It continues to amaze and delight the EAL teachers to see the progress of our EAL students. Children who started the school year in August with just a handful of words are now fully involved in class activities and producing some fantastic work.
Recently we have seen EAL children taking lead roles in class assemblies, receive certificates in the math challenge and being part of the Juilliard performance.
We look forward to meeting with the parents of the EAL children at the forthcoming Parent day and sharing the stories of the children’s progress.
A number of our students will soon be ready to graduate from the EAL program and we look forward to congratulating them at the end of term. We also welcome a number of new children to the school and particularly the EAL program:
Benico and Tony (Y6), Timothy (Y5),Henry (Y3), Sera (Y2) and Eun Seo (Y1).
By Allen Hubbard
Head of EAL
10 reasons why it’s good for your child to learn another language
Researchers have identified several advantages to children that speak more than one language.
1. Boosts brain power
2. Better problem-solving and other cognitive abilities
3. Children develop an “ear” for languages, children who learn a second or foreign language before teenage years are more likely to achieve native-like pronunciation.
4. Higher academic achievement and test scores, learning a foreign language early in life improves cognitive abilities and influences achievement in other areas, resulting in higher test scores in reading and math.
5. Children that learn a language at an early age have a huge head start both cognitively and linguistically,
6. Increased Empathy- children that speak more than one language are better at “putting themselves in other people’s shoes” and understanding different perspectives.
7. Increased children’s understanding of his or her native language
8. Children who speak more than one language have the ability to better understand and appreciate cultural differences, which helps them be more open to different ways of thinking and allows them to experience the world with “new eyes
9. Better career opportunities in today’s global world, the ability to communicate in more than one language is increasingly becoming an essential skill.
10. Makes the world a better place for our children -. A world in which different cultures and languages are valued and appreciated, with open, aware and empathetic people, is a better world for our children.
By Vanessa Simpson
M.Ed.