Schools

Foreign Languages in Elementary Schools

A Main Line woman is on a mission to get children learning languages.

Helena Malarkey speaks several languages and is on a mission to get more local children speaking world languages as early as possible.

Malarkey is a parent who, when Tredyffrin-Easttown School District cut its FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary Schools) program two years ago immediately created a company to try and fill in the gaps that were left.

Her business, Lingo Kids, is an after-school language program offered in in the Radnor Township School District and four elementary schools in the TE School District.

Find out what's happening in Radnorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It just completed its second year.

Children can sign up for two ten-week sessions; they run one hour once a week.

Find out what's happening in Radnorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

No, your child will not become fluent in that time, Malarkey said. But, if you believe that learning other languages and cultures are important for children, the earlier they begin the better the chances that what they learn will stick.

Malarkey says the elementary children are still young enough that they are not shy to speak a new language.

This semester there were two French classes, three Spanish classes and one Mandarin class at Wayne Elementary School (WES).

(I’m a little disappointed I can’t fill a German class, the native German Malarkey remarked.)

The classes are offered as an after-school club at WES through the Parent Teacher Organization, not programming from the school district.

And that’s all there is for foreign languages in elementary schools in Radnor school district.

According to the district, in 2003-2004, the district formed a committee to look at FLES. It did not implement anything at that time, but “the school board has expressed an interest in looking at it again,” according to a spokesperson.

There is no arguing that Radnor is actively looking to strengthen its Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. So where does that leave language learning in the district?

“World languages are an important part of the Radnor Township School District curriculum and help to develop our students into active members of a global society,” reads a statement from the district. “The district is interested in strengthening our current program in the future, as well as considering FLES and non-European language possibilities.”


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