Do You Speak English? A Whimsical Dive into Bilingual Learning for Toddlers
Picture this: a Saturday morning in Rennes, where the air is filled with the sound of English—and it’s not the grumpy drone of adults arguing over who forgot the shopping list! No, this is a delightful chaos of toddlers aged seven months to two years, eyes wide with wonder, as they embark on their first foray into the world of Shakespeare, or at least into the enchanting realm of pumpkins and friendly witches.
At the Petits Bilingues de Rennes, parents and little ones alike gather on colorful play mats. The facilitators, undeterred by fashion norms, sport a massive spider upon their heads—a fitting accessory for a session themed around Halloween. Now, I don’t know about you, but if I had to sing about pumpkins while wearing a spider, I’d be a level 10 on the fear scale! But these kids? They’re engaged, excited, and blissfully unaware of the bizarre headgear.
The Magic of Early Language Learning
We’re not diving into a literary critique here, but rather experiencing the gradual immersion into the English language. The goal, as Rose Rosas, the head of the Rennes learning center eloquently puts it, is to prepare these little sponges for a world filled with linguistic opportunities. “It’s all about music, play, and art,” she explains. Why read ‘Hamlet’ when you can engage in merry play while learning? Let’s be real—those toddlers won’t be reciting soliloquies anytime soon, but they will be learning to express themselves—with a side of fun!
And let’s talk about those adorable toddlers. The youngest, quietly observing with eyes as wide as saucers, is none other than Juny—taking in the colorful images like a miniature art critic. “Pumpkin!” one of the facilitators beams, and you can practically hear the wheels turning as the two-year-olds struggle to emulate the word. Do they sound a bit like they’re barking orders from the backseat of a car? Perhaps. But they’re trying, and that’s what counts!
Learning Through Playful Interaction
Juny’s parents are clearly on the right track. They know that bilingual environments foster bilingual children! “She’s already attentive and watches what the other children are doing,” gushed Rose. Can you imagine being seven months old and already figuring out the social cues of a classroom? My goodness, these kids are destined for greatness—or at least to be the best at *having playdate* conversations!
Now let’s switch gears to Jean-François, father of the slightly older William. He shares the realization that the English language is no longer an optional souvenir from a European holiday; it’s essential for navigating life today. The strategy? Introduce it young! “He casually throws in ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good night’ like he’s the ambassador of early bilingualism at the breakfast table,” he exclaims. And let me tell you, nothing feels more rewarding than hearing your toddler greet you like they’re conducting an important summit on the importance of toast!
Petits Bilingues: A Growing Network
The Petits Bilingues network, founded in 1992, has expanded dramatically since its inception. With 54 learning centers across France and three right here in *Ille-et-Vilaine*, they are clearly on a mission to create a generation of mini polyglots—one giggle at a time! Sounds like a plan, right? Imagine a world where toddlers not only pile up toys but also pile up languages!
In a nutshell, what’s happening at Petits Bilingues de Rennes isn’t merely about learning English in a classroom. It’s a vibrant, immersive experience where laughter, play, and a bit of quirky headwear converge, shaping the minds of our future learners in ways that traditional schooling just can’t touch. So next time you hear a toddler mispronounce “pumpkin,” remember, they’re on their way to becoming the culturally savvy adults we desperately need!
So, do you speak English? If not, perhaps it’s time to channel your inner toddler and jump right into the delightful chaos that is bilingual education! Who knows, you may just find yourself belting out nursery rhymes with a side of giggles.
“Do you speak English?” “. This Saturday morning, four children aged seven months to two years are present in the premises of the Petits bilingues de Rennes learning center with their parents. Sitting on a play mat, the children, accompanied by three mothers and a father, listen and talk with two session leaders, one of whom wears a huge spider on her head. And for good reason, today we sing and tell stories in English around a key theme of Anglo-Saxon culture: Halloween. The youngest, Juny, opens her eyes wide, attracted by the colorful images of pumpkins and other friendly witches passing from hand to hand. “Pumpkin” says the speaker, with the funny headgear, with a broad smile. A word that the older two-year-olds try to use, with more or less success. “Good job” congratulates the facilitators with great encouragement.
There is no question here of declaiming Shakespeare in the text, but of accustoming very young children to the sound of the language. “The teaching revolves around music, play and art. The idea is to immerse children in an immersive environment. We try to get them to participate, sing and manipulate, so that it’s a fun time. For the little ones we play a lot of games. But as soon as we passed the door we only spoke in English. The goal is that at their age they get used to hearing the language and its musicality. They will be able to acquire sounds. The earlier they start, the better because at their age they are sponges, they learn and they reproduce,” explains Rose Rosas, head of the Rennes learning center.
The youngest, Juny, seven months old, opens her eyes wide, attracted by the colorful images. (Le Télégramme/Erwan Miloux)
“Words remembered in a few weeks”
Of Mexican origin, she was educated in the United States. Like her, the majority of the 18 speakers spread over three sites around Rennes are English speakers coming from different countries such as the United States, Australia and England. Different levels of learning are organized with 1-hour or 3-hour workshops. In total, around 140 young people are welcomed. There are two groups of toddlers, who follow one-hour sessions per week, i.e. 8 young people normally aged between 1 and 3 years old.
“Juny’s parents, who live in a bilingual environment, wanted to experience it. She is starting her fourth session, and despite her young age of 7 months, she is very attentive and watches what the other children are doing,” underlines the manager. Jean-François is the father of William, 2 years and two months old, the eldest of the group: “English is a language that is becoming more and more essential in life. The idea is that he can discover the language quietly while having fun. Doing it as young as possible allows you to get used to it quite quickly. This is a first approach because next year, in kindergarten, there will be English. At home he says “Good morning” or “Good night” to us. After a few weeks he already remembers a few words. Subsequently, it can be a good complement to school learning. It’s a way to give him a good foundation for his schooling.”
“As soon as we walk through the door, we only speak in English.” (Le Télégramme/Erwan Miloux)
The Petits bilingues network, created in 1992 in Pas-de-Calais, today has 54 learning centers in France. In Ille-et-Vilaine, three structures are located in Rennes, Cesson-Sévigné and the last one which just opened last September in Saint-Grégoire. This site could also soon open a new workshop for toddlers “in view of the evolution of demand” underlines the manager.
