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G1 French Students engaged in language learning in Tessa International School's Elementary Program.

Why Elementary School Is Not Too Late to Start A Bilingual Education

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Bilingual education offers incredible advantages for children, however some parents wonder whether it’s too late to start once their child reaches elementary school (typically teaching students between the age of 5-10 in the United States). The short answer is no. In this post, we will explore the lasting benefits of bilingual education for elementary students and provide practical tips on how to support your child’s language development at this crucial stage.

A Grade 2 girl in Tessa Spanish track completes her language assessment with her native-speaking teacher.

Tessa International School offers bilingual programs in Spanish, French, and Mandarin from PK2 to Primary (Grade 5).

Bilingual Elementary Programs Still Lead to Native Proficiency  

While it is ideal to start language learning at a younger age, a 2018 study performed at MIT, based on data from nearly 670,000 people, shows that it is possible for people to achieve native-like proficiency in a second language only if they start learning it by the age of 10. That is to say, elementary students are still in a prime window for language acquisition!  

Benefits of Bilingual Education for Elementary Students

Cognitive Growth

Research shows greater cognitive development benefits for multilingual children than for monolingual children. With the acquisition of more than one language, multilingual children demonstrate superior flexibility in cognitive thinking, helping them navigate more complex academic content. Moreover, a study comparing six-year-olds in Canada found that bilingual students performed better than monolingual students on activities that tested their executive function, which consequently enhanced their emotional regulation.

Social-emotional Development

Being bilingual supports children in maintaining strong ties with their family, culture, and community–all of which are key parts of a child’s identity construction. Ample evidence shows that active multilingual learning provides more opportunities for positive social-emotional experiences, such as building better relationships with teachers and peers and collaborating effectively with a diverse range of people.  

G1 Mandarin students discover emotions in the target language with their native-speaking teacher.

Strong scientific evidence supports that bilingual education is a worthwhile investment of time.

Academic Success

The common misconception that bilingual education may confuse children has been debunked by scientific evidence. Bilingual and monolingual children reach similar language development milestones at roughly the same rate. Elementary students also frequently excel in overall academic achievement. In addition to improving their performance in STEM subjects, bilingual education delivers more advantages in literacy by enhancing their metalinguistic awareness. 

“Older children get a higher form of academic language, meaning they grasp vocabulary. […] Those benefits only persist if the child keeps having exposure to that language.”

– Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a board-certified family physician specializing in youth development

How to Support Children in Bilingualism 

If your child reaches elementary school, and you wish to begin or boost bilingualism, here are some practical tips to help you.

Create A Language-Immersive Environment

Immersing your child in the target language allows for constant exposure and the need of using another language, helping build solid bilingual proficiency. Some parents may choose to relocate to a country where the language is spoken. Another more feasible option is to enroll your child in a bilingual elementary school. Even if you have no background in another language, the everyday interactions, lessons, and activities conducted in both languages at school can support your child develop a bilingual mindset. 

Encourage Socializing with Bilingual Peers

Interactions with bilingual peers further encourage your child to use the target language in real life. Positive relationships boost your child’s confidence and encourage natural language use. 

Expose Children to Cultural Experiences

Learning about the culture associated with a second language helps your child maintain an interest in language learning and deepen their understanding. Taking part in cultural activities, such as celebrating festivals that highlight the traditions and values of the culture, not only enriches your child’s language learning experience but also promotes their cultural awareness. 

Provide Age-appropriate Opportunities to Motivate Your Child

Elementary-aged children are capable of handling more challenging tasks, so it is important to provide opportunities that push their skills while keeping them motivated and rewarded. Encourage your child to participate in academic challenges, such as writing a short story, completing a language puzzle, or taking part in a spelling bee in the target language. Incorporating their interests, whether it is sports, art, or science, into language activities will keep them more engaged.

How Tessa International School’s Elementary Program Encourages Bilingualism

At Tessa, our bilingual program is crafted to ensure students acquire oral and written proficiency in both English and their chosen target language (French, Mandarin, or Spanish). Since Grade 1, students spend an equal amount of time with their English teacher and their target language teacher. 

Our teachers are highly credentialed native speakers, providing students with the highest quality instruction. Importantly, they don’t just teach the language; they teach in the language, immersing students in authentic linguistic experiences. With teachers collaborating to streamline students’ learning, this balanced dual-language approach ensures continued growth in both languages over the long term, preparing students for academic and personal success. 

 

FAQs

Q. Is it too late for my child to learn another language in elementary school? 

No! Although it is ideal to start bilingual education as early as possible, experts found that people can still achieve proficiency as native speakers if they start learning another language by the age of 10. Therefore, elementary school remains within the critical period of learning a language, especially when they are immersed in a structured, language-rich environment like Tessa International School. 

Q. Do bilingual kids do better in school? 

Learning another language boosts executive functioning and enhances metalinguistic awareness, so bilingual learners’ often demonstrate strong performance in subjects like Math, Reading, and Writing. Moreover, bilingual children tend to have greater cognitive flexibility. The ability to think and reason in two languages provides elementary students with more efficiency to understand complex ideas.

Q. How does Tessa International School support a balanced language acquisition in both languages? 

Our elementary programs employ the 50/50 dual-language model, where primary students from Grade 1 to 5 spend half of the week with their English teacher, and half of the week with their target language teachers. To sustain this balance, our quality native-speaking instructors regularly collaborate to streamline students’ learning, ensuring what is taught in one language is connected and applied in the other language. This balanced approach supports long-term growth in both languages fluency, preparing our bilingual students for future success. 

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading international private school?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

 

A diverse group of students from various races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds collaborating in a classroom at Tessa International School.

How a Tessa Education Prepares Children for an Evolving Future

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For much of history, education was designed to prepare students for a specific career, equipping them with a fixed set of skills for stability in a predictable job market. But today, that stability no longer exists in the same way.

