Toddlers as young as just a few months old are learning how to become bilingual thanks to weekly language classes being taught at Jesmond Library.

The French and Spanish classes, attended by around 50 children, are being led by Ruth Gibson who has 26 years of teaching experience, with 13 years focused on working with babies and young children.

Scientific research has found that early infancy is the prime time to learn a foreign language, because young children have highly active brains that can differentiate between different sounds in all languages. Gibson said her key aim is to let the children hear a language and get used to the pronunciation. She said that infants can absorb any language from birth, so the accumulation of language prepares them for learning in school. The sessions also encourage social interaction and increase confidence.

Gibson is assisted by seven tutors and the maximum number of babies and young toddlers is eight per class, with children of similar ages placed together. “Small class sizes are most effective, because they allow us to give lots of