Learning to speak another language gets more challenging as we get older, which is why foreign language classes are so important for children. No matter where life takes your kids as they get older, they can benefit from speaking, reading, and writing in different foreign languages. Here are six places around the Peachtree Corners area and online that offer children’s foreign language classes.

Atlanta Institute of Language

A young girl reads a book at a language class in Peachtree Corners, Georgia

girl reading book” used with permission via Unsplash by jerry_318

The Atlanta Institute of Language offers kids language classes to children ages 6 to 11 years old. These small classes involve speaking, reading, and writing practice with fun games and interactive activities. With this school, your children can learn English, American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

You can also take language lessons as a family with the Institute’s family group classes. These classes are for families of three people or more and last 90 minutes to two hours. Or, you might consider getting your student a private language tutor so they can go at their own pace and get one-on-one guidance.

Atlanta Chinese School

The Atlanta Chinese School offers children’s language classes to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. This school has traditional classes for students who speak some Chinese and want to improve their language skills as well as bilingual classes for students learning Chinese as a second language (CSL) who have little to no background in the Chinese language. You can also take adult CSL classes and cultural studies courses so you can keep up with your student and help them practice at home. All classes are group classes offered on the weekends.

Alif Institute

The Alif Institute educates people on the diverse Arabic culture and language. This institute offers children’s Arabic classes both in person and online. Beginner classes take place on Saturday in the late morning for children ages 5 through 14. Beginner and intermediate classes are held on Thursday evenings for children ages 11 to 15 years old. The online classes take place via Zoom on Saturdays, and students are split into levels by age group and Arabic language ability: beginners for kids ages 4 through 8 years old, beginner high and intermediate low for children up to 14 years old.

With these classes, your students also get a Nahla wa Nahil account that gives them access to hundreds of classic and contemporary Arabic books in varying levels. You can also sign them up for the Arabic Reading Club, where students read a book in Arabic and meet with their instructors in a separate class to talk about the reading. This club is a great way to encourage language practice, develop overall reading comprehension skills, and introduce them to Arabic culture.

Consider taking some adult Arabic classes to help your student practice at home between classes. The whole family can celebrate Arabic culture by attending the cultural events the Alif Institute holds, like film screenings, special exhibits, cooking courses, and speaker series.

The Korean-American School of Atlanta

The Korean-American School of Atlanta specializes in teaching kids and adults the Korean language, culture, and history. Their classes are divided by language level and age. The kindergarten class is meant for children ages 5 and 6 years old who have a little background in Korean and improves language abilities through singing, practicing pronunciation, and basic reading and writing. If your child is brand new to Korean, they start in one of the beginner classes, which help students develop a basic understanding of vowels and consonants, grammar, vocabulary, and culture.

Then, they work their way up to the intermediate classes where they’ll improve their vocabulary, reading and writing skills, listening comprehension, and cultural nuances of speaking in real-life situations. The advanced class allows students to refine their pronunciation and even take the Korean as a second language standardized exam.

This school also hosts cultural events and community events where children and their families can immerse themselves in Korean culture.

The Spanish Academy

The Spanish Academy offers after-school Spanish classes for children in pre-K up through 5th grade. Your student will be placed in a class with their peers based on age and Spanish language ability. In their classes, they’re immersed in the language and culture through music, games, books, and interactive lessons. You can enroll your child at any of the school’s locations: Buckhead, East Cobb, Decatur, and Suwanee.

French School Atlanta

The French School Atlanta offers language classes for both native and non-native speakers of the French language. If your child has no previous experience speaking, reading, or writing in French, then they can start in the Boutl’chous class for 3-year-olds, which involves learning basic vocabulary and conversational French through songs, stories, and games, or one of the Kindergarten classes, which are taught using the immersion method. These classes for the youngest language learners are not being offered virtually because this age group does best with in-person instruction.

There’s a beginners class for kids ages 6 through 11 years old that teaches foundational vocabulary and grammar and introduces children to French culture. There’s also a beginners class for teens ages 12 and up, and it focuses on conversational French in addition to basic vocabulary and grammar. As your child gets better with their French practice, they can take intermediate and advanced classes. The French School is offering some of the beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes virtually as needed.

Consider signing up for the Adult French classes so you can keep you with your little language learner and help them practice between classes, which is both a bonding experience and a great way to help your child better retain these language skills.

At Crème de la Crème of Peachtree Corners, we know how important it is for children to start learning other languages early. That’s why we incorporate foreign languages into our whole-child curriculum. In our programs, your children can develop language skills in Spanish and Mandarin. Contact us to learn more about our language development curriculum and other educational elements that can set your child up for success.