The landscape of career readiness is shifting. Automation, artificial intelligence, and global interconnectivity are transforming industries at a rapid pace. Many jobs will evolve or disappear, while entirely new industries will emerge, including some we can’t predict. On average, 39% of workers’ existing skills will be outdated by 2030, and two-fifths of global job roles will be disrupted. The fastest-growing careers will demand analytical thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability, which are skills that cannot be automated.

At Tessa, success isn’t about preparing students for a single profession. It’s about equipping them to think, adapt, and apply knowledge across different fields.

This is why we focus on a transdisciplinary approach, ensuring that students:

  • Develop deep conceptual understanding rather than memorizing disconnected topics or facts.
  • Analyze patterns, evaluate evidence, and think critically across disciplines.
  • Apply learning in real-world contexts to build problem-solving skills.
  • Cultivate intellectual flexibility and resilience, so they can navigate change with confidence.

These skills have always mattered, but today they are more essential than ever. The ability to ask the right questions, communicate effectively, and synthesize knowledge has long been the foundation of innovation and leadership. With 70% of employers identifying analytical thinking as an essential skill by 2025, the most valuable asset students can develop is the ability to learn how to learn—to adapt, evolve, and thrive in an unpredictable world.

Rather than preparing students for one career, we prepare them for a lifetime of learning, problem-solving, and leadership, no matter how industries evolve.

Developing Critical Thinkers and Problem-Solvers

Employers today prioritize thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving over technical training. The most in-demand skills include:

  • Analytical thinking and problem-solving
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Resilience, flexibility, and adaptability
  • Critical thinking and the ability to evaluate information
  • Technology literacy and collaboration

At Tessa, these skills develop gradually through inquiry-based exploration, where students:

  • Ask questions and explore concepts through play, observation, and storytelling.
  • Develop logical reasoning skills through problem-solving, comparisons, and cause-and-effect relationships.
  • Track and analyze data to understand trends.
  • Experiment and refine ideas based on evidence.
  • Recognize patterns and apply knowledge to solve real-world challenges.

By building these skills early, students develop the confidence, adaptability, and problem-solving mindset needed to thrive in an evolving world.

Real-World Learning in Action

At Tessa, students intentionally apply their learning across disciplines, ensuring that knowledge leads to deeper inquiry and practical solutions:

  • Mathematical Reasoning – Young learners explore early pattern recognition, group and compare objects, and develop number relationships, leading to complex applications like graphing data, analyzing probability, and solving multi-step problems.
  • Bilingual Communication – Through storytelling, discussion, and analysis, students construct persuasive arguments, engage in meaningful dialogue, and explore how language shapes identity and culture.
  • Project-Based Learning – Students apply concepts in meaningful ways, whether designing playground structures, engineering water filtration systems, or investigating sustainability in their communities.

This structured progression ensures that learning is never passive. It is active, dynamic, and connected to the world around them.

Global Perspective: Bilingualism and Cultural Awareness

In an increasingly interconnected world, navigating multiple languages, cultures, and perspectives is critical. As automation increases, uniquely human skills, like communication, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural collaboration, will remain in high demand.

At Tessa, bilingualism strengthens:

  • Cognitive flexibility, allowing students to switch between tasks and process information from multiple perspectives.
  • Cultural awareness and empathy, helping students engage with diverse backgrounds.
  • Creative and critical thinking, as multilingual learners decode unfamiliar ideas and recognize linguistic patterns.

Through multilingual discussions and exposure to diverse perspectives, students develop the skills to communicate across cultures and think globally. Bilingualism at Tessa is not just about learning another language. It’s about preparing for a global future.

Students across grade levels gather to celebrate the cultural diversity during UN Day at Tessa.

At Tessa, children are introduced to other languages and cultures in order to enhance their cultural awareness; they are bilingual and culturally adaptable.

A Tessa Education: A Foundation for Lifelong Learning

At Tessa, students develop the curiosity, confidence, and adaptability needed to thrive in an unpredictable world. They learn to think critically, communicate effectively, and apply knowledge across disciplines, preparing them for the careers of today and the challenges of tomorrow.

While industries and technologies will continue to evolve, the ability to solve problems, collaborate, and innovate will always be essential. A Tessa education doesn’t just prepare students for what’s next. It prepares them to shape what comes next.

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading international private school?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

 

A parent feels proud for her twin boys' Mandarin Chinese development through Tessa Summer Camp.

How to Plan Ahead for The New Year: A Parent’s Guide

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Planning ahead can help set a positive tone for a prosperous year. As the primary role model for your child, parents and family members’ visioning exemplifies how to create a roadmap for achieving meaningful goals and fostering new opportunities. Goal-setting also serves as a hands-on opportunity for children to develop a sense of direction, focus, and self-regulation in their process and progress. Here are some practical tips to help you get your goals, dreams, and visions on paper and turn them into a reality. 

Involve Your Kid into Family Goalsetting

Encourage your child to participate in family goal-setting conversations and make it a collaborative effort. Even at a young age, children benefit from feeling heard and included and becoming active participants in decisions that shape their routines and aspirations. 

Ask what they would like to accomplish, try, or learn this year. For younger children, this might mean drawing pictures of their dreams, while older kids might enjoy writing or talking about their ideas more detailedly. Always consider these simple, open-ended questions:

  • What would you like to learn this year?
  • What activity makes you more happy?
  • What new skills do you want to try?

These questions open doors to understanding your child’s inner world, transforming planning from a task into a meaningful dialogue.

Create a Family Calendar

Why not transform boring scheduling into a creative family project? You can use a large calendar to map out key events and milestones for the year, including holidays, birthdays, school events, extracurricular activities, and family trips. For younger children, visual markers like stickers or colors help them easily understand the calendar and anticipate special moments. 

