Bonjour and hola: Ava, Ben and Zoe love learning in the fun environment. Picture: Jane Dyson
TEACHING young children a second language is a great way for them to learn about the world and can help broaden their horizons.
But spots for preschoolers are not as easy to find.
That’s where Audrey Gros and Deborah Kessous, the founders of Shire Language, step in. They teach French and Spanish to children aged from 2 to four years at Gumbellinas Cafe, Caringbah.
Ms Kessous was born in Paris and grew up in a French/Spanish-speaking household. She said being able to speak these two languages and English was enough to get by, no matter where she travelled.
‘‘When you speak Spanish, French and English you don’t even need Mandarin,’’ she said.
She enjoyed teaching children as it was rewarding, she said. ‘‘It is great when you see them starting to understand and I love seeing the evolution,’’ she said.
Cathy Marney said her son Ben, 4, loved coming to classes and was picking up Spanish quickly.
‘‘It is brilliant, he has learnt so much already and he really enjoys it,’’ she said.
‘‘I speak Spanish to him and suddenly he realises other people speak Spanish, too.
‘‘He can watch Spanish stuff on YouTube and he gets it.’’
Details: facebook/ShireLanguage
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