Research appears to support this theory – the article mentions a test of 44 12-month-olds in which scientists found that bilingual babies were able to master two kinds of three-syllable patterns concurrently in the amount of time it took monolinguals to learn only one. They concluded that even though the children exposed to multiple languages had to process more information, “being bilingual seems to make the brain more flexible.” This suggests that once someone has learned one dominant language, it’s harder for them to adapt and learn another.

Read the full article here.

À bientôt!

Bastille Day celebrates the anniversary of the successful storming of the Bastille fortress and prison on July 14, 1789 by the citizens of Paris. The Bastille was seen as a symbol of royal tyranny and oppression, and the uprising represented a turning point in the French Revolution.

If you’re feeling inspired to celebrate, the French Library will be throwing a celebration at the Liberty Hotel in Boston — more details on the event are here.

À bientôt!

Study co-author Margarita Kaushanskaya states: “We’re seeing that exposure to two languages early in life carries far-reaching benefits. Our research tells us that children who grow up with two languages wind up being better language learners later on.” Additionally, the study found that this benefit is not limited to similar languages – meaning a French/English speaker will have an easier time learning a language such as Japanese.

Marian and Kaushanskaya’s research also cites other interesting benefits related to bilingualism. For instance, they found that the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in bilinguals is delayed by four years on average compared to monolinguals.

We’ll post more information about the study once it’s released!

À bientôt!

À bientôt!

The celebrations kick off at 9:30 am at the State House with a reenactment of Lafayette’s famous visit there to meet with dignitaries of the time, one of many trips he would take to the city. Other activities during the day include a ceremony to present five American veterans that fought in the liberation of France in WW II with the Légion d’Honneur (France’s highest civilian and military distinction), a procession from the State House to the Lafayette Monument where a wreath will be laid and a “liberty tree” will be planted, a panel on France’s participation in the American Revolution, and a public lecture on Lafayette’s role as an anti-slavery abolitionist.

For the full schedule and to learn more about this extraordinary historical figure, please visit the Consulate General of France in Boston.

À bientôt!

À bientôt!

The Bilingual Preschool Boom

Contrary to many traditional preschools suffering from the economic crisis in the United States, French-English bilingual preschools are holding up quite well to the recession as confirmed by Steve Barnett, Director for the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University, by Pascale Setbon, founder of the Language and Laughter Studio in Brooklyn, and by Francois Thibaut, founder of the Language Workshop for Children in NY.

In the Boston suburb of Newton, Laura d’Angosse Perlman, founder of Le Club Nounours - also known as The Teddy Bear Club - states that enrollment has not dropped and she is even considering opening a school in New York. “Parents are coming to realize that a bilingual program is important in today’s world,” she explains. “Since our opening in 1993, we have experienced consistent growth. In 2009, this trend will continue.”

À bientôt!

According the tradition, all of the church bells in France fly to the Vatican three days before the Easter holiday. No bells ring in France from the Thursday before Easter when they depart for Italy until Easter Sunday, when they arrive back in France – with all of the Easter eggs and gifts they’ve picked up on their travels. By the time they ring again on Easter morning, all of the children know the bells are back in town and bearing gifts!

This is why if you are in France over Easter the windows of patisseries are filled with beautiful chocolate bells intricately designed and decorated, in honor of the Easter trip the bells take every year.

À bientôt!

Researchers tend to agree with our anecdotal evidence. Countless studies have demonstrated the value of learning a second language at a young age, though the idea is not a radical or new one. In fact linguist Eric Lenneberg created the critical period hypothesis (CPH) in 1967, stating there is a critical period of language acquisition that ends by puberty – thus preventing those learning a language after childhood from being truly bilingual.

From a cultural perspective, psychologists also seem to concur. The Encyclopedia of Educational Psychology states, “Bilinguals can act as links, not only within the nuclear and extended family and the community, but across societies…Because language and culture are inextricably linked, bilingualism provides the opportunity to experience two or more cultures in very authentic ways…Furthermore, because two languages provide access to a wider cultural experience, there is often a greater tolerance of cultural diversity.” (p. 106)

The encyclopedia even posits that bilinguals may have cognitive advantages over their peers, including faster progress in early cognitive development and greater understanding between objects and their labels.

We feel that the students at the Teddy Bear Club are being exposed to the same nurturing environment our son was. By learning the language, customs, food, and holidays of another country we are celebrating differences and embracing common values.

À bientôt!

There’s no concrete evidence as to why the date of April 1st is significant, but we do know that France adopted the Gregorian Calendar in 1582, shifting New Year’s Day to the first of January from the first of April. Legend has it that with the resulting confusion the “April Fools” who hadn’t yet adjusted to the new calendar were wishing people a Happy New Year in April, and practical jokes sprung up as a way to poke fun at their mistakes.

But why fish? Your guess is as good as ours – perhaps you should cut out a paper fish and try the “cultural experience” yourself!

À bientôt