A clear family calendar fosters organization and shares an idea of direction with every family member. Be sure to leave space for spontaneous activities, unexpected joys, and unplanned adventures! 

Breaking Down Big Goals into Actionable Steps

Rather than setting goals for the entire year all at once, consider breaking the larger goals into smaller, manageable steps for your kids to build confidence and maintain enthusiasm. 

Take language learning, for instance. Instead of pressuring for fluency, celebrate:

  • Accumulating basic vocabulary and greetings, 
  • Enjoying fun language games, songs, and books, 
  • Engaging in daily conversations with native speakers, 
  • Expanding conversational skills gradually. 

This step-by-step approach builds perseverance and helps your child see progress, keeping their motivation strong throughout the year.

Another straightforward way to promote your child to stay engaged is to divide the year into seasons and pair with unique learning opportunities. For example, winter might inspire indoor creative activities, while spring beckons outdoor exploration. Summer, in particular, becomes a playground for skill-building and trying something new. 

Children engage in physcial activities at Tessa Summer Camp.

Planning valuable seasonal goals help your child focus their energy and prevent anxiety.

Invest in Enriching Activities

Providing enriching experience for your child helps expand their understanding and nurture lifelong skills. You can find many enrichment activities online and within your local community. It’s worth dedicating time to find the ideal options that meet you and your kid’s goals. 

Participating in activities that expose them to different languages or cultures can spark curiosity and global awareness. Tessa’s “Fun, Friends & Adventure” Summer Camp offers campers aged 2-10 an immersive language experience with a perfect balance of academic challenges and outdoor fun. Through ability-appropriate activities for different age groups, Tessa Summer Camp enables every camper to feel supported, inspired, and excited to learn and grow in a way that’s just right for them—all while immersed in Spanish, French, or Mandarin.

Learn more about Tessa Summer Camp 2025 here. 

Stay positive

As you navigate the year, revisit your goals and adjust them as needed. Regularly check in with your child, celebrate every milestone, and help them view challenges as exciting sources for learning.

Most importantly, the journey weighs the same (or even more!) as the destination. A positive mindset will help you and your kid approach new opportunities, such as learning a language or trying a new skill, with enthusiasm and patience.

 

FAQs About Planning for the New Year

Q1: How can I help my child in goalsetting? 

A: Start small and break big goals into achievable steps. For example, if your child wants to learn a new skill, set weekly or monthly milestones. Celebrate each achievement to sustain their passion.

Q2: How to balance structure and flexibility in planning for the year? 

A: Children’s interests and energy levels are always evolving, so a loose framework that allows for adjustments tends to work more effectively than a rigid schedule. Tessa Summer Camp, specifically, provides weekly registration for full or half days with extended hours available, which alleviates parents’ stress of coordinating schedules during the summer break. 

Q3: How does Tessa Summer Camp differ from other summer programs? 

A: The immersive language experience of Spanish, French, or Mandarin guided by native-speaking instructors sets Tessa Summer Camp apart. Children aged 2-10 will embrace a perfect mix of fun academics and outdoor activities. Each week, campers explore new adventures in different fields–either being pilots, vets, astronauts, or more! Each theme features creative age-appropriate activities, an exciting visitor, a special end-of-week show, as well as plenty of physical exercise with a dedicated sports teacher! 

 

By planning ahead with clear goals and enriching experiences, you can help your child thrive in the coming months. Enjoy this incredible time of exploration and collaboration with your child! 

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading language immersion summer program? 

Contact Tessa International School to learn more! 

 

Our Spanish Nursery teacher guides toddlers in language learning.

Raising a Bilingual Toddler: FAQs and Expert Tips for Success

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Can young children handle exposure to two languages? Absolutely! Research shows that bilingual infants – as young as 20 months – are capable of processing two languages efficiently. Bilingual acquisition is a natural and rewarding journey for our toddlers that not only enriches communication but also brings unique cognitive and developmental advantages. Below, we have addressed common concerns parents have about raising bilingual toddlers, backed by research and expert insights.

Commonly Asked Questions

1. Is it too early to start teaching my 2-year-old a second language?

No, starting early is highly advantageous. Early language acquisition is strongly supported by the way children’s brains develop. Toddlers naturally absorb languages without consciously realizing it. A study shows that even babies as young as 4 months can differentiate between language inputs, emphasizing the potential in cognitive development from dual language exposure. 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, children who begin learning second languages before the age of six will have an easier time:

For more insights, watch the last webinar by Kathleen Visconti, our Head of School, on the benefits of bilingualism. You can download the recording of the session here.

2. Will learning two languages confuse my child?

No. Research for decades has debunked this common misconception. In fact, children who have regular and rich exposure to both languages achieve the same milestones in language development at roughly the same pace as monolingual children. Additionally, evidence proves that bilingualism enhances children’s cognitive abilities, such as understanding others’ perspectives and improving problem-solving skills. 

 

Two French Track toddlers actively engage in bilingual learning.

Early exposure to another language ignites children’s learning.

3. How do I balance exposure to two languages?

The “One Parent, One Language” (OPOL) strategy offers a great way to ensure balanced exposure, where each parent consistently speaks only one language to the child. While popular, OPOL can be demanding to maintain. 

Alternatively, to ensure later bilingualism, many experts recommend providing more early input in a minority language and promoting children’s interaction with peers who speak the same language. In this light, a high-quality nursery school program is greatly beneficial, forming a supportive language-immersed environment. 

This is what Tessa International School’s Immersion Model is about. In our nursery program, toddlers start learning French, Spanish, or Mandarin with 80% of the communication and learning activities in the target language. The 80:20 immersion stage builds a strong foundation for bilingual fluency. 

