Between 2003 and 2008 while we were living in Grand Island, Nebraska I got involved with the Central Community College Kid's College summer program. I got to design and teach a Spanish summer camp for young elementary school-age children. I did this for two summers, and really enjoyed the novelty of working with a different age group. After all, I am experienced with the more "mature" students at the secondary and post-secondary levels. There were a couple of families that expressed interest in me continuing the class throughout the school year. I figured, why not? So "Young Amigos" was born. I had five 1st through 3rd graders come to my house once a week on Monday evenings to continue the fun, games, singing and art of Spanish. They were eager and enthusiastic, another big difference from the older students.
Although their energy and high volume voices left me seeking ibuprofen at the end of the evening, it was also rewarding and motivating to work with young children who embraced new learning. After all, they haven't even been learning English all that long! There hasn't been enough time for our English language rules and idiosyncrasies to set in and confuse them. They weren't pitching "yeah, but..." fits left and right if something didn't make sense. Because frankly, they just haven't been around as long as the rest of us who have gotten to know the world. They were sponges, not fossils. I noted how they were able to mimic correct pronunciation almost flawlessly. Again, I attributed this to a lacking amount of previous-learned English. They were more receptive, less resistant, and absolutely eager and ready to learn!
There is a lot of debate about early second-language education and why there isn't more of it in the United States. While most would agree it's a good idea (I guess some would still debate that, too, but I'm trying to be an optimist here), I personally attribute the lack of this type of programming to education cutbacks and teacher shortages. As I meet lots of students online all over the U.S. I am pleased to learn from them that there is some growth in this area. There now are more elementary schools bringing in second-language programming. There are magnet schools or immersion schools that offer bilingual Spanish education (English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students in the same class, having lessons in both English and Spanish). Those advancements are in the right direction, but I don't think it's where we need to be yet to keep up with other nations who require students to learn English (or other languages) from an early age.
I always encourage my students with a true interest in the Spanish language to pursue it as a career, preferably to teach. The best advice I got in college was from an adviser I barely knew that suggested I teach Spanish. Look in your classified ads almost any time of the year, but particularly in the spring and summer. You will see several Spanish teaching openings. There just aren't enough of us out there. That's good job security. But even if teaching is not your thing... whatever IS your thing, knowing Spanish will be an outstanding complement to it. The medical field, the banking industry, law and criminal justice, real estate, the restaurant industry, business... the list goes on. If you speak Spanish and work in those or other fields, you will be one marketable cookie! It could mean you get the job over the other guy who doesn't speak Spanish, you get a raise, you get a promotion. It equals opportunity.
So, back to our Young Amigos. If learning Spanish at an early age is the easiest time to do it, and you want your children to have successful, opportunistic futures, doesn't it make sense to start teaching them now? If your school does not offer Spanish (or it does, but you are looking for enrichment) or if you are a homeschool family, I encourage you to contact me about my revived, new and improved Young Amigos program. We are now totally online, and offer 10-week courses with a rich, fun and exciting curriculum. Email croghanlanguageacademy@gmail.com for more information, and I can answer any questions you may have!
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