A Journey in Dual Language Immersion

    

     This year we have the privilege of starting our youngest, Mr Matthew, in a dual language immersion (DLI) program. Our school district made the fantastic decision to introduce all 5 languages offered in the states DLI program, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese. This is an opportunity I would not miss out on. Our school school was chosen for German. My sweet hubby is fluent in German having served an LDS mission there and although a bit rusty he still enjoys speaking this language and stays in touch with friends. We were thrilled that Matthew would be able to learn German. Our oldest, Josh, also entered his first year of German in high school. 
     Matthew spends 50% of his school day in German and 50% in English classes. His German teacher speaks only German to the students. They learn math, German culture and various other lessons in German. After the holidays the students were further challenged to only speak German to each other as well. It's challenging to be sure but allows his brain to focus on understanding and deciphering German.
     Our dinner conversations have been fun with many laughs as the boys share new words and try to stump each other. We knew it would be an adventurous year when the second week of school Matthew was making wise cracks to Josh...in German. Yeah, little brother thought he was ALL THAT!
     What I find amazing is how much faster Matthew is picking up the language than Josh. Earlier this week dad was thrilled to have a conversation with Matthew in German. He needed a few cues but Matthew was able to share his thoughts and feelings on the topic, why he was too big for "Cars" underwear.
     In sharing this fun moment with Matthew's teacher, Frau Page, she asked why I thought it was that Matthew was surpassing his older brother. Both are strong students. Both have the advantage of a fluent parent. Both are maintaining their grades and proficiency in other studies but Matthew is moving toward conversation passing Josh in language skill. Is it because of an aptitude for language or another reason? The answer is clear...AGE! Matthew's 6 year old brain is still hard wired for language development. He has an advantage over Josh despite prior language challenges.
     Matthew had a significant speech delay. At 12 months he spoke 6 words then...nothing. He stopped speaking. Life was good. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. No trauma or outside influences to prevent him from speaking. We have another son who also had a speech delay so we set to work using the skills and tools we had learned from Keegan's speech therapy to help Matthew. It took a year and weekly speech therapy before Matthew repeated an easy word he previously knew, bye. I was in tears to hear my little boys voice break through again. We heard all the usual reasons why he wouldn't or couldn't speak but none of them fit. Our speech therapist was stumped. He did not know why Matthew was not talking. Matthew learned to communicate through sign to avoid frustration. It took years, but he finally took off talking and caught up to his peers. In fact, this is the first year he has not had speech therapy so it is interesting to me to see him pick up a second language with such ease. 
     I love to hear Matthew share his latest German song, phrase, or just a new word. He even corrects moms pronunciation. Josh continues to learn as well but quizzes his little brother a little less...it's not so cool when little brother is no longer stumped by your "quizzes". Matthew is loving his DLI. He is learning to love the language, culture, and people. We are learning as a family as well. Next year we are even looking forward to having a German exchange student.
     The world is growing smaller. The internet has put the world at our finger tips. The opportunities my boys will have increase everyday. The opportunities Matthew will have by participating in and learning German are limitless. I am thrilled and so thankful our school has this opportunity. How could I NOT have my boys participate in Dual Language Immersion.

Pikichu hat #4

Project 3 of 52
A couple of months ago I set out to make a special hat for Mr. Matthew. 

A Pikachu hat. 

If you don't know who Pikachu is I have one word for you....

Pokemon!

The pattern I found on Pinterest only had 1 size to it but said by using different needle sizes I could easily adjust the size. Well, 4 hats later I finally got one close to his size. I had to make a few more adjustments.

The other hats all went to his brothers. I finished 3 rather quickly but you have to know that my attention span with the same craft wanes over time. By the time I'd finished 3 I just drug my feet to finish the last one.

Matthew reminded me regularly that he was still waiting for his hat. 

Finally just before Christmas I finished it!

What a happy boy he was that day! Of course then mom had to listen to "Pi-ka-CHU!" for the next couple of hours. Still, it warmed my heart that he loves his hat so much. 

Gotta love that cute little man!

~oh and the hat isn't too bad either ;-)~

Make your own lanyards...

While at Disneyland we decided to try the Pin Trading. You get to trade pins with all the cast members. There are soooo many you will never get bored. And if you don't get what you want there are oodles to choose from to purchase. We needed lanyards to put all our pins on and I didn't really want to buy them. So, like the self respecting, frugal crafter that I am I decided I could make some.

