Calgary International
Montessori Academy
French & Spanish
You can choose the language of instruction of your preference. All our teachers are not only native speakers, but also are highly trained and experienced and we are proud to offer the very highest standards of instruction to all our students.
Young children are hard-wired to learn languages
It's never too soon for a child to learn a second language. Children who learn to speak two languages at once sound like a native in both tongues. What's more, they learn to talk at the same speed as kids who learn only a single language.
So later-exposed children can say lots of words in a new language, but their second language have a heavy accent and they don't have as good grammar. They would immediately be identified as a foreign speaker.
According to Dr. Paul Thompson, neurology professor at UCLA, young children are hard-wired to learn language in the first few years of life. When frequently exposed to two languages, they unconsciously acquire the second language naturally, applying the same skills they use to acquire their native language.
"The earlier a child is exposed to a second language, the better the child does. This flies in the face of educational policy that says expose a child to only one language at first. This does not support the holding policy that today is rampant in education. A child is not confused by a second language or delayed in learning the community language."
-Dr. Laura-Ann Petitto
Languages can build Bilingualism is also good better brains for the society
Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these differences offer several mental benefits:
*Become smarter: Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of the brain by challenging it to recognize, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems.
*Build multitasking skills: Multilingual people, especially children, are skilled at switching between two systems of speech, writing, and structure. According to a study from the Pennsylvania State University, this “juggling” skill makes them good multitaskers, because they can easily switch between different structures.
*Memory improves: Educators often liken the brain to a muscle, because it functions better with exercise. Learning a language involves memorizing rules and vocabulary, which helps strengthen that mental “muscle.”
This exercise improves overall memory, which means that multiple language speakers are better at remembering lists or sequences. Studies show that bilinguals are better at retaining shopping lists, names, and directions.
*Become more perceptive: A study from Spain’s University of Pompeu Fabra revealed that multilingual people are better at observing their surroundings. They are more adept at focusing on relevant information and editing out the irrelevant. They’re also better at spotting misleading information.
According to Patricia Kuhl, professor and co-director of the Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington, everything we know suggests that bilingualism is not only good for the brain but also good for the society. It allows you to think about the perspective of other people. Learning a foreign language helps you frame your thoughts through another culture and understand other people better.