Languages

Multi-Language Teaching

The Eduwings Learning Environment

Eduwings Kindergarten provides a rich and stimulating trilingual learning environment. The children are immersed in English, Chinese and German.

The main language spoken in the classroom depends on the native language of most children and the lead teachers who are responsible for the group. In the English groups the main focus is on English, in the German groups on German. Our teaching staff is highly proficient in their languages.

Although the languages taught in our school are only English, Chinese and German, we never forbid a child to speak his or her native language. We highly respect all other languages our students may speak and encourage them to embrace their native languages and roots, which has a positive impact on foreign language learning.

How We Teach

In Eduwings Kindergarten we follow the “one person, one language (OPOL)” approach. Providing a stimulating, multicultural and trilingual learning environment in an out of the classroom, the children do not only get immersed in the languages during class time/circle time, but also during free play time and in everyday activities and routines.

We teach based on monthly themes in all three languages spoken in our school. The theme is introduced in the main language of the classroom first to help the children familiarize themselves with it. Then the theme is used in activities offered in the second and third language as well.

Apart from our themed activities, our offer also includes special activity classes (such as Orff Music, Drama, Pottery, P.E. and Art), which are provided by internal or external teachers and taught in either English, Chinese or German depending on the native language of the teacher.

Our focus in teaching is not on detailed knowledge about a specific theme or academic subject, but on basic knowledge and vocabulary that enable children to communicate effectively in common daily life situations such as making friends, having meals, dealing with conflicts, and using the restroom. We offer various engaging teaching methods and activities, among others games, songs and finger plays.

We do our best to understand what the children say, even if they talk to us in a language we do not speak or only know on a basic level. We always listen carefully, try to repeat what they said to get their meaning and say it again in our own language.

For learning new languages we distinguish different levels according to the age and language experience of each child:

Level 1

Greeting, basic daily used words (milk, water, no, yes, I want, toilet, pipi, playground)

Level 2

We encourage the children to confidently use different languages and not feel ashamed about making mistakes. This is very important since children might are afraid of being laughed at.

Level 3

As children develop competitiveness and love to show off what they already know, we encourage them to explain language to their peers and translate for them if needed.

We greet the children in their native language, even if it is not one of the languages taught in our school, and learn some basic word in this language they might use (e.g. milk, no) to be able to understand about their needs, make them feel comfortable and help them adapt to their new environment more easily.

Klick the link below to see the detailed groups table containing further information

Our Groups