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Language classes for kids and their parents
Imagine learning and exploring a new language with your child. With us you can. Come and experience every day scenarios in Arabic, French, German, Italian or Spanish. Have your daily conversations with your child in your chosen language. In our sessions you can tell your child to get dressed, offer them food or play games, just like you would at home.
The company’s values and principles
The Way You Learn Ltd delivers educational sessions for children (aged 4-8yrs) and their parents. Our classes allow parents to actively facilitate their child's learning, giving the child one to one support, in a structured learning environment.
The company's ultimate goal is to generate curiosity and passion for the new language, while making sure that they learn meaningful vocabulary in useful contexts.
Imagine learning and exploring a new language with your child. With us you can. Come and experience every day scenarios in Arabic, French, German, Italian or Spanish. Have your daily conversations with your child in your chosen language. In our sessions you can tell your child to get dressed, offer them food or play games, just like you would at home.
The company’s values and principles
The Way You Learn Ltd delivers educational sessions for children (aged 4-8yrs) and their parents. Our classes allow parents to actively facilitate their child's learning, giving the child one to one support, in a structured learning environment.
The company's ultimate goal is to generate curiosity and passion for the new language, while making sure that they learn meaningful vocabulary in useful contexts.
What your child can expect
What you can expect
Learning outside the classroom
We believe that learning should continue outside our classrooms and we’d like to provide you with a few tools for this.
Songs: carry on singing. Sing with your child on your way home, at home, in the park, anywhere. Thanks to the catchy tunes, both you and the kids are likely to continue singing long after the session. You might not remember the exact words, but you should try to reconstruct the text, a “dictogloss” or “reconstruction” activity which is commonly used in language teaching. How do they work? Reconstruction activities give kids an opportunity to practice the new language and to notice language patterns and rules. They reduce kids’ anxiety as they practise in a safe environment and result in active involvement - all of these aid memory.
Books: you will receive a little booklet at the end of each session. Please read the stories again and again. As stated above, books are effective tools for language learning. Reading helps recognising grammar patterns, learning new words and phrases. At the back of each booklet, there are activities that kids will enjoy completing and can help you track progress.
Audio: if you need help with the pronunciation, listen to the audio version of each story book uploaded at the bottom of the page
We believe that learning should continue outside our classrooms and we’d like to provide you with a few tools for this.
Songs: carry on singing. Sing with your child on your way home, at home, in the park, anywhere. Thanks to the catchy tunes, both you and the kids are likely to continue singing long after the session. You might not remember the exact words, but you should try to reconstruct the text, a “dictogloss” or “reconstruction” activity which is commonly used in language teaching. How do they work? Reconstruction activities give kids an opportunity to practice the new language and to notice language patterns and rules. They reduce kids’ anxiety as they practise in a safe environment and result in active involvement - all of these aid memory.
Books: you will receive a little booklet at the end of each session. Please read the stories again and again. As stated above, books are effective tools for language learning. Reading helps recognising grammar patterns, learning new words and phrases. At the back of each booklet, there are activities that kids will enjoy completing and can help you track progress.
Audio: if you need help with the pronunciation, listen to the audio version of each story book uploaded at the bottom of the page
Session pictures:
Venue
Greenwood Centre, 1 School Road, Hampton Hill TW12, 1QL
German for kids and their parents
Wednesdays 3.40 pm -4.20 pm
Spanish for kids and their parents
Mondays 3.40 pm-4.20 pm
Coming soon:
Arabic, French, Italian, and Portuguese
Also:
Maths & Science for kids and their parents
BREAKING NEWS: Our lovely Italian and French teachers are currently training with us. If you'd like to come along to their FREE training sessions, please email us:
Wednesdays 3.40 pm -4.20 pm
Spanish for kids and their parents
Mondays 3.40 pm-4.20 pm
Coming soon:
Arabic, French, Italian, and Portuguese
Also:
Maths & Science for kids and their parents
BREAKING NEWS: Our lovely Italian and French teachers are currently training with us. If you'd like to come along to their FREE training sessions, please email us:
Evidence for Learning
"A day after our first Spanish session I asked my daughter to tidy up her room. Her reply? "Yo, no quiero" (I don't want to- in Spanish). Just like in the Get Dressed song!" Sumayyah (age 7) - A great example how kids apply learnt language in different contexts successfully (founder's comment)
"Zozi was reluctant to participate during his first German session. However, in the car he sang one of the German songs all the way home." Zozi (age 6) - A clear example how some kids learn from exposure, then practice learnt items in what we regard as a safe environment. (founder's comment)
"Mila was listening to session 1 in Arabic on her friend's mum's phone. At the end the teacher says "Masallama". Mila immediately said "That means Good-bye!" I was gobsmacked as it had been her very first time hearing Arabic words, so I asked "How do you know?" Mila's reply "I don't know how I know, I just know!" Mila (age 5 1/2) - A perfect example of how kids learn languages from exposure, and emerging themselves into ungraded language. (founder's comment)
"A week after her first German session, Emily was getting dressed and spontaneously started singing the Get Dressed song. Even taught her father the words." Emily (age 3 1/2) - A classic example of how songs are stored in our long term memory and can be triggered by an event. (founder's comment)
"2-3 days after our first Spanish session I asked Aya if she still remembered the Marching Song. When she said she didn't, I started humming the melody and sang the first few words (the only ones I remembered) "Vamos a jugar." My daughter's eyes lit up and with a massive grin on her face sang the second line "visitar al amigo". We got very excited and kept humming, singing, trying out different words and variations until we managed to complete the whole song. We still sing it every now and then. Great fun! Aya (age 6 1/2) - a genuine example of how construction activities work in second language learning.
