daughters current teacher fill out an evaluation form about her strengths and challenges, attended an information session, allowed for our daughter to be observed by teachers at the school, and lastly went through an hour long interview with the director of the school. By the time we were scheduled for the final step of the process, the parent interview, we started to question if we were making the right decision (not just financially) and were forced to reflect on whether or not we would fit in well with the current school community.

As I mentioned earlier, I began to wonder if this community was the right fit for us, but really I was more concerned with whether or not it was a right fit for me. When we attended the information session, I realized that it was the first time in my life that I had ever stepped foot in such a prestigious school. The second-generation immigrant of working class parents part of me felt completely out of place. My husband, having grown up abroad for most of his schooling years, attended private schools very similar to the one we were trying to get our daughter into. Not only did I attend public school for the majority of my schooling years, which was all taught in English; I also grew up in a community where Spanish and English flowed back and forth seamlessly. Interestingly, during the interview we were asked the following question:

Interviewer: Which language, Spanish or English, would you prefer to speak in?

Me: (hesitating a little): We prefer to speak in both languages.

Interviewer: Okay. Yes, that actually works well for me because there are parts of the interview where Spanish is more appropriate than English.

When asked to choose a language to speak in I simply could not. Both Spanish and English are part of my linguistic repertoire and they do not reside in separate spaces.  Being concerned about whether or not I would fit in with the school community I decided that I would be my self as much as anyone can in formal interview settings. Hesitantly, I responded that we preferred to use both languages. The interviewers response was a breathe of fresh air. I was starting to wonder if we were trying to enroll our daughter in a school where code switching may not be seen as a valuable linguistic tool, but if the director was willing to do it, then I can only assume that it will be welcomed.

In an earlier scenario, when we dropped off our daughter for her observation I noticed that we were the only parents speaking in Spanish to each other and to our daughter. I also noticed that we were the only Latinos (or in my case, the only Chicana). On top of the class diversity the school needs, a part of me hoped that we could contribute to the linguistic and ethnic diversity that seems to be missing.

A week later we found out we were wait-listed. The news wasn’t too surprising considering the number of applicants and the number of spots available, but at the same time one cannot help but wonder if that was the only reason. We are still hopeful. In a month we find out if there is a spot for the incoming school year.  Ay, veremos…

As a researcher of dual language programs, I have to say that there is definitely a trend occurring. The general public is starting to notice the importance and value in a multilingual education. Not only are public, charter, and private dual language schools emerging nation wide, the spots to get into them are extremely competitive. Parents are entering raffles, others are willing to pay the hefty price tag for the opportunity to learn in two languages. For my family, paying the price means compromising other aspects of our life for an investment in an education that is multilingual, global, inquiry-based, and student centered which should be the standard at every school.

Have you tried enrolling your son/daughter in a prestigious and private foreign language school? If so, what was the experience like?

{Photo by barnabywasson}

It’s hard to walk into a house with a preschooler that doesn’t have one of Fisher-Price’s Little People characters in the play area. This is a classic and iconic toy that has inspired generation of pequeños to engage in the early stages of creative play in any language. No wonder over two billion Little People figures have been sold in 60 countries since the brand’s launch 54 years ago. From the days when I played with them back in the 1970′s, to when my daughter got her first Little People play set, the figures have changed and evolved with the times and they continue to do so.

Earlier this week Fisher-Price announced during an event in Manhattan’s Bryant Park, which included a special musical performance by singer/songwriter and children’s TV star, Genevieve Goings, that it has made an unprecedented investment to refresh its iconic, beloved Little People brand and transform it from a toy brand to a lifestyle brand. The company executed a complete toy design refresh, complemented by an award-winning writing, illustration and musical team to contemporize the Little People brand for today’s new generation of preschoolers, while preserving the charm that has contributed to the ongoing success of the brand’s 54-year heritage.

The webisodes will feature a multicultural, ensemble cast of Eddie, Sofie, Koby, Mia®and Tessa, each with unique traits and interests that make them special – just like the children they exemplify.

We can’t wait to meet the new Little People cast and create new memories for a new generation of kids. The Little People LIVE Show will be touring in its fifth consecutive year in 2013, traveling to top zoos across the country, as well as performing onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, to entertain children and encourage them to dance and express themselves with their Little People friends.

While we wait for the new Little People to make their appearance, how about enjoying these videos from Little People en español!

