[alfasud14]

Hi all,

We are moving from Sydney to Auckland in the next few months on an internal company transfer. We will be a family of 4 - me, spouse, 3 yr old and a newborn.

I would like to start sending my 3yr old to pre-school, preferably one that also offer a second language, preferably French or Italian. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[gil]

Ciao and bonjour alfasud14,
My kids are much older, so I can't help with specifics. Have you tried googling or searching on this forum?
The European languages you mention are not that popular even at college (high school) level here so whilst I have no idea if there are any options at pre-school, the impression I get is that kindy and Playcentres are unlikely to teach this, but I may be wrong. I'm sure someone with pre-schoolers will be along to help soon.
This link gives info on Le Club Francais which my kids used to go to in UK and was very good:
http://www.funlanguages.co.nz/locations

Where in Auckland are you intending to go to? That might affect the choice....

Gil

[swissmissdesigner]

Voila!
3 years old?
Can she be just home with her Mom little bit longer?

[Nick88]

My wife has been very involved in the local playcentre for years and they are almost exclusively staffed by mothers (just the occasional more qualified person employed to structure some of the play and do some teaching). The kids don't go to kindergarten until they are at least 3 1/2 and even then it may only be 3 days a week (half days). Then they eventually go up to 5 half days a week. The kindys here are not academic in many cases they are trying to teach the children social skills and listening to the teacher in preparation to full time school at the age of 5 (in my opinion). They are extremely unlikely to teach European languages, they are most likely to teach Maori (Te Reo) to the kids (deleted - sarcastic comment).

We live in a rural area and more metropolitan areas might have different priorities in preschooling, But here there are alot of children who emerge from the familial bosom with behavioral and communication difficulties that have to be addressed before they start school.

[Tia Maria]

I have a friend whose children go to what she calls a 'languages after school club' but they are 6 and over. This is important to her because she is French and wants them to learn both French and Spanish for trips home.

Having come across so may bilingual pre-schoolers I really am a fan of young children being exposed to a foreign language through song and play. They pick up the accent beautifully and learn it as easily as they do new words in their first language.

My boys both 'learnt' Spanish in London but I have found very little similar here, apart from the link Gil gave you If you were to find something it would be unlikely to be taught at a pre-school but would be an extra activity you would pay for.

You may also be interested in this site:

www.newbeginnings.co.nz

Cheers

Tia

[veronica]

some of the private schools will have an atttached pre school, whether they would teach languages or not I wouldn't have a clue but it may pay you to look through the private schools options. My own feeling is give kids more rather than less time at home with their parents.

[marcia]

My own feeling is give kids more rather than less time at home with their parents.


I totally agree, i love to be involved with my kids education, and thats why i was so pleased to find Playcentre. The parents can learn along side their children, theres no particular structure, the resources are there and the children free to choose what they want to do depending on their interest. Things will be expanded and built upon where ever possible to extend their learning.

I think you will have to pay for any language courses though, especially fro pre schoolers, I've not heard of any places that teach languages in Kindy.

[aberdian]

My own feeling is give kids more rather than less time at home with their parents.
Very emotive subject indeed and there is no right answer.

Our two have been in full time childcare from 6 months and are happy, social, outgoing children, our eldest being comfortable around anyone at all, with opinions all his own and not afraid to share them - a lot of which we attribute to the preschool environment he was exposed to. In contrast we have friends whose children were at home with mum until school who have had real problems adjusting to the school environment and having to socialise with other people. Of course others may think he's just a gobby opinionated 6 year old, but I prefer to think that he's confident and individual :)

Everyone will have storys about their experiences one way or another, positive and negative, but again there is no right answer. Happy communicative parents = happy communicative kids (mostly).