4. What if I don’t speak the second language fluently?

That’s okay! There are still numerous ways to foster second language development. Books, songs, and other resources can be utilized to create an environment that encourages language exploration and learning. 

Don’t know where to start? We curate an array of language-promoting resources for you. For example, you can find French resources recommended by teachers from Tessa French track, accredited by the French Ministry of Education, on our school website. Learning another language with your child will be a unique parenting experience and strengthen your role in their educational journey. 

5. What are the long-term benefits of bilingualism for young children?

The advantages of mastering another language are crystal clear: around 60% of the world population knows more than one language as of 2018. Therefore, bilingualism broadens communication skills, fosters cultural awareness, and opens doors to academic and professional success. 

More importantly than a higher annual salary bracket, there are fascinating and meaningful findings that bilingualism appears to delay the onset of degenerative cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The cognitive stimulation for managing two languages activates multiple aspects of brain activity and compensates for cognitive decline, promoting our children a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life. 

6. What should I do if my child mixes languages?

Language mixing, or code-switching, is a natural phenomenon among non-monolingual learners. It signifies active usage of both languages and bilingual thinking rather than confusion. 

Some researchers suggest that code-switching reflects an intellectual advantage by demonstrating the comprehension of different cultures as well as an understanding of the fundamental structures and functions of language systems. Therefore, the key to supporting your child through language mixing is to encourage appropriate expression and celebrate their bilingual development.. With the right support, your child will learn to separate languages sooner than you can imagine. 

7. How can I make learning two languages fun for my toddler?

Toddlers thrive on playful interactions. There are numerous fun and engaging opportunities for language building through play, music, and books. You can learn more about play-based learning activities practical at home here. 

A parent feels proud for her twin boys' Mandarin Chinese development through Tessa Nursery Program.

At Tessa International School, we provide a bilingual education based on happiness.

8. How much exposure does my child need to become fluent?

There is no exact formula for fluency. Factors like the quality of exposure, age, and family background all play a role in children’s language development. 

“Finally, there is no good measure of ‘enough exposure.’ “

– Dr. François Grosjean, a Professor Emeritus and former Director of the Language and Speech Processing Laboratory at the University of Neuchâtel.

Like any other skill, language learning takes practice and time. Evidence above shows that children who experience two languages from birth consistently have the potential to develop into native speakers of both languages. 

At Tessa International School, our nursery, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary programs provide children with everyday opportunities to practice both languages, fostering natural and lasting fluency.

9. Will my child eventually prefer one language over the other?

The notion of perfectly balanced bilingualism is ideological. In other words, bilingualism is not static, existing on a continuum in which one’s proficiency is constantly changing over time. Bilinguals often have a dominant and a minority language based on complex strands of social, cultural, and educational influences, so it is understandable for people to display language dominance. 

However, Tessa’s Immersion Progression Model is thoughtfully designed to help your child maintain a balance instead of losing these valuable language assets. 

  • 80:20 Immersion Stage: At Tessa, from Nursery through Kindergarten, the majority of instruction (80%) is conducted in the target language to ensure sufficient exposure of the minority language, allowing students to build strong, life-long foundations in the language.
  • 50:50 Dual Language Stage: Starting in Grade 1, students will receive instruction and absorb knowledge in English and the targeted language equally in order to gain proficiency in both. 

You can learn more about the Model here. 

10. Are there specific programs or schools that support bilingualism for toddlers?

Yes! At Tessa International School, we offer world-class bilingual education for ages 2-10. Differing from other schooling programs, our nursery program provides a special introduction to initiate your child to a second language, develops their creativity through various play-based activities, and prepares them to become lifelong learners.

  • A Bilingual Program: When it comes to bilingualism, the earlier the better. Daily exposure to dual languages builds children’s confidence and communication skills, preparing them to become bilingual, adaptable, and active citizens.
  • A World-Class Education: Guided by the International Baccalaureate, our nursery program provides a “roadmap” for toddlers to travel, with options for detours when their curiosity is peaked or the need for student-initiated action occurs. 
  • A Play-Based Curriculum: Balancing structured activities and free play, we encourage children to learn while having fun, inquire and make discoveries for themselves, aligned with one of the three educational pillars of our school mission – Happiness. 

You can download our Nursery Curriculum here. 

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading international private school?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more! 

 

Students wearing protective clothing learn fencing in Tessa Afterschool class.

A List of The Best Afterschool Enrichment Activities

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The purpose of Afterschool enrichment is to provide extended learning opportunities to students. It encourages learners to take a more in-depth look at concepts by researching further, approaching them from different perspectives, and connecting subjects to meaningful facets of the real world. Enrichment also provides opportunities for students to pursue learning in their own areas of interest and strengths. Whatever the activity may involve, the notion or goal is typically the same – encouraging intrinsic curiosity and lifelong learning.

A native-speaking teacher instructs French afterschool enrichment classes to students.

“What can we do when students already know it? ” Afterschool enrichment programs can give the answer.

Examples of Enrichment Activities

While enrichment activities do not have to adhere to a specific curriculum, they should be purposeful and focused, as these elements are integral to a rewarding learning experience. Below is a list of popular enrichment activities that your child(ren) might love.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Despite the growing attention given to STEM education, the 2018 National Survey revealed that students in grades K-3 received  an average of only 18 minutes of science instruction per day. STEM-centered enrichment activities, such as academic tutoring, field trips, math contests, and science fairs, support learners’ overall academic growth and develop their thinking and reasoning skills. 

At Tessa International School, in addition to a thorough Math and STEM instruction during school hours, the Science Club and Math Club foster a community among primary school students, engaging them in educational and enjoyable activities that inspire a lasting interest in STEM. 

Tessa students visited local sewerage authority for their STEM enrichment.