{Photo: Business Wire}

Lately, I have seen posts by our SpanglishBaby familia about whether or not a Spanish immersion program is the right fit for their child. Well, interestingly, it is a topic that has been something my little familia has also been debating.

Even before I had Sabrina I was scoping out our foreign language schools options. I got on several waiting lists and eventually got into all of them! In fact, I keep my nena on a rolling waiting list because you never know. I was so set on foreign language exposure that I did not even bother looking into English child development (aka day care options or mothers-day-out programs). I had my heart and eyes focused on the foreign language component that it, unfortunately, blurred my sense of vision. I lost sight of what was really important — my daughter’s well being, her happiness, and what she needed in school.

As I scoped out language schools I started to notice a trend. Most of them seem to have a stricter and more regimented program for teaching and taking care of children. I started to wonder if this had something to do with the ways children are taught and cared for in Latin American countries. I know that western/North American child rearing practices can be very different than other parts of the world, so surely this, too, affects the way children are regarding in Latin American day care centers and schools.

As I have mentioned in other posts, we love the little school Sabrina is enrolled in now. They value linguistic diversity and that, to me, is priceless. We have had to consider other options because it was now too far from our home, but to be honest, I was not entirely happy with the stricter and more regimented schedule they have in place. I won’t get into details, but I will say that I recently checked out an English school in town and walked into a whole new world.

The child was at the center of their “play-curriculum.” If my baby girl wants to paint, she can; if she wants to play with shaving cream in a water table, she can. The place seemed happy, the kids were happy, and most importantly, they were doing things that 2 and a half year olds should be doing—socializing and playing. In other words, they don’t have to wait for art time to happen in an organized, sitting in their chair, and waiting their turn fashion.

Read: Is Bilingual Education Right for Us?

Taking the initiative to look at English schools may have happened out of necessity, but deciding that sometimes Spanish does not come first was a process. We have been speaking in Spanish to Sabrina since the day she was born and have been really consistent about it. She probably knows about 90% Spanish and 10% English.

My heart was aching and tears were swelling up in my eyes when I was forced to take a closer look at the decisions we were making about exposing my daughter to Spanish almost 100% of the day. I realized that the decisions we had made were possibly costing her opportunities to just be a kid. All she wants to do is play, socialize with other kids, and do creative things. Sure she would stay in her seat, listen to the teacher, walk in a line with her hands behind her back, but she is too young to voice her opinion or even know that there are other schools available where being a 2 ½ year old comes first, then learning Spanish.

I’m curious, what are foreign language schools/day care centers like in your city? Have you compared English versus Spanish schools? If so, did you notice a difference like I did? How are you weighing your options?

{Photo by barnabywasson}

My son is only 17 months and I find myself already thinking of preschool applications! Yes it is true, if I want Enzo to start next year, I have to apply now.  I cannot believe I have to start thinking about what school I would like him to attend next year. I mean, I feel like I am just discovering what kind of kid he is becoming!

As I have started this process, I have so many thoughts about sending him to school. The good points are that, he is going to have some structure to his day and he is going to be socializing with other children his age. Another advantage is that his Abuela, who babysits him, would get a break.  But I do have doubts about sending him to school at 2 years old. (He would be 2.5 when he starts.)My questions are: Is he too young? Is he going to get sick all the time? Is the day too long? The most important question is “will putting my son in school at 2 instead of 3 hurt his Spanish language skills?” I wonder, wouldn’t he be better off developing a more solid base in Spanish until he was 3.5, and then be exposed to English in preschool? Right now, I can’t answer this question. First of all, because I cannot anticipate what his Spanish language skills will be a year from now and second, because I just do not know how he will react to the introduction of English in a school setting.  In my perfect world, I would put him in a dual language preschool program, but I have yet to find one of those in my area for young children.

My son currently hears Spanish and French at home. He hears English on TV and in a weekly sports or music class, so exposure to English is limited. Exposure to French is limited as well, since his Papa is the only one who really speaks to him in French on a daily basis, whereas Abuela, babysitter and mama speak in Spanish. Enzo also says a lot more words in Spanish than in French (and he has learned some words in English, like “POP” when he is watching the Fresh Beat Band!) If I send Enzo to school at 2.5, am I just going to confuse him too early? Is waiting that extra year worth it?