Lanyards really are easy to make. Just 15 minutes and you've got it. I don't use exact measurements when I craft but that is ok with these.

Gather your supplies:

Sewing machine

Ribbon

Key ring or other attachment piece

Scissors and thread Yeah, you get the point ;-)

I found this ribbon at Walmart of course and got 2 long lanyards from it. I had enough left that if I had made them a bit shorter I could have gotten 3. Just placed the ribbon around your neck to determine it's length. Remember to adjust for any little ones you will be making them for.

 Grab your key ring or whatever attachment do-dad you are using and thread the ribbon through it then sew a strong seam. This will be pulled on a bit so make sure to sew it well.

Use some pinking scissors to keep the end from fraying. If you are lucky enough to have a serger YEAH! Just serge the end before you fold it over the ring.

 

 Perfect! Just a couple of minutes and now you are ready to add your favorite pins.

This is Mr. Matthews. Can you tell who his favorite characters are?

Colors of fall

Mr Matthew and I traveled up the canyon for some branches for my latest project. I couldn't help but share some of the beautiful colors we saw.

The day was cool but still warm enough to not need a jacket.

I loved how all the colors came together. Fall is so beautiful. Reds. Greens. Yellows. Oranges. All against a clear blue sky. *sigh*

And the beautiful scene was topped off with the grin of a very helpful little man. I cherise these little day adventures. All too soon my little man is gonna be going off to school then with friends and leaving mom behind. A little 1 on 1 time soothes the soul!

And here is a little peck at our project.......

The final pictures coming soon!

Batman Birthday Cake

 After having such a monumental FAIL with Ty's cake I made a call to a great lady requesting a Batman cake for our next spring birthday. She did a FABULOUS job!

 The city scene and logo on top were all cut by hand.

 

 The cake was yummy, the frosting even more so and....

Mr. Matthew was thrilled!

Cream of the Crop Cupcakes came through. 

Thanks so much Shelly!

Tips for helping with Speech Delay

Many of you know we have been struggling to help Mr. M learn to talk. He is now 3 yrs old and only puts a few 2-3 word sentences together. Normally a child should start speaking 2-3 word sentances at age 2. Age 2-3 is a crictical window of opportunity for language development. Perhaps even earlier. Last summer he tested as low as 1% in some areas. Yeah, he was struggling.

Mr. K went through speach therapy which we later found was common with children with Aspergers Syndrome (of course we didn't know about his Aspergers until years later). After this I had some idea of tips and tricks. I started trying to remember some of our old tricks, trying to help Mr. M they way we had been taught.

Have you ever thought of that?

How to teach a child to talk, I mean?

I hadn't. How do you get him to say "ball"?

We have been on a strong learning curve for 1 1/2 yrs now. There are so many little things that you don't think about in learning to speak. I thought I would share some of the lessons we've learned. I plan to do a series of posts sharing some of the information we have learned and some of the handouts given to us. We are not there yet. I have often found myself very frustrated at the slow pace. We take 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Then, just when I thought we were making headway he has his 3rd birthday and no longer qualifies for therapy. Don't worry, we aren't giving up but at least we have a good start. We were fortunate to start early. We had a great doctor who didn't put it off saying "let's wait and see". We have had amazing therapists!

Sometimes kids are simply delayed and will start talking on their own but the window of opportunity is before age 3 and can be easily missed. Plus early intervention programs only cover up to age three.

Whether your child is on track and you want to be more active and knowledgeable or if your child is struggling hopefully you can find something to help you and yours!

Ideas for Communication Goals (from It Takes Two to Talk)

1. Motor imitation without toys ie. peek-a-boo or clapping

2. Motor imitation using toys and objects ie. pushing cars, building blocks, or brushing teeth

3. Transition from motor to sound imitation ie. m-m-m (good)- rubbing tummy or oops!- toy falling

4. Early single words ie. mom, dad, oh-oh, no, bye etc

5. Later- two word phrases ie. car go, dad play, go out

Did you realize all those "baby games" actually build pre-language skills? Yep, clapping, patty cake, peek-a-boo, giving five, even pulling faces all help to build the foundation for language development within the brain. I had never realized that eye contact and turn taking were language building blocks. It makes sense though. Communication ie. language is not just verbal. It is nonverbal and full of expression and actions.