If you have a similar story to tell, please email it to us, we would love to share it with other parents and guardians.
"A day after our first Spanish session I asked my daughter to tidy up her room. Her reply? "Yo, no quiero" (I don't want to- in Spanish). Just like in the Get Dressed song!" Sumayyah (age 7) - A great example how kids apply learnt language in different contexts successfully (founder's comment)
"Zozi was reluctant to participate during his first German session. However, in the car he sang one of the German songs all the way home." Zozi (age 6) - A clear example how some kids learn from exposure, then practice learnt items in what we regard as a safe environment. (founder's comment)
"Mila was listening to session 1 in Arabic on her friend's mum's phone. At the end the teacher says "Masallama". Mila immediately said "That means Good-bye!" I was gobsmacked as it had been her very first time hearing Arabic words, so I asked "How do you know?" Mila's reply "I don't know how I know, I just know!" Mila (age 5 1/2) - A perfect example of how kids learn languages from exposure, and emerging themselves into ungraded language. (founder's comment)
"A week after her first German session, Emily was getting dressed and spontaneously started singing the Get Dressed song. Even taught her father the words." Emily (age 3 1/2) - A classic example of how songs are stored in our long term memory and can be triggered by an event. (founder's comment)
"2-3 days after our first Spanish session I asked Aya if she still remembered the Marching Song. When she said she didn't, I started humming the melody and sang the first few words (the only ones I remembered) "Vamos a jugar." My daughter's eyes lit up and with a massive grin on her face sang the second line "visitar al amigo". We got very excited and kept humming, singing, trying out different words and variations until we managed to complete the whole song. We still sing it every now and then. Great fun! Aya (age 6 1/2) - a genuine example of how construction activities work in second language learning.
If you have a similar story to tell, please email it to us, we would love to share it with other parents and guardians.
Guardians' Testimonies
"It's great to do something with my son .. he's usually quite critical of classes and especially kids clubs .. he tends to not want to go as he knows I’ll leave him .. I think he liked that I could come along with him & that I was at a basic level too - it makes it more accessible for him .. my son said he enjoys the singing & the teacher. I felt a nostalgia for when I did baby sign with him as a infant - I really enjoy learning something as he does and see him progress .. as they get older I’ve tended to leave him be but it shows here that he needs the nurture from me." Rachel
"I just wanted to leave a comment here about the German session we visited on Tuesday. The songs were catchy and fun. The 7 year old boy, whom I look after, was enjoying himself and participated in the activities and games. The teacher was professional, friendly and confident. She made sure that everybody in the class was engaged. Highly recommended" Fatemeh
"What a great way to learn a new language! My daughter ( 5.5 years old) absolutely loves The Way You Learn Spanish classes. The teacher is professional, and knows how to engage kids with singing and other activities." Anna
"I love the idea that I was able to learn with my children. Usually I'd be waiting outside getting bored OR if I wanted to go to a class for Adults, I wouldn't be able to as I have 3 children and they wouldn't be allowed in." Iole
"It's great to do something with my son .. he's usually quite critical of classes and especially kids clubs .. he tends to not want to go as he knows I’ll leave him .. I think he liked that I could come along with him & that I was at a basic level too - it makes it more accessible for him .. my son said he enjoys the singing & the teacher. I felt a nostalgia for when I did baby sign with him as a infant - I really enjoy learning something as he does and see him progress .. as they get older I’ve tended to leave him be but it shows here that he needs the nurture from me." Rachel
"I just wanted to leave a comment here about the German session we visited on Tuesday. The songs were catchy and fun. The 7 year old boy, whom I look after, was enjoying himself and participated in the activities and games. The teacher was professional, friendly and confident. She made sure that everybody in the class was engaged. Highly recommended" Fatemeh
"What a great way to learn a new language! My daughter ( 5.5 years old) absolutely loves The Way You Learn Spanish classes. The teacher is professional, and knows how to engage kids with singing and other activities." Anna
"I love the idea that I was able to learn with my children. Usually I'd be waiting outside getting bored OR if I wanted to go to a class for Adults, I wouldn't be able to as I have 3 children and they wouldn't be allowed in." Iole
Frequently asked questions
"My child is not participating, should I worry?"
