World Languages

Bienvenue á l'École Meadowbrook
¡Bienvenidos a la escuela Meadowbrook!
Salve ad Ludum Pratumriverum

At The Meadowbrook School, we begin studying World Languages as a Pre-kindergarten student and continue through the 6th grade.  We believe that second language acquisition should begin at the earliest age possible. This study is designed to underscore a variety of important lessons:

  • To reinforce an understanding of our role in our global society and also the need for tolerance and understanding of others.
  • To broaden horizons and open doors to a world of new experiences and opportunities.
  • To offer the chance to communicate with people around the world and here in our local community as well as learn about other cultures.
  • To develop self confidence while engaging others in our global community.

The four basic language skills, which include listening, speaking, reading, and writing, are learned and developed with age appropriate activities and goals. Our language classes are offered at regular intervals to support the above mentioned goals and allow our students to further their study as they matriculate to schools across the area. Through conversation, art, games, puppets, songs, some grammar, and instilling a very basic love of language, we strive to instill a love of language and a desire to continue on in language study. Our fifth grade International Club will study various cultures from around the world, both ancient and present, and give the Meadowbrook Community a glimpse of our Global Society through presentations at our Assemblies.

Philosophy

At Meadowbrook, we learn that the simplest, most natural and most effective way of learning a language is to begin early when the young child's speech organs are flexible, the mind is uninhibited and imitation happens readily. We believe early childhood is the best time to acquire the beginnings of good will between nationalities and intellectual understanding.

Goals

The primary goal of The Meadowbrook School's World Language program is to develop, in all students, a knowledge and appreciation of a foreign language and culture, and to engage all pupils in pleasurable, varied practice so their understanding and speaking and later their reading and writing, will be natural and habitual. Motivation and incentive are necessary for successful performance. In order to learn a language the student must listen, imitate, and practice.