When I went to Pre-K I was 4 and I did not speak any English, but I was a lorita in Spanish. I really do not remember having a traumatic experience in the classroom, where I did not know how to go to the bathroom, or did not understand what I needed to do… I might have had those experiences but, thankfully, they were not memorable enough to have scarred me for life! So, if you had asked me about this issue months ago, I would have just said, he will go and figure it out… but the post by Marika Lynch brought up some interesting points, which I hadn’t thought about—Enzo doesn’t know the common words for “potty” or “water” in English. I imagine that explaining to him that he is going to go to a school where the maestra is only going to speak English to him would be easier to do at 3 than at 2, hopefully limiting any potential traumatic experiences??

At this point, I think that I have to apply and see what happens. I can always see how I feel about Enzo’s language skills when he is 2 (also, there is no guarantee that he will be “accepted”). I have thought about other possible options: a part time program, where Enzo would go to school two mornings a week, or two full days, thus giving him SOME exposure, but at a slower pace. I have also thought of finding a family care program (in a person’s home) where the teachers speak Spanish. I am hoping I will have a Eureka moment when I will figure out how to get the best of both worlds.

{photo by  shannatheshedevil}

Diana Limongi-Gabriele is a Latina New Yorker with proud Ecuadorian roots, married to a Frenchman. She is mommy to Enzo, a French/Hispanic/European/American (one day trilingual) 17 month old boy. She works hard juggling a full-time job, motherhood, family, grad school and her blog: Ladydeelg.tumblr.com where she writes about issues she is passionate about, including teaching her son Spanish, parenting, Latino issues, good quality food and motherhood.

With the rise of dual language education in the U.S., have bilingual children become a commodity? In other words, are children who walk into the dual language classroom already speaking two languages possessing a highly valued commodity: bilingualism? The question, though, still remains, whose bilingualism is valued? Is it the “middle class” students bilingualism or is it those students who come from “lower class” homes?

To distinguish between “middle” and “lower” I’d like to clarify how I am referring to the two kinds of bilinguals. There are those whose parents have a formal education and belong to a certain (higher) economic bracket and those whose parents have a limited formal education and come from lower economic brackets, generally speaking. Both bilinguals are what we, in academia, call heritage-speakers of a minority language (like Spanish).

This past week my little girl completed her first year at Escuelita del Alma. At the end of each year the escuelita (little school) puts on a recital where each classroom dances to a Spanish song. The theme was “Los Insectos….and Other Little Critters.” One of the many reasons why I love and chose this escuelita for my daughter is because they value linguistic diversity. As you can see in the very title of the production there is a code-switch: Spanish and English are used in a single phrase. I love that because it reflects a common linguistic feature (code-switching) of the bilingual community we live in here in central Texas.

In an earlier post I wrote about my experience while visiting another Spanish immersion school before deciding where my daughter would attend. It was at that other school where I was informed “We don’t use Tex-Mex here.” What they failed to realize is the importance in being able to communicate with members of our local community, in addition to being able to perform linguistically in academic settings, like the classroom. For this reason I decided to enroll my daughter elsewhere, but also because they insulted a key feature of my linguistic repertoire!

My parents were or would be categorized as lower class Mexican immigrants and I was/am a heritage-speaker of Spanish, though when I was in elementary school in the 80’s dual language education was not an option. Now, I am a middle-class and highly educated parent of a daughter I am raising with multiple languages.

I presume her multilingualism will be a highly valued commodity as local schools try to fill dual language classrooms with “native” Spanish-speakers. What I will continue to strive for, as a parent and academic, is placing greater value in the varying ways people use Spanish and English like we do in central Texas!

We got back from our trip to El Salvador just last week, and it already feels like it was so long ago.  Yet, the memories and benefits we gained from this trip are still well alive.  Some weeks ago I shared about Camila’s cultural immersion with her familia, and promised I’d be back to tell you more about her experience at a local, Spanish-language preschool.

I made the decision to enroll her to a local preschool for two reasons:

1) Strengthen her Spanish.  I had a couple of friends who had done the same thing when they visited their families in Latin America and said their kids benefited from it.

2)  Even though we were away “on vacation,” I had to continue working my part-time job from home. So, I needed to have some time alone to work.

My sister helped me find a preschool that was run by two friends of her’s who allowed Camila to come in for only a month. School starts in El Salvador the second week of August, right after a week-long National holiday known as “Las Fiestas Patrias de Agosto.”  Camila was able to be there the first day of school, so that eased the transition a bit because the other kids were more welcoming to her being there, and not be singled out as the “new girl.”

