Fun Languages Blog

It's official!  Languages are addictive - all you need is LOVE and it DOES get easier once you have mastered two or three.

So what does it take to become a "Hyperpolyglot"?  Well, according to a wonderful article on the BBC website, by the third or fourth language, it also gets easier to assimilate vocabulary and grammar much more quickly.  All you need is LOVE!

According to David Green of University College London, who specialises in biingualism:  "Polyglots are definitely on the rise worldwide predominantly because of migration. In 10 years time, it is estimated that 50% of America will be Spanish-speaking. Many of these people will speak both English and Spanish."

Even LCF Director, Nickie Race Jones speaks 5 languages.  Brought up in England with a German mother, she then learnt French fluently, became a Russian interpreter and lived and taught languages in Norway for 7 years. 

So dont let your children get left behind just because you are not in Europe or America.  The earlier you start, the easier it will be for them to become bilingual or even polyglots!

Shrove Tuesday is known by many names around the world including Mardi Gras, Carnival, Fat Tuesday and Pancake Day. The tradition of Shrove Tuesday derives from medieval Christianity. On this day, Christians would enjoy one last day of feasting by using up all their eggs, butter, and milk -all of which were forbidden during the forthcoming Lent - to make pancakes and pastries. 

Pour Faire des Crêpes

* 2 cups milk  * 2 eggs well beaten * 1 ¼ cups flour * 1 tsp salt  * 1tbsp melted butter

Read more: French for Kids + Shrove Tuesday = Pancakes!!

Don't miss out on the new French Market this weekend in French Bay, West Auckland. 

The only indoor market of French food to eat on the spot overlooking the beautiful beach of French Bay, or to take back home.

When: Sun 12 Feb, 9:00am–1:00pm; Where: French Bay Yacht Club, Cnr of Otitori Bay Road & Valley Road, French Bay; Admission is free

Read more: Discover the best of France in West Auckland.

We were delighted to read this article in The Age on 5 Feb about schools in Victoria joining forces halt the dramatic decline in the number of students learning a second language.  At LCF Fun Languages we are driven by the passion for children being given the opportunities that languages will provide for their futures and we want to ensure that Australian and NZ kids can compete on a global platform.

Our Fun Langugage clubs for Kids are increasing in number and popularity due to demand from parents and we are often contracted by schools to deliver our French and Spanish curriculum at schools.  As the article states, the problem seems to lie in the lack of second language teachers and the lack of continuity of languages between primary and secondary schools. 

We believe that keeping languages fun will fuel childrens' natural ability to learn a second language whether in schools or privately.  Great initiative by Victorian schools!

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/schools-join-forces-to-rescue-languages-20120204-1qyzl.html#ixzz1lozzYkt6

Our LCF Fun Language Holiday programs are becoming more and more popular and provide a fantastic opportunity for the kids to really immerse themselves in the language.  Some of our Sydney club members had great fun on the northern beaches, Manly, French for Kids Xmas holiday program last year.

Read more: Manly Xmas Holiday Program is a big hit for little linguists.

On 26 January 1788, the First Fleet of 11 ships carrying 1,500 people arrived in Sydney Harbour. Since then Australia has grown to a population of almost 23 million people, with immigrants from 200 different countries and more than 270 nationalities.

Read more: Celebrating cultural diversity this Australia Day

One of the calls we received to the Auckland office yesterday was from a mum whose preschool daughter is fluent in Italian and English and is learning French.  Would enroling her in Mandarin for Kids too confuse her?  

We have many children at our Fun Language clubs who are bilingual or trilingual - they LOVE it.   Children have a language-making capacity during brain maturation during which they can effortlessly learn two or three languages.

Multilingual parents needn’t worry about confusing their children with multiple languages spoken at home, as new research ....reveals children can acquire and switch between languages effortlessly as long as they start young and interact regularly in those tongues." This is according to this article in the Calgary Herald yesterday.   And we agree!

Here is an extract from an online article outlining some of the advantages of learning a second language.

"The importance of learning a second language is not merely limited to the ability of communicating with people who speak different languages.

Read more: The Importance and Advantages of Learning a Second Language

We'll be continuing our "exploration" of the great European castles in 2012 with the beautiful and mysterious Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France. Although not strictly a castle in terms of usage, it certainly warrants a mention in terms of architecture and a somewhat fairy tale image!

Read more: Mystical Mont Saint-Michel

If you are trying to raise blingual children or considering doing so, you may be interested in this interesting article that we recently read from Multi Lingual Living.  Keep the big picture in mind and don't give up!

"Even if our children don’t seem particularly interested in their bilingualism right now, down the road they will thank us for having found a way through the jungle of bilingual parenting."

We also offer Fun Language classes to parents and children who are native or near-native.  Sometimes it is just a question of making it FUN and COOL again!  Send us an email if you have any questions about this topic.