Tessa STEM Afterschool Program offers an enriching environment where children can explore the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

Computer Science and Coding

Coding education in K-12 schools significantly increased over the past decade, with 19 states requiring all public primary schools to offer computer science by 2023. Teaching kids to code ensures they become technologically literate and well-prepared for our increasingly digital world. Activities such as LEGO classes and Minecraft Modding at Tessa also catalyze their interest in coding and provide beginners with insights into the field. 

Language Immersion

It is a well-known fact that children pick up languages more easily than adults due to their environmental and cognitive advantages. Teaching your child a second language at a young age can be both fun and easy, with numerous online and in-person resources readily accessible for you to help educate your bilingual learners. 

Tessaprep Language Classes, for example, offer a multi-sensory and highly interactive environment for students to master a new language and gain a deeper understanding of the multicultural world. 

Sports

Participating in youth sports can promote students’ physical wellness and encourage healthy psychosocial development. The keys to ensuring that children enjoy their sports experiences lie in your hands: first, by helping them choose the appropriate sport based on their abilities and interests; and second, by being a good role model for sportsmanship and commitment. 

Theater and Acting

For kids with a flair for dramatics, theater might just be the perfect fit. Acting in plays allows kids to hone in on several soft skills, including memorization, quick thinking, emotional expression, and the confidence to perform on stage. 

There are various entry points to performing arts, ranging from a DIY approach at home to in-person acting classes. At Tessa International School, afterschool activities such as Musical Theater Dance and Readers’ Theater Club provide students a platform to explore creative and artistic expression while enhancing language development and building confidence. Additionally, watching plays at local theaters and community centers also nurtures the talents of these young minds. 

Music

Whether learning a new instrument and joining the Choir or getting involved with digital music production and organizing their own music band, music is always a popular option of enrichment for students to unleash work pressure and realize creative potential they may have. From family concerts to school club performances, the stage for our children is unlimited. 

Afterschool Enrichment Activities at Tessa

At Tessa, a diverse array of Specials classes filled with enriching opportunities is incorporated into our rigorous curriculum, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education. 

Beyond the school day, our students can participate in a wide spectrum of afterschool enrichment activities, ranging from artistic expression and athletic pursuits to STEM exploration – all thoughtfully designed to cater to students’ interests. A particular highlight is our language classes that are open to all members of the community. Under the guidance of native-speaking teachers with extensive teaching experience, students immerse themselves in new languages and cultures, enriching their global perspective and understanding.

 

Enrichment gives the student more time and space to explore the world and themselves in greater depth, breadth, and complexity. You can find many of these activities online and within your local community, and dedicating time to find the ideal options for your kids can accelerate their learning and improve their self-esteem. Ultimately, our goal during students’ enrichment time at Tessa is to prepare them to confidently step into the wider world, paving the way for a happy and fulfilling life.

 

Are you ready to enroll your child in one of the leading Hoboken private schools? 

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

Teacher teaching Spanish to young learners. They are all sitting in circle on a rug.

Turn Summer Learning Loss into Opportunities for Your Kids

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Summer is an important time for students to recharge from a demanding school year. However, the long summer months also raise concerns about students losing academic ground during the summer break. This phenomenon, also known as the Summer Learning Loss, has garnered significant attention from educators and parents alike.  What is it exactly, and how can we help children avoid it?

With the right strategies in place, parents can help prevent the summer slide.

Is Summer Learning Loss Real? 

Concerns about Summer Learning Loss date back approximately 100 years. With improved methods and larger samples to examine its reality, multiple recent assessments indicate that test scores flatten or drop during the summer. 

  1. With data from 3.4 million students in all 50 states from 2016 to 2018, research found that the median summer losses are fairly large in magnitude, ranging from losses of one to two months in reading and a little more than one to three months of school-year learning in math.  
  2. Across primary grades, between 70% and 78% of students experience a decline in math skills over the summer, and between 62% and 73% show regressions in reading.
  3. A longitudinal study by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that more than two-thirds of the reading achievement gap in 9th grade can be traced back to Summer Learning Loss accumulated during the primary school years.

Students’ learning patterns during summer break differ significantly from those during the school year, making it natural for them to learn less or forget some knowledge over the summer. However, it is also clear across recent studies that summer is a variable time for students. Educational experts advocate for additional summer opportunities to reduce the slowdown or stagnation in students’ learning rates. 

 

“Summer learning loss is common and substantial, but not inevitable. ”

– Megan Kuhfeld, Senior Research Scientist at Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), 2019

 

What Parents Can Do to Help Students

Summer break is not something to overly worry about. It can become an opportunity for students to learn, catch up, or build certain interests. A 2020 American Educational Research Journal (AERJ) study found summer learning outcomes “vary dramatically from child to child,” based on factors including summer activities and parental involvement. 

There are many activities that parents and families can do to mitigate Summer Learning Loss, spark a love of learning in kids, and ensure an engaging summer vacation: 

Travel as a catalyst to children’s growth and development: 

A summer trip can spark your child’s passion for learning and foster a global perspective like no other. Life on the road is the perfect time to develop children’s social skills and cultural appreciation in a language-immersed environment. 

Engage with educational activities from community resources: 

Libraries, museums, and natural parks are trusted places where children make discoveries, expand their knowledge, and connect their natural curiosity to the real world. Learning experiences in these institutions are self-directed, experiential, and content-rich, promoting executive function skills that shape a child’s success in school and life. 

Use the Internet wisely for home-based education: 

A handful of online platforms, services, and publishers have made their content accessible to keep students learning nowadays. Not only does virtual learning allow flexible scheduling, but also a wider range of courses are offered across the Internet to satisfy different children’s levels and interests.

Summer Camps and Programs Can Help

Structured summer programs can provide a balanced mix of learning and fun, ensuring that children stay intellectually engaged while also enjoying their break. 

