Classes for the youngest children begin on Tuesday, February 23. A few places are available in two groups:
- Start (ages 2.5–3)
- Standard (ages 4–5)
Registration: 509 812 217
WHAT MAKES THE TEDDY EDDIE METHOD STAND OUT?
We combine REAL LEARNING WITH EXCELLENT FUN (we take teaching children very seriously, but we do not tire or bore them).
The LICENSING rules safeguard the high standard of course delivery and the appropriate preparation of teachers
A COMPREHENSIVE program enabling CONTINUED learning.
An exceptionally RICH STUDENT PACKAGE, allowing parents to continue language activities AT HOME IN A SIMPLE, EFFORTLESS WAY (e.g. by playing recordings or using the Playground app).
Very FLEXIBLE with regard TO CHILDREN’S AGE, LEVEL, SKILLS AND APTITUDES – even in mixed groups, each child will gain as much as possible (from becoming familiar with the sounds of the language, through learning to understand and respond, to developing communication skills).
The characters of EDDIE AND THE SOCK serve as recurring themes.
The program IS NOT BORING – children really ENJOY THE CLASSES, the story characters and the humor, which appeals to this specific age group.
Unmatched by any other program in LINGUISTIC RICHNESS – plenty of stories, texts and audio recordings create the opportunity to “immerse” oneself in the language; children absorb as much as they are ready for (similarly to their first language). Note: no one FORCES CHILDREN TO LEARN IN A SCHOOL-LIKE WAY or do homework!
Children learn VOCABULARY IN THE CONTEXT OF SENTENCES, TEXTS AND SITUATIONS, rather than as a series of individual words.
Is it worth teaching a foreign language to young children?
Impact on overall development
Learning a foreign language develops learning strategies and positively influences a child’s intellectual development. We broaden our little ones’ horizons and shape their social and cultural awareness, which is extremely important in today’s globalized world. Language teaching among preschool children always takes place through play, making it both an enjoyable experience and a way to learn effortlessly. At a later age, this is unfortunately often difficult to achieve; children who begin learning within the school system are frequently discouraged, especially when learning means sitting at desks and following the teacher’s instructions rather rigidly, which often happens.
Language development
Younger children are definitely better at mastering the phonological system—the sounds—of a new language. Because their speech apparatus is still flexible, they are likely to acquire natural English pronunciation and intonation, which in turn has a very positive effect on listening comprehension. The older the student, the more difficult it is to acquire this skill. Preschool children, on the other hand, become accustomed to the sound of a foreign language relatively quickly and, without much effort, learn to understand, for example, a teacher speaking English to them or a recording. Even if they do not understand everything at first, this is not an obstacle for them. Preschool children are still learning their first language, and learning two languages simultaneously—their first language and a foreign language—is beneficial because it increases their linguistic awareness and positively affects the development of both brain hemispheres.
Communication benefits
Children quickly accept that English is used for communication, so learning the language does not seem artificial to them; their natural need to communicate means that, when appropriately encouraged, they willingly try to express themselves in a foreign language. Younger children are much less inhibited and embarrassed than older students, so they do not feel ashamed when they make mistakes or try to communicate. Little ones are not bothered when their utterances contain words or fragments they do not understand (provided, of course, that these do not distort the essence of the message). They are even accustomed to this because they are still learning their first language. This is a strategy that older students do not master easily.
The reality of foreign-language teaching
Considering the limited amount of time that can be devoted to learning a foreign language—usually no more than twice a week—the sooner a child starts, the more time they will have to master the language, which in turn leads to a higher level of proficiency. Because classes take the form of play, children have a positive attitude toward English, which often becomes their favorite subject. This strengthens their intrinsic motivation and guarantees better results in further learning. Preschool children do not yet have to worry about the education system or the fact that a foreign language is also a school subject, where grades are sometimes more important than skills. This makes it possible to set purely communicative goals for children and allow them to learn in a more spontaneous and natural way. So, from every perspective, it is worth starting a child’s foreign-language learning when they do not yet fully realize that they are learning!