First comes the imitation of actions, then the imitation of sounds, after that comes first words.

Line upon line.....

So your challenge for this week is to PLAY! Just park it next to your little one, either with or without toys and play. Pay attention to eye contact. Practice turn taking. Make silly faces. Repeat any sounds or words you child makes. Have fun. Remember

Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.

-O. Fred Donaldson

Ohh BOY!

We are at the potty training stage. It's still touch and go around our house- we're just beginning and of course Mr. M. likes the toilet when not potty training or anything else...

Last week we had a rough go at it but mom was determined to stick with it. We were home all day doing housework. The perfect kinda day to wear underware.

First try...we miss.

Second try...mom refills the TP...we miss.

Now mom is watching the clock. We'll try again soon to get back on track right? So off mom goes to do some ironing. 

Fast forward 30 minutes (remember mom's watching the clock)

Mr. M, who has been playing wonderfully with Lego's in his closet is no longer interested in the Lego's. Instead, let's see how well an entire double roll of TP goes down in 1 flush!

Uhmm, NOT SO WELL!

I walk around the corner to see him and the dog watching as water seeps into the carpet from the bathroom. The toilet continues to run, the TP is preventing the drain and consequently the shut-off.

Once I pull the plug- literally- the toilet drains and turns off. Now, like a good mom, I keep my priorities straight even in times of crisis. I toss a couple of towels down on my way out for the CAMERA! Yep, gotta get the pouty picture of Mr. M. in trouble; fun spoiled.....

and of course the flooded bathroom!

Pictures are worth a thousand words but sometimes they just don't do something justice. We're not talking a little water here. Ohhh, NO! It's a puddle over the entire bathroom. I can't decide whether to use towels or get the wet/dry vac. I go for the immediate results and toss several more towels down, alternately wringing them out in the tub.

Now, pardon us but when you come to my house this is how you are likely to find the TP roll. Feel free to dig under my sink. Besides this is the boys bathroom. Not a big need for TP there. Yeah, we'll just dig when needed...

Lest mom have to go diving for soggy wads again. Uhmm, no thanks.

Hey, at least my toilet was clean. Now the floor is too.

Can you possibly get the picture of HOW MUCH WATER IS HERE?!?!

Yeah, good think I love that little rat! Now, just to turn my head as I snicker at his pouty face when mom told him this was naughty. lol! Going down in the record memory books.

Why do I make my bed?

Each morning I get up, shower, and make my bed before doing much of anything else. I have always made my bed first thing in the morning. It gives me one place of peace and organization. Mostly I just love crisp sheets and the look of a made bed. 

Matthew of course had a different plan in mind. He often does for mom. He was watching Cars and decided the best place was not on but IN moms bed.

But...notice the bed is now rumpled and EMPTY....

Hmmm, what's it like to watch tv from under the bed? Tell us little guy...

Or is it that once the bed is messed up it is no longer comfy? And don't forget to rearrange mom's nightstand.

Ahh, gotta love the little ones in our lives. How boring would life be if we didn't have to chase them around all day.

Boys in the mud

Only a mother of little boys can appreciate.....

Mud waterfalls, mud pies, and muddy backsides. The backyard was excavated in prep for building a retention wall but little did mom realize it became a dream zone for boys. Tyler, his best friend and Matthew all had a hayday! They had a "mud waterfall" with the hose running down the embankment making one great mud lake on the other side. 

 

 

They played for quite awhile until mom made them shut off the water. I can handle the muddy feet but prefer to conserve water. Besides the puddle was ready to breach it's banks ;-). I'd better watch out, Kaylyn might stop letting her son come over. He usually goes home muddy, wet, or with popsicle stains. The do have LOADS of fun though! After all just look at that smile! 

Who can resist?

American Sign Language

Matthew has been in speech therapy for about 5 months now. He was saying several words at 12 months but then just stopped. His hearing is ok and he understands ok. Since we have gone through speech therapy before we kinda knew what to expect. Keegan started talking after 3months of S.T. Matthew however is still not talking. Keegan was already 2 when we started and Matthew just turned 2. We have a great therapist, Derrick. Matthew has a great time with him. We have been learning sign to encourage communication. He is signing more (although much better for dad than mom) and trying new sounds but still not talking per se.  One suggestion was to have a "sign" of the week. So I searched the web for signs and pictures. This is what I came up with....