One of the biggest differences between Tessa Summer Camp and other camps is that we are a language immersion camp, offering a unique and enriching experience for children. At the camp, students continue their language development throughout the summer. Campers love to learn Spanish, French, or Mandarin!

Hear more from our campers’ parents here. 

Tessa Summer Camp enables children to have fun while keeping learning in an immersive environment.

 

Rethinking Summer Learning Loss reinforces our goal of preparing lifelong learners. When schools are out, the whole world becomes our child’s classroom. With the ideas above for inspiration, parents can help students focus on the joy of learning during this golden period. These efforts will serve as a critical bridge for students transitioning between school years, ensuring they return to school ready to progress and excel.

 

Are you ready to explore the only international leading private school in Hoboken?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

We offer bilingual education.

Bilingualism at Tessa International School

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As communities worldwide become more interconnected, bilingualism has emerged as a crucial asset, enriching individuals’ lives in myriad ways. Bilingual instruction is also unparalleled compared to other learning strategies and has proven tremendously beneficial to students. 

At Tessa, bilingualism is one of the three core pillars of our school philosophy that craft our educational approaches. We challenge our students in English, French, Mandarin, or Spanish, empowering them to reach their full potential. 

Benefits of Bilingualism

Beyond facilitating cross-cultural communication, early exposure to bilingual education also offers a wealth of cognitive and academic advantages. 

  • Bilingualism improves executive functioning and builds cognitive connections in the brain – the parts responsible for multitasking, memorizing, focusing, and planning. Findings show that bilingual children are on average 6.5% more efficient in their thinking skills than monolingual children. 
  • Researchers at American University show that by the end of middle school, students in dual-language programs were performing one grade level higher on reading assessments than their peers who were not enrolled in these programs. 
  • In a large-scale study of Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 students, bilingual students outperformed monolingual students in mathematical reasoning and problem solving.

Learn more about advantages to have a bilingual brain through the video below:

Our Immersion Progression Model

Bilingualism is integral to every stage of the education experience at Tessa. To ensure that our students develop strong language skills in both English and the target language, the Immersion Progression Model is strategically designed and applied. For an overview, our 80:20 immersion (Preschool) and 50:50 dual-language (Primary School) teaching approach is designed to promote students to become fully bilingual and biliterate. 

80:20 Immersion Stage: From Nursery through Kindergarten, the majority of instruction (80%) is conducted in the target language, allowing students to build strong, life-long foundations in the language.

“Bilingualism is an experience that shapes our brain for a lifetime.”

– Dr. Gigi Luk, the associate professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education

50:50 Dual Language Stage: Starting in Grade 1, students will receive instruction and absorb knowledge in English and the targeted language equally in order to gain proficiency in both. 

To meet this ideal, different language teachers – all of whom are native speakers of the language they teach – regularly collaborate to exchange their classroom observations and enhance the learning experience. Our teachers not only teach the language but also teach content through the target language, which enables students to gain linguistic competence while making academic progress in core subjects, including Science, Social Studies, Language & Literacy, and Math.

 

Check out this short video of our students talking about bilingualism: 

 

The power of bilingualism is undeniable, conferring a multitude of advantages that improve individuals’ lives and enhance society as a whole. By embracing bilingualism, our students are prepared to navigate the complexities of the globalizing world with confidence and proficiency.

 

Are you ready to explore the only international leading private school in Hoboken? 

Contact Tessa International School to learn more! 

A boy is reading a book.

How Bilingual Children Learn to Read

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It is a common misconception that bilingual students might lag behind their monolingual peers in reading proficiency. In fact, decades of research have proved that bilingual students may become advanced readers and show advantages over their peers in a single-language learning environment. With encouragement and practice, bilingual children are able to achieve full biliteracy! 

How Bilingualism Puts Readers at An Advantage

A bilingual student is reading.

Bilingual education enables students to develop key components of successful reading.

Metalinguistic Awareness Development

Research has shown that bilingual children possess more elaborate reading strategies than monolingual children, presumably due to higher metalinguistic skills. 

Metalinguistic awareness refers to the ability to reflect upon and manipulate the structure of language. It is a set of skills that are related to multiple linguistic elements, including phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical awareness. To some extent, bilingual children can transfer these skills involved in learning one language to another, consequently accelerating their language learning.

Literacy Acquisition

As bilingual children develop their metalinguistic skills and language proficiency, they can gain further advantages in literacy acquisition. Exposure to multiple languages from a young age enables them to better understand the word structure and build a broader vocabulary range. These foundational capabilities could explain the finding that bilinguals tend to spell more complex vocabulary words in later grades.

“Students in dual-language immersion programs perform as well as, or better than, their peers in core academic content areas by late elementary school. […] By the end of middle school, students in dual-language programs were performing one grade level higher on reading assessments than their peers who were not enrolled in these programs.”

– Researchers from American University, 2016

Cognitive Development

Bilingualism fosters cognitive development, providing students with a robust cognitive reserve. Bilingual individuals typically exhibit stronger working memories and attention spans, contributing to academic and behavioral enhancements. Moreover, their ability to switch between languages cultivates flexible thinking and problem-solving skills. By navigating between different linguistic systems, bilingual students become adept at critically evaluating and resolving complex tasks.

 

Bridging the Gap: How Bilingual Children Excel in Reading Over Time

Bilingual children’s journey to reading proficiency is shaped by unique factors, including their exposure to two languages. Research shows that bilingualism does not confuse or delay reading development—in fact, it can lead to advantages over monolingual peers. For instance, children exposed to two languages from birth (simultaneous bilinguals) often outperform monolinguals in phonological awareness tasks, such as identifying or manipulating sounds in words. Meanwhile, children who acquire a second language later, such as sequential bilinguals learning English in school, may initially rely more heavily on vocabulary skills. However, by the fourth grade, these sequential bilinguals typically catch up to their peers, demonstrating no lasting disadvantages in reading development. This highlights the resilience and adaptability of bilingual learners as they navigate two linguistic systems, ultimately fostering stronger cognitive and language skills.

