Language Diversity

Assuming that there are no significant learning issues or behavior issues, a student's lack of fluency in English tends not to be a barrier to enrollment at Three Cedars School.

As Three Cedars is located in an area with many "foreign national" parents from around the world, we have experience with many students who are very new to speaking English. As an example during the 2006-2007 school year, our parents spoke many different native languages at home with their children including Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, and Spanish. Parents at our school are encouraged to remain in their native language at home with their children in order to foster high levels of immersion and fluency.

Kindergartens (ages 4 to 6 years old)
In the mixed-age kindergartens, generally children who are immigrating from another country and language assimilate very easily, learning English from teachers and classmates naturally. Because so much of the teachers' indications to the children are "non-verbal" (gesture, movement, modeling activities) there is not the reliance on speech and written communication for having basic needs met as in older classrooms. The daily "circle activity" is verbally rich, and its repetition offers a delightful introduction to the music of the English language. The children also often learn much of the new language from their peers. The first weeks are a bit overwhelming for the child, but once friends are secured and the child knows that signals for having basic needs being met will be understood, it is usually a very happy transition. There are techniques that we use, like encouraging weekend playdates with a few special friends outside of school; coaching the students to assist one another; parents, teachers and staff agreeing with the child to use specific sign-language or other indications for needs like visiting the bathroom, needing a drink of water or to indicate hunger for food; etc.

Elementary (ages 7 to 14 years old)
In the elementary program, the adjustment is more difficult and increasingly so, the older the child. In the beginning, there is usually a period of time for a student who is not yet sufficiently fluent in English to feel awkward in the English-speaking classroom and there may be several weeks or months of feeling that they "do not understand" or are "lost." Techniques such as those described above are a great help and must be coordinated among a much larger group of faculty (including all subject teachers) and staff. In cases of elementary grades placement, we will require that parents hire private tutoring in conversational English and grade-appropriate written work for several days a week, until the child is comfortable with conversational English. The duration of weeks or months of tutoring necessary varies by the child, but it is important for the student to be supported, one-on-one, with English instruction outside of school. If at least one parent is sufficiently fluent in English help their child also practice English at home on a regular basis, this can be of enormous support to a child's assimilation into an English speaking school, particularly until the child is secure in speaking English in the classroom.

Please note that for students of any age: adjusting to a non-native language at school creates additional demands on a child's focus and overall energy. Parents can anticipate an increase in their child's need for sleep and/or rest time after relocation and beginning at a new school, especially during the first year of adjustment. Quiet afternoons, rather than many extra curricular activities in addition to English language tutoring, are advisable.