Apple

The sign for "apple" is made by closing your hand and placing the knuckle of your right index finger against your cheek.  At the same time, pivot the hand back and forth.  Note: Many people use an "a" handshape instead of the "x" handshape.

I plan to print this off then laminate it and have it on the fridge for the week to remind us all to ask for "apples" and practice signing the word. When the older boys sign Matthew is more apt to pick it up. He just has to do what his big brothers are doing. 

I found the signs here: American Sign Language

I am impressed with what I see so far. The drawings are simple and also have pictures or movies of the sign being made. I am making several sheets for the sign of the week to practice on. I hope this will help getting things going more with Matthew. Sometimes I wonder if I am too good at reading and understanding what he wants, I don't wait for him to sign it or make him sign it. I am going to work on that. He is very expressive despite his reluctance to talk. Oh, and no his brother's don't talk for him. They are gone during the day. I'm not sure how S.T. will be after we move. I am going to have to research some things. 

*sigh*

Just added another thing to my list didn't I!?! Dang boys anyway! Gotta love 'em.

Ohhh, BOY!

"Boys Are Found Everywhere- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on..."  ummm yeah....one guess what happened here....

I had gotten Matthew lain down for a nap. Tyler was on his way to Preschool with dad. I grabbed a banana and the laptop to sit down for a bite to eat....

B.A.N.G.........C.R.A.S.H.

I dropped my banana on the floor and RAN upstairs. I couldn't even hear him crying but when I ran in I knew what had happened. Buried under the dresser was my sweet Matthew. PANIC! I scooped him up and thankfully he doesn't even have a bruise, just a crushed ego that he can't climb like he thought. It's not first (and I'm sure not the last) time a dresser has been tipped over for climbing monkeys. I know, I need to bolt them to the wall but I like to rearrange the furniture on occasion to clean under everything. Apparently Matthew has learned to climb from the bed to the top of the dresser like Tyler does. 

 UGH! I really don't like the ER. I count my blessings we haven't been in there more often. I have heard stories of dear dad's adventures....

So now we have had a major adrenaline rush and sleep is the farthest thing from out mind. *sigh* Since Matthew would start crying whenever I left the room I sat down with him while dad.......

Guess we'll have to get Tyler a new Piggy Bank.

Oh, the adventures of boys!

Matthews first haircut

Matthew got his first haircut tonight. I have been putting it off for a while cuz I loved his curls in the back but people are starting to ask if he is a boy or girl; So much to his chagrin he got his first trim. He really looks like a toddler now. I can't believe how fast my baby is growing. They do tend to do that though don't they!?!

Made sure I saved some of the curls for his memory book.Ahh, my handsome boy! Amazing the difference a little trim can make!!!

Savored Moments

My boys are growing so fast. I love being their mom. Dad got quiet time this morning/afternoon; the older boys were at the neighbors (gotta luv great neighbors with boys); so I got to sit on the step and read while watching Matthew play. He was adorable pushing his tonka truck. I watch him, snapped pictures then couldn't resist just sitting on the grass and holding him. I savored every moment knowing all too soon such moments pass by. I hope one day my boys read these lines and know it was all for them! Love ya boys!

Matthew- first steps

"No, I'm not dancing, I'm trying to walk!" Those first steps are always hazardous. It's a good thing dad and my brothers are around to catch me when I start to tumble.......

April 9, Matthew has been trying to take those first few steps and getting better each time.

Now he really thinks he is hot stuff by walking around the house. He will walk up to me an laugh his adorable laugh. He has also learned to go down the stairs so no place in the house is safe. While big brothers have to learn to keep there doors closed if they want Matthew to stay out of their legos, mom is just happy to not fret over the stairs and falling down them.

In addition to all of this, Matthew loves to jabber. Anything at all, jabber, jabber, jabber. He walks around the house and says momm, momm, momma. I just love it! The boys swear he says 'guys' too. Oh, and don't let dinner be late he will DEFIANTLY let me know about that, although it seems to be more fussing and crankiness than actually baby jabbers. Typical boy, talks with his belly full!