100% english

Total immersion in the English language is a daily experience for children at Lalilu. Teachers communicate with children in English only. We work on the basis of our own curriculum. Each group has a minimum of two teachers assigned to a specific group on permanent basis: a native speaker (from the UK or the US) and a Polish teacher who fluently communicates with children in English.

In early childhood, the human brain is somewhat programmed to learn a language. If children start learning before they turn 4, they have a great chance to not only communicate easily with people all over the world but also to be bilingual in the future. Being bilingual in that sense, contributes to flexible thinking, creativity, the ability to solve problems and to develop more complex mathematical skills.

Brain of a child, who comes into contact with a second language every day is working continuously, and as a result of that, the child can always name things, phenomena or ideas in two different ways. This is a special gift that can be used not only by children born in bilingual families, but also by those who were immersed in a foreign language for a minimum of 1/3 of a day. This is what happens with children at Lalilu, who are immersed in the English language throughout their day at preschool. This is what makes us different from other bilingual preschools, where one teacher speaks English and the other speaks Polish (and in a sense, serves as a translator), and hence the children do not make any intellectual effort to learn the language, instead they only become familiar with its sound.

At Lalilu all classes are delivered in English. When we paint – we speak English, when we cook – we speak English, when we garden – we speak English, when we sing – we sing in English, when we experiment – we speak English, at a walk, during dinner or free play – we always speak English. We are very persistent in that.

Still, we are not limited only to “immersion” of our children in the language. The children are in fact actively learning it. Twice a year we make individual assessment of each child’s progress in English.

We work on the basis of our own curriculum, developed by a British pedagogue, specialist in foreign language teaching, who spent 3 years at Lalilu, working with children and observing their initial potential and progress. This allowed him to adjust the programme to the needs and abilities of Polish speaking children.

Additionally, the children use extensive linguistic materials of Maria Montessori and English language aids prepared specially by our teachers based on the Montessori method.

The Lalilu curriculum also covers learning math in English.

Clear and well-considered, patient and purposeful approach of our teachers allows the children to understand and expand their communication skills in English in no time at all. By the last year of education at Lalilu, all children can fluently communicate in English with teachers as well as their peers.