Changing foreign policy (Leader-Telegram)

Changing foreign policy

Spanish language program beginning in kindergarten

By Keighla Schmidt  with comments by PLS
Leader-Telegram staff

"Bienvenidos a la escuela!" In English: "Welcome to school!"

When I was growing up (I'm now 31), foreign language (Spanish, German, and French) was only available to highschoolers.  I have been greatly encouraged by hearing that many middle schools are offering foreign language courses.  Who knows where you will be living or traveling when you grow up?

I grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa.  I would not have been able to guess that I'd be living in Mexico city (since Jan 1, 2001).  American schools have been slow to adjust to the fact that traveling is much easier than it was before, and the American economy isn't that strong either, so there is less reason to say.

The following article is about a Catholic school in Wisconsin. They are starting a program to teach Spanish to children from Kindergarten. Before they had classes from 3rd to 12th grades which would have been amazing when I was growing up.  Although it would be a far cry from a true bilingual school, it is very encouraging and I hope more American schools will follow their lead.

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Catholic Area Schools of the Eau Claire Deanery have started a Spanish language program for children in kindergarten through second grade.

It will be a jump-start to foreign language programs the school offers in the third through 12th grades.

CASE President Cindy Hofacker said the program started after reading research indicating young minds are open to learning languages. The importance of introducing other cultures and the success of pilot programs in the school system also motivated school officials.

"We realize the world is getting smaller," she said. "Not everyone will stay in Eau Claire for the rest of their life."

Lynne Larabee, who will teach the classes, said children respond better to a new language if they are introduced to it at a young age.

"The window for language learning is open while children are young," Larabee said. "We're laying the groundwork."

Both Hofacker and Larabee said they don't expect children to be fluent in the language after two 15-minute sessions a week, but they aim to familiarize students' minds with Spanish.

Children will learn basic Spanish to introduce them to the language and the culture. Hofacker said students will be taught the Spanish words for colors, numbers, common words and phrases, and comparisons between American culture and the cultures in Spanish-speaking countries will be emphasized.

Larabee plans to use music, games, puppets and prayers to help the children connect to the language.

"If it's integrated into daily lives, then the probability of it being used is much higher," she said.

Hofacker said there is a deeper connection to the language: The ties that Spanish, a Latin-based language, has to the Catholic faith will help children integrate both the language and religion into their daily lives.

The students' full-time teachers will stay in the classroom during the Spanish session, Hofacker said, and find ways to integrate the language and culture into the day-to-day curriculum.

Elementary Principal Joseph Eisenhuth said he is excited about the addition of a foreign language program when many other institutions are removing them.

"It's exciting to see, especially in young children, how quick skills are picked up," he said.