Are languages important in America?

Hey! It’s Lauren here, the Language Mindset UK-based blogger and fellow language lover. Hope you enjoy the post!

Did you know that less than one percent of American adults are proficient in the language they learnt at school?

Shocking? Perhaps. Then again, given how little priority languages are given in schools, maybe it shouldn’t come as such a surprise.

Although there are a number of reasons for the lack of enthusiasm for languages in U.S. schools, such as fewer teachers, the techniques typically used aren’t exactly inspiring.

Dry textbooks, repetitive grammar exercises, and monotonous drills don’t really ignite curiosity in language learners - particularly young ones.

The good news is that we’re seeing more and more modern teaching methods arise.

Stories, songs, art and the gamification of languages are just some of the techniques schools and teachers are using to bring languages to life. And it goes without saying that we’re right there with them.

Everything we do here at the Language Mindset is designed to create curious learners who enjoy exploring the world through language.

Our virtual language programs are designed especially for kiddos - because it’s no use forcing them to read through textbooks when they’d rather be playing games, singing songs or uncovering a story.

Language learning isn’t about acing tests or memorizing vocabulary; it's about fostering a passion for communication and cultural exploration. And if you ask us, nothing creates a stronger love for learning than following an approach you enjoy.

By incorporating different resources into our virtual programs, we inject joy into language learning. And it goes without saying that the more they enjoy learning, the more they’ll learn.

So, how exactly do we do it?

Unlike textbook-based courses, our StoryDraw programs include engaging content your kiddo would choose to watch outside of a classroom. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Weekly videos: Our courses are based on weekly animated videos that bring the language to life. Teachers spend the majority of the time speaking the target language at a speed that suits your kiddo’s level and with plenty of clarification.

Throughout the videos, we encourage them to listen, repeat words and answer questions so they’re not just listening but passively engaging with the course.

Activity sheets: Each lesson comes with interactive worksheets that help them use their new knowledge in a fun way. We don’t believe in using boring textbook exercises, which is why all activities run alongside the video topics and are 100% kid-friendly.

How long does it take?

There’s a well-known saying in the language learning world: you should study little and often.

StoryDraw is based on this principle. It’s designed to engage kiddos in language learning in bite-sized portions, with videos that can be completed in less than five minutes!

They can rewind and rewatch videos as many times as they need and reinforce their new knowledge by completing the other activities around this.

By the end of the program, they’ll be able to recognise key words and phrases, form basic sentences in their target language and appreciate aspects of the culture.

Oh, and our favorite part: they’ll become language learners for life.

Which languages are available?

This course is currently available in Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese. Why not try more than one?!

If you want to help your kiddo develop a passion for language learning and begin speaking in a second language, find out more or get in touch with us.

We hope to see you in a StoryDraw class soon!

Interested in your kiddo learning a language?

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