No, you shouldn’t worry. Language develops at different rates in different children, but they follow 3 basic stages which are: 1 learning sounds, 2 learning words, and 3 learning sentences. It might seem to you that your child isn’t learning, but they're listening.
Our sessions are designed to bear this natural learning process in mind. We create sessions where children are exposed to language the same way as they'd be in their natural environment. Immersing them into a language experience enables them to learn at their own pace at the right stage.
“Could you cover less content? I feel that the lessons try to cover too much. I find it hard to keep up”
Children learn from what they see, hear and experience, starting as soon as they are born. They learn by watching, listening and especially by doing. Children do best in an environment which is interesting and where they feel safe. They can cope with "a lot of content" in class, the same way they cope in real-life.
Our sessions designed to mimic children’s real environment and to create simulating environment where kids can learn a new language the same way they learnt their first. Don’t worry, there is built in repetition which allows children to practise their skills over and over again, getting better each time.
“Could you give us the lyrics of the songs? I can’t remember them”
As mentioned under the “song” section above, trying to recreate session songs is part of the learning process. “Easy comes, easy goes” is very true for languages. Allow yourself some time to remember our songs. Try jogging your memory by humming the melody, or calling on your existing knowledge i.e.: vocabulary or grammar. But don't worry if you can't build up the lyrics even after a few weeks, you’re likely to hear them again in upcoming sessions. This can trigger further interest and motivation.
Our sessions contain 4 frame songs and 2-3 filler songs. The frame songs are always the same, only the key vocabulary changes. For kids, it usually takes one or two sessions to learn the frame songs. Some of the filler songs will also be repeated, others might not. But rest assured, we don't expect you to learn every song, word for word. The same way as you wouldn't be expected to recall 100% of any lesson. Your brain will always select items that it's ready to obtain, depending on the level of your existing knowledge, capability and interest. Furthermore, singing in class helps you activate passive knowledge, which is crucial in second language acquisition.
"What is my role in these sessions? How do your sessions differ from other after-school classes?"
Our sessions create special parent-child bonding time that will always be part of your child’s memory. When your child learns with you, they don’t see it as a task or chore to learn. They don’t even realise that they’re learning. Learning together with your child is highly effective, instead of just watching them taking part in the session, join in the fun. Work as a team with your child and immerse yourself in the activities. It’ll definitely make the sessions a lot more fun. And don't forget; spending time with you is much more special for your child than you think.
"Do these Arabic sessions help my child’s Islamic studies?"
We only teach Arabic as a foreign language, and don't cover Islamic content. However, it can play a key part in creating a interest in the Arabic language and will enable your child to understand it better. Before you want your child to learn anything, you have to engage their heart first, then you can engage their mind. It’s equally important to create emotional links and positive learning experiences with the language or subject you want them to learn. Remember the riddle; “do we like subjects we’re good at or we are good at subject we like? The answer is most likely to be the latter. Our sessions designed to create love and interest for the language right at the start. A solid foundation that further learning can be built on.
Thank you for voting us 5-star on Hoop!
Interesting articles and references
(all accessed on 24.04.2019)
https://learnoutlive.com/your-brain-on-storytelling-foreign-language-learning-through-stories/
https://takelessons.com/blog/language-learning-methods-z14
https://www.fluentin3months.com/learning-a-language-through-music/
https://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/blog/learn-a-language-through-stories Bottom of Form
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/06/17/322915700/your-brains-got-rhythm-and-syncs-when-you-think
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/well/move/how-exercise-could-help-you-learn-a-new-language.html
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/role-play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpUVMpX62nw
(all accessed on 24.04.2019)
https://learnoutlive.com/your-brain-on-storytelling-foreign-language-learning-through-stories/
https://takelessons.com/blog/language-learning-methods-z14
https://www.fluentin3months.com/learning-a-language-through-music/
https://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/blog/learn-a-language-through-stories Bottom of Form
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/06/17/322915700/your-brains-got-rhythm-and-syncs-when-you-think
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/well/move/how-exercise-could-help-you-learn-a-new-language.html
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/role-play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpUVMpX62nw