Imagine your child…
… being able to understand and speak a second language by the time he or she enters grade school.
… building stronger overall cognitive skills as he or she lays down the foundation of a second language.
… cultivating a strong appreciation of other cultures and languages.
… enjoying greater career opportunities because of his or her language skills.

Giving a child the gift of foreign language at a young age brings lifelong benefits, many of which extend far beyond the realm of language learning itself.

Young children have a unique ability to absorb a foreign language naturally. Young brains are hard wired to acquire language; as neural connections develop, the nature of language learning and storage changes, becoming less flexible as learners approach puberty. Taking advantage of the window of opportunity that exists between birth and adolescence allows a child to optimize his or her learning potential, helping to shape the brain at its most flexible stage. Fred Genesee compares this benefit to a computer upgrade in his article, "Brain Research: Implications for Second Language Learning" (ERIC Digest, December 2000):

"We now think that the young brain is like a computer with incredibly sophisticated hardwiring, but no software'' Genesee writes. "The software of the brain, like the software of desktop computers, harnesses the exceptional processing capacity of the brain in the service of specialized functions, like vision, smell, and language. All individuals have to acquire or develop their own software in order to harness the processing power of the brain with which they are born.''

Developing language "software" at an early age allows a child to harness the incredible brainpower that will lead him or her toward a successful future.

Next, those who learn a language before the onset of adolescence are able
to reproduce native accents flawlessly. They are also able to integrate grammatical rules and structural patterns naturally, learning a second language alongside their developing mother tongue, rather than through it. No boring drills or rote memorization is necessary; instead children are able to learn the second language just as they learned English, soaking up everyday language in natural contexts, taking in and then practicing new words and phrases as they infer rules and build communicative competence.

Finally, studies have shown that young children who learn a second language enjoy many additional cognitive benefits, such as enhanced problem-solving skills, enhanced spatial relations, and heightened creativity. Learning a second language early on encourages flexible thinking and communication skills, helping a child to consider issues from more than one perspective. In fact, studies have also shown that these children also enjoy enhanced verbal skills in their native language, as well as higher verbal test scores on standardized tests such as the SAT.

We at Language Stars believe passionately in a child’s ability and potential to learn a second (or third, or fourth!) language. Our unique FunImmersion™ method is designed to immediately engage and excite young learners ages 1 to 10, unleashing their potential in a context of 100% fun and 100% language immersion. We bring the lifelong gift of language to today’s children, who will go on to lead Americans in becoming more globally savvy, more culturally sensitive, and more competitive in the global marketplace.

Language Stars specializes in fun foreign language immersion for children. Its team of multilingual educators focuses on a child's unique "window of opportunity" to absorb a new language naturally. The Language Stars teaching team has developed FunImmersionTM, a rich curriculum tailored specifically to a young child's ability to learn through play, in a context of 100% foreign language immersion.

Language Stars immerses over 1,200 children in any of 7 foreign languages at locations nationwide. Children love the creative and enjoyable activities while simultaneously gaining a skill that will enrich their intellects, multicultural awareness and future career opportunities.

For more on Language Stars, please visit its web site by clicking here.