How do children learn another language?

In Early Foreign Language Education (VVTO), we take into account the capabilities of the children and the environment.

When we look at the child with their abilities, the learning materials are presented in many different ways, engaging various senses. Additionally, we consider the children's abilities (for example, physical, social, creative, and cognitive). Working in small groups allows for better adaptation to the individual child.

Regarding the school environment, we aim to align with the child's world of experience. Themes that are present in school or in the classroom often resurface during language lessons.

One of the advantages of starting early with learning a foreign language is improved pronunciation and a better ability to hear nuances in that language. For this reason, the language lessons are taught by subject teachers (native speakers), and the education initially focuses particularly on listening and speaking skills. During the lessons, the subject teacher uses the foreign language as the medium of instruction. Additionally, vocabulary development is an important area of focus.

The goal of VVTO at the Europaschool is for children to acquire a foreign language with enjoyment, enabling them to communicate in other languages and to be open to new languages and experiences. Furthermore, a foreign language is a wonderful means of gaining knowledge about other cultures.