Music Lingua Language Classes for Children in Spanish, French and German
A unique program using music, movement, story-telling, art and drama to teach foreign language to kids aged infant to 8 yrs old.
We offer parent-child foreign language classes, drop-off classes for older kids, preschool classes and summer camps. By singing and playing along, your child will receive exposure to foreign languages during the critical early years of development.
The best way to start your child learning French, German or Spanish!
In-person classes are the best way for your child to start learning a second language, be it French, Spanish or German. And Music Lingua is fun !
Helping children learn foreign languages since 2001.
Over the last 23 years, Music Lingua has helped thousands of kids, from infants to toddlers and older, get started learning a foreign language. We are currently training qualified people across the country to become French, German and Spanish teachers.
What is Music Lingua?
A unique, effective and fun language teaching system
Music Lingua is a unique method of introducing foreign language to young children through music, in their most absorbent years of language acquisition (see "Why Study Languages"). Over 20 years of development, research and practice have resulted in an effective, fun way to introduce children to both language and music.
A unique method that really works
Music Lingua classes use music, movement, storytelling, drama and art to present thematic concepts and vocabulary. Kids love the kid-fiendly songs and learn vocabulary and pronunciation while singing.
Great take-home materials
Students listen to music with our easy-to-use app. The accompanying bilingual music activity booklet and a storybook provide language fun at home. Parents are encouraged to play the music and sing the songs often with their child at home and while riding in the car, thus reinforcing what is learned in class. The activity booklet contains all of the lyrics in both the target language and English, as well as pictures to color and other fun activities that go along with each song. By listening to the music between classes, the child gets maximum language reinforcement. Children come to class already singing the foreign lyrics, allowing the teacher to make the most efficient use of class time.
Thematically based sessions
Each 10 to 12 week session has a unique kid-friendly theme, such as "Life in the Ocean", "Life at Home", "African Safari". The classroom activities and all take-home materials revolve around the common theme. Parent/child classes typically meet 45 minutes per week. Preschool classes meet once or twice per week. Music Lingua camps are a great summer activity!
It's fun!
Just as important, it’s fun for everyone involved, and the parent-child classes give parents the wonderful experience of learning along with their child.
Why choose Music Lingua
Early language exposure is one of the most important gifts you can give your child. (See Benefits of Language). And Music Lingua is the best way to start your child with languages. Here's why:
The Music Lingua Method
Over 20 years of research, development and practice has allowed Music Lingua to maximize the synergy between music and language. The combination of singing, drama, games and art make the classes dynamic and fun, and hold the child's interest.
An Immersion Mentality
We teach using a minimum of spoken English. By repeating the vocabulary in a variety of contexts, along with thematic songs and props that are designed specifically to reinforce that vocabulary, the children are able to assign meaning to the words naturally, the way they learn their native tongue.
Thematically based
Each session shares a unique, common theme, which ties together all the songs, props, books and activities. This makes the lessons far more cohesive, and allows a natural means to repeat the vocabulary in a variety of different contexts.
Foundation in Music
We are the only program which has designed a research-based language system from the ground up, integrating props, booklets and activities with songs specifically written with the young language learner in mind. Why the emphasis on music?
- The music is fun, so the children tend to listen to it at home, in the car, etc. By singing along they get much more practice speaking and hearing the language, reinforcing what they learn in the classes.
- Even infants enjoy listening to the music, and the lyrics expose them to the sounds of the language in the critical early years.
- The music and activities in the class are a tremendous benefit to the child in their own right, even without the language.
- Words and phrases, even foreign ones, are much easier to remember when put to music
- Music and language are complimentary, and both are crucial for a child's development. By combining the two, the child enjoys a benefit far greater than just the sum of the parts.
Low Stress means More Effective and More Fun!
Research shows that stress can be a major impediment to a child's learning. Many language methods inadvertently raise the stress level in children by putting pressure on the child to perform. This can be as subtle as urging the child to speak out loud before the child is ready. The Music Lingua method is designed to be as low stress as possible, to avoid triggering these barriers. Our teachers are trained in techniques based on the latest research to optimize the learning experience for the child. By using this Natural Approach to Language Acquisition, the child learns the new language the same way they learn their mother tongue.
Young children are language sponges, and will be absorbing the new language even if they are not responding vocally at first. The child will perceive Music Lingua classes as a fun playtime even as their brains absorb and process the new language, and when they are comfortable, they will begin speaking out loud in the new language.
Even native speakers enroll their children
A surprising number of native speakers enroll their children in Music Lingua classes. In a home environment with bilingual parents, the children often seem to rebel against the strange words they never hear their peers speak. When exposed to the language (with those same parents) in a Music Lingua class, with the fun environment and other children their age, they open up and begin to speak.
Don't wait!
An early foundation is important for a good accent and fluency in a 2nd language. We hope you choose Music Lingua to start your child on this journey, but whichever methods you choose, please do not delay. It is very important that you start your child as young as possible.
Great take-home materials
One of the things that sets Music Lingua apart from other programs is our great take-home materials.
For each class, students receive:
- Thematic Music (through digital download, app, or CD) of the songs sung in class. Listening to the music between classes is vital to our method.
- Music Activity Booklet - includes bilingual lyrics to the songs, a coloring page for each song, and fun activities that reinforce the vocabulary.
- Story Book - a fun children's story following the theme of the unit, reinforcing the vocabulary in the songs. Includes audio on the app or CD of the story read by a native speaker.
- A fun toy relating to the theme.
Why the take home materials are so important
Our program is based in music
and the songs we sing in class provide the basis for the props and activities that reinforce the vocabulary.
Children love our music (so do the parents!)
so they listen to the songs in the car and at home. By the 2nd week of classes, the kids are already singing along with the songs,
even before they understand the meaning of the words they are singing. Their Music Lingua teacher can then focus on activities and props that
give meaning to this new vocabulary, making maximum efficiency of the class time.
A common theme
Each 10 to 12 week session revolves around a common theme, which is repeated in the songs, activity books and props for that unit. This gives a natural and cohesive means for the instructor to repeat the vocabulary in multiple contexts, reinforcing the meaning of the words for the child. Each new session brings a new theme with a new album full of great songs and brand new activities at every class.