It also helped a lot that, at the moment, she speaks mostly Spanish.  She still goes back and forth with certain words and phrases she totally prefers in English. Such as her infamous “Wha happen?!” that she can repeat and repeat for any little thing all day!

Camila really didn’t have a hard time adapting to the actual school setting.  I think it all happened so fast and so many new things, faces, foods and situations were thrown her way in a span of four weeks that she didn’t have much time to react. She came back home to her abuelita’s every day singing new songs in Spanish, talking more and more in full sentences in one language and mentioning names of new little amigos.  The same little amigos created this card for her on her last day. She was so, so proud of it and still smiles when I read out the names on each hand to her.

Do I recommend this full-immersion method in a new school and a new country to all?  Depends.  It can be a tough transition and a lot to assimilate at once. It’s a method that worked for us because of my daughter’s age (3 YO), the timing (first day of school), the length of the visit (one month), my sister’s help in finding the right place, and Camila’s fluency in Spanish.  If you have an adaptable child in the preschool years and a support system in the country you are visiting, then I absolutely recommend it.

During the preschool years children absorb like sponges all the information around them, specifically language.  A full immersion experience like this will cement the language foundation you’re already building every day and will make the language even more relevant and special to your child.

Now, I’m facing a new language challenge.  We’ve decided it’s time for her to go to a more formal school setting, instead of the fabulous family daycare she’s at right now. At the daycare, she gets a lot of Spanish spoken to her, per my request.  There’s a ridiculous lack of dual language preschools in Los Angeles, and mostly in my area, so we have to enroll her at a great little Montessori in our neighborhood.

Now that her Spanish is beautiful, I’m faced with the *fear* of her not being understood at her new preschool!  This is when the fun begins in this bilingual journey as the real input of English will start flowing in and she will have to decide whether to continue speaking in Spanish to her mamá and papá or not.  We surely won´t stop doing so!

Have you ever formally immersed your children in a language while visiting another country?  Do you plan to one day? How?

A few days ago I went to the parent-teacher conference at my daughter’s preschool. I can’t believe she’s nearing the end of her first full year in preschool. Besides the fact that I was told a few things I already knew and expected—Vanessa knows what she wants and she’ll try everything until she succeeds—other things were a bit of a surprise for me.

I should start by saying that we use the mL@H method, so the only English she’s exposed to is while she’s in school three times a week. At first, I was a bit concerned she wouldn’t be able to communicate—and I know this is something lots of parents using the same method worry about all the time—but I should have given her more credit. Not only has she been able to make herself understood with her teachers, but also with her peers, as I was told she’s one of the classroom leaders. That was surprising!

I mean, I know it makes sense with the kind of personality she has, but since I haven’t really heard her have full conversations in English, I didn’t really expect her language skills to be strong enough to lead! I’m sharing this not only because I’m obviously proud, but also because I know a lot of parents using the mL@H worry about the lack of exposure their children get to English, or any other majority language, with this method. Although any parent knows that every single child is different, the reality is that in our case, being immersed in preschool a few days a week has been enough for my daughter to learn enough English to not only survive, but to thrive.

In the name of full disclosure; however, I was also told by Vanessa’s teacher that she doesn’t know/recognize all the letters of the alphabet in English (as she does in Spanish). Because her lead teacher knows some Spanish, she’s able to tell that my daughter does a lot of mixing.  I’d be lying if I didn’t worry about this even if it was only for a second. The thought did cross my mind that maybe I needed to help her by teaching her the alphabet in English, but her teacher reassured me there was no need. And, then I went back to knowing that everything would be alright and that we should stick to speaking to her in Spanish only.

First of all, she’s too young for any of this anyway. I know she still has plenty of time to learn it all. More importantly though, she is learning two languages so it is to be expected that some things will take her a bit longer to learn than her peers. I’m not worried…really. In fact, the only thing I am worried about is what will happen when she goes through the stage in which she’ll refuse to speak Spanish, which I know is almost inevitable.

On a lighter note, Vanessa’s teacher told me it has been a real treat not only for her, but for the rest of the children to have Vanessa in the classroom. She said because of Vanessa, the rest of the kiddies have been exposed to Spanish as she likes to count in her first language as well as recite the months of the year. I was also told that Vanessa is proud of who she is and that she loves the fact that she can speak two languages. Nothing could make me happier!

Do you worry about your children’s exposure to the majority language? Why? Why not? Are you doing something about it?