How to Help Bilingual Students Gain Reading Fluency

Our teacher helps students in literacy acquisition.

With sufficient support, students can boost their reading abilities in both languages.

Even though bilingual education can provide students with many unique strengths, without proper instruction, their literacy in one language may become stunted. Here is a list of possible methods that adults can use to promote their students’ reading skills:

  • Recognize differences between the languages that may confuse emergent bilingual students. For example, extra support may be necessary for English-speaking students learning the Chinese writing system. 
  • Select strategically between the simultaneous and sequential dual-language programs for students. For instance, the Immersion Progression Model at Tessa International School facilitates a smooth transition from full immersion to balanced bilingual education, ensuring optimal language development.
  • Assign reading tasks in both languages to reinforce literacy skills across all languages in a student’s repertoire.
  • Encourage students to read aloud to each other, providing opportunities for collaboration and confidence-building.
  • Engage families in students’ bilingual language development by providing take-home library books and other resources to strengthen language skills outside the classroom. 

 

Fostering positive attitudes toward bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism is essential for creating optimal learning environments. While the journey may differ from traditional monolingual learning, bilingual education offers unique advantages that empower bilingual children to excel in reading and language skills for a lifetime.

 

Are you ready to explore the leading international private school in Hoboken? 

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

Students of Tessa International School with their Mandarin teacher

10 Reasons You Should Choose Chinese Immersion For Your Children

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Why encourage your child to learn Chinese? Research shows learning other languages has cognitive and cultural benefits on developing minds. It also strengthens our sense of global awareness and unity, in and outside the classroom! Each language has its own unique benefits, and Mandarin’s are numerous. Some believe that learning Chinese is one of the best investments you can make! 

A primary school teacher instructs Mandarin to her Grade 1 students at Tessa International School's Mandarin Track.

Learning Mandarin Chinese, one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, can be a rewarding experience, offering cultural understanding and professional opportunities.

1. Chinese is the native language for 20% of the world’s population

Learning Chinese creates an immediate connection between your child and 1/5 of the world’s population. That’s amazing! Even if you have no plans to set foot in a Chinese-speaking country any time soon, there are nearly 50 million Chinese who live outside of China.

2. Learning Chinese will be a career advantage

Career advantages for learning Chinese are numerous. The ability to communicate to over one billion people has major value in the job marketplace. Of course, this includes companies in China and other Mandarin speaking countries. But companies all around the world are striving to tap into the Chinese marketplace, and you’ll immediately differentiate yourself if you can speak Mandarin.

3. Chinese isn’t phonics based. Learning it is memory-intensive

Kids have the best memory capacities in the world.  The Chinese language isn’t phonics-based so you can’t learn a small set of alphabets/sounds and be able to read the language. It’s all memorization so the sooner your kids start, the better. Learning Chinese will strongly develop your child’s memorization skills. 

4. It’s really an art class

Chinese characters are made up of multiple components that fit together to create meaning and pronunciation. As children will mostly be learning pictographs and characters that have clearer visual meaning, characters become mini pictures. This can make learning characters a lot more fun and easier for children to both remember the characters by creating stories and writing by constructing pictures for each one. 

5. Mandarin helps having a better interpretation of symbols

Since Mandarin writing relies on thousands of characters, learners of Mandarin Chinese have to read and interpret a vast number of visual symbols, activating more regions of the brain than English, which relies on a phonetic alphabet. Through learning Mandarin, children can become more adept at visual communication, more readily interpreting symbols in visual art and understanding nuances in symbolism and visual communication.

6. Chinese will give English-speaking children a different paradigm for thinking

Languages affect the way we think, and therefore our perspectives. Giving kids a different language, particularly one so different from their native tongue, means we are also giving them a different paradigm for thinking. Bilingual kids are more likely to see things from different perspectives, and they are more likely to be emphatic with others.

7. Learning the Chinese language is the prerequisite for learning the Chinese culture and history

Language learning enables us to unveil the deep meanings embedded in cultural concepts, idioms, and historical texts, which are too complex to be fully captured in translation. Classical Chinese poetry, for instance, relies on linguistic nuances and historical allusions that lose depth when translated, making it difficult to fully appreciate works like Li Bai’s verses. Similarly, Confucian teachings, such as 仁 (rén)—often translated as “benevolence”—embody layers of philosophical and cultural significance that require a deep understanding of the language. To truly understand a culture, learning its language is essential.

8. Mandarin contributes to developing stronger Math skills

Yes, there is actually a scientific correlation between learning Mandarin and improved mathematical ability. Scientists theorize that because Mandarin representation of numbers is less abstract than Arabic numbers, and because the act of practicing handwriting requires repeated counting, young children gain greater familiarity with math and with numeric thinking. In learning Mandarin, the mathematical concepts are integral to the language fluency, and not a separate subject activating a different part of the brain.

Because Mandarin Chinese involves learning language, sounds, drawing, and math all at once, it activates more regions of the brain and improves cognitive development overall, even in adults. In fact, speakers of Mandarin use more of their brain more of the time, unlike English speakers who tend to alternate between left and right hemispheres. In theory, this more balanced brain could lead to greater overall creativity, enhanced problem-solving, and increased emotional intelligence.

9. Speaking Mandarin may offer kids a musical edge

Kids who speak Mandarin may outperform kids who speak English in at least one aspect of musical ability — perceiving pitch. Pitch refers to how high or low a sound’s frequency is. In tonal languages, such as Mandarin, pitch is very important. These languages use different pitch patterns to give meaning to words.

10. Your child will become bilingual in Chinese in a way they never could have otherwise

Immersion is the most efficient (and some would say the only) way to gain fluency in a target language, and Mandarin Chinese is no exception. The Chinese language is often considered one of the world’s most difficult languages to learn, but this sentiment is a major oversimplification. Like any language, learning Chinese has its challenges. Placing your child in an ideal learning environment, such as a language-rich program like Tessa Mandarin Immersion Program, is key to learning Chinese. 

Mandarin Chinese Programs at Tessa International School

Tessa Mandarin Immersion programs combine the US Common Core and Chinese National Standards with the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework to provide a comprehensive bilingual education from Nursery to Grade 5. Our program is designed to nurture bilingual Mandarin and English speakers while fostering a global perspective, critical thinking, and cultural awareness.

 

 

Are you ready to discover Hoboken’s leading international private school?

Contact Tessa International School to learn more!

 

The Environmental Advantages of Language Learning in Young Children

The Environmental Advantages of Language Learning in Young Children

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As any adult who has ever attempted to learn a new language or skill can tell you, picking things up later in life seems to be much more difficult than it was as a young child. No matter how hard you study or how many times you try to master a new skill, the older we get, the harder it becomes to pick things up. So, do children really learn faster than adults or is there a trick to their ability to grasp language concepts and skills at a more effective and efficient rate?

Language Learning Differences with Age

You may assume that a younger brain is more conditioned to learn, much the same as a younger body is more physically able to compete in triathlons than an older body. While you wouldn’t exactly be wrong, the process of conditioning a brain for learning is much more complex than simply age. It’s true that we do lose brain power as we age – particularly reducing our ability to pick up new items and retain new information – a fact which has a direct result on the rate in which we learn (obviously). It’s not as simple as saying adults learn slower than children because of age, however. Understanding how our minds change as we age is key to grasping why we learn differently at various stages of our lives.

“As a person gets older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. Certain parts of the brain shrink, especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities. In certain brain regions, communication between neurons (nerve cells) can be reduced… These changes in the brain can affect mental function, even in healthy older people,” explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

While our brains undergo degeneration and deterioration naturally over the years, this still does not account for a complete picture on learning differences over the ages. In other words, yes, aging minds are physically less capable of learning as younger minds, but not to the extent that thoroughly explains why children are able to pick up learning new languages and subjects so much faster.

Unconscious Learning Vs Conscious Learning

Outside of the physical difference of young minds versus older minds, there is another piece of the puzzle that helps to explain how children learn so much faster than adults: unconscious learning versus conscious learning. In the simplest definition, unconscious learning is that which takes place without even trying. Think of it as picking up a favorite line or phrase from a movie you’ve seen a few times – you didn’t intend to learn it, you just picked it up and remembered it while watching in enjoyment. Conscious learning then, is the opposite. It’s the intentional act of trying to learn a new task or subject. This form of learning is like trying to study for a test or memorize new policies or manuals for work.

So, how does this translate to language learning as children versus as adults? It’s really quite simple; young children tend to learn unconsciously while adolescents and adults lean more on conscious learning habits. Young children do not focus on studying specific grammar books, diagrams, or memorization – in fact, they don’t focus on learning at all. Instead, young children inadvertently pick up information like a sponge by simply absorbing what they see around them. Adults, on the other hand, spend hours poring over learning techniques and specifics, trying to memorize new information and, subsequently, absorb less information in the process.

Environmental Advantages of Language Learning

“(Children) are literally built to absorb information; they do this in an unconscious state of mind, like they’re learning, and they don’t even know it. Adults and older children, on the other hand, have to consciously learn the information which makes it harder because when we learn that way, information sometimes gets lost or disassociated,” explains the Instructor Blog for Penn State’s SC200 Course.

In addition to picking up learning cues unconsciously, the environments in which children learn are more conducive to information absorption as well. As children, we are encouraged and praised for the very concept of learning despite not picking up proper grammar cues or techniques. Children are met with smiles, accolades and support when they are able to communicate the basics of a new concept or language because they are not expected to learn all of the details all at once. This allows them to grow by picking up specifics a little at a time without fear of failure or sounding unintelligent if they don’t get something 100% correct.

On the flip side, older children and adults are often faced with (sometimes paralyzing) fear over sounding like anything less than a native speaker on their topic of study. In other words, adults have a fear of failing or making mistakes and being criticized for said mistakes which can (and does) inhibit the ability to fully absorb and learn through their environments.

Immersion and Bilingualism

Closely linked to the environmental advantages to learning – particularly with language learning – is the difference of learning through immersion. Immersion is the act of learning by being fully immersed in the topic of study for at least 50 percent of the time. In terms of bilingualism, it means learning by being in an environment which speaks the language being learned for at least half of your time awake each day. This is something which has benefits for both adults and young children, but again, there are differences in the rate at which each pick up the immersion learning cues.

While immersion is a highly productive method of learning, adults and children still pick things up at different rates. Referring back to the previous differences, despite being immersed in language learning, adults are still prone to cognitive degeneration inhibiting their ability to learn as well as holding on to the same fear of mistakes. It all boils down to a combination of both physical deterrents as well as environmental inhibitors that present as learning obstacles with age. It is the overall healthier cognitive functionality in combination with more favorable environmental stimulants (among other, more unique, criteria) that ultimately gives children the advantage when it comes to learning new languages and other topics more quickly than their older selves are capable of pulling off years later.

Join us at Tessa International School

Discover why our bilingual curriculum is recognized as one of the best. Learn how we combine academic excellence with engaging, interactive experiences that foster global awareness.

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Join us at Tessa International School

Discover why our bilingual curriculum is recognized as one of the best. Learn how we combine academic excellence with engaging, interactive experiences that foster global awareness.

Office: (201) 755-5585 | Location: 720 Monroe St. Hoboken, NJ 07030