The Language Tree
a French & Spanish
Immersion Preschool
Preparing children to be global citizens through language immersion.
Early Years French/Spanish
Our Early Years class consists of students who must be 2 years old before or on the first day of school. The class has a Monday/Wednesday/Friday option from 9:00am-12:00pm, a Tuesday/Thursday option from 9:00am-12:00pm, or a Monday through Friday option (everyday) from 9:00am-12:00pm. (No previous French or Spanish exposure is required)
Reading & Writing Foundations:
Alphabet letter decorating
Identifying objects that start with a letter
Singing about letters
Tracing letters
Math & Number Sense:
Counting objects using fingers
Rote counting to 5 / 10
Playing with shapes
Art:
Using tactile objects (such as sand, balls, sponges, etc.) to paint
Fingerpainting
Drawing straight lines
Primary color recognition
Printing with leaves, stamps, shapes, and other objects
Science:
Searching for objects in a box of sand
Examining natural objects
"What will happen next?" experiments (for example, "What will happen when I put a an eye dropper of vinegar in the baking soda?")
Social studies:
Community rules
Family roles (mom, dad, brother, sister)
French/Spanish Preschool
Our Preschool instructs students who will be 3 years old before the start of school or students who are already four years old. Students should preferably be potty-trained or in the process of being potty-trained. The class meets each weekday morning from 9:00am - 12:00pm. (No previous French or Spanish exposure is required)
In our preschool program, students are introduced to or reinforce their French or Spanish language skills. Sample activities include the following:
Math
Object counting up to 10, rote counting up to 29
Extending number recognition up to 29
Geometric shapes, patterns, sequences, size comparison
Language
Name recognition & writing
Uppercase letter / phoneme recognition & writing
Introductory word recognition & reading skills
Science
Development of scientific inquiry (“What do you think will happen?”)
Observation of natural materials (e.g., apples, water/ice, leaves)
Learning about animal and plant life cycles
Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Pincer grip (holding a pencil)
Tracing, writing using sensory materials (e.g., sand & chalk)
Jumping with one foot, running & walking, etc.
Art
Painting with brushes, hands, corks, and other materials
Cutting & pasting projects
Fostering creativity through diverse subjects and approaches
French/Spanish Pre-K & Kindergarten
Our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs serve students turning 4 (Pre-K) & 5 (K) years old before the start of school. The class meets each weekday afternoon from 1:00pm-4:00pm. No previous exposure to French or Spanish is required.
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In this program, our students tell stories and speak in full phrases that approach fluency. The academic program is designed to provide a challenging and yet exciting curriculum that will prepare students for first grade and beyond.
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Math
Students will count up to 69 and will learn beginning place value concepts
Students will master pattern and sequencing skills as well as more advanced geometric shape recognition
Students will begin graphing and comparing data
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Language
Students develop word recognition skills and begin working towards reading books
Students write in lowercase letters and begin learning cursive
Students learn spelling rules and sound clusters (“ou,” “an,” “oi”)
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Science
Students begin to make hypotheses (guesses) about experiment outcomes
Students study a variety of subjects including space, rainbows, weather, electricity
Students learn to make detailed observations using all five senses
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Gross & Fine Motor Skills
Students master the pincer grip and can write precisely
Students use scissors and glue accurately
Students run, walk, skip, gallop, jump with one or both feet effortlessly
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Art
Students plan and execute their own paintings using a variety of materials
Students choose subjects or draw inspiration from other works of art
Students evaluate art and recognize style
Enrichment Care Program / Full Day
Our Enrichment Care Program serves current students ages 2-6 who are not enrolled in a full time Language Program and is offered daily from 7:30am-5:30pm. The Enrichment Care Program is a supplemental program to our Core Language Classes and children will do activities that reinforce what they have learned in their target language classroom. This program provides the students with a unique opportunity to further engage in French or Spanish with outside community members, organizations or groups. Each week a unique opportunity like yoga, cardio, pottery, cooking classes, or gardening will be included into the Enrichment care program for those enrolled in the afternoon language classes (Pre-K/K).
Early Arrival: Students can arrive as early as 7:30 am. This program runs Monday through Friday from 7:30-9 am. Breakfast will be provided if the student arrives before 8:10AM.
Morning Care: Students who are enrolled in Pre-K/K programs can receive additional instruction Monday through Friday from 9 am -12 pm. The activities reflect the theme and content of their respective afternoon Pre-K/K language program.
Lunch Care: Students can eat lunch and stay with us for an hour before or after their class. This program runs from 12-1PM. There are options to stay Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday or Monday through Friday. Either the child can bring their own lunch or the Language Tree can provide it. If The Language Tree provides lunch, there is an additional fee as it is catered by Hy-Vee.
Afternoon Care: Students who are enrolled in Early Years or Preschool can receive additional care Monday through Friday from 1-4 pm. During this period, all children under the age of 4 will have a rest period/nap time. After nap time, a snack is served.
Evening Care: Students can stay as late as 5:30 pm. This program runs Monday through Friday from 4-5:30 pm.
Graduate French/Spanish Program
Our Graduate Program serves elementary-school-aged students and meets two weekdays after school who have previous experience and exposure to the target language. This is not for novice or new learners.
Students will continue to reinforce the French or Spanish speaking and reading skills that they have built over the past several years. The focus of this program is linguistic, though the students read about a variety of topics.
Tuesdays are primarily for Kindergartens and 1st graders
Students read from a French or Spanish reading curriculum and develop reading skills through practicing sight words and sounding out unfamiliar words.
Thursdays are primarily for 2nd to 5th graders.
Students focus on comprehension and writing the words they have learned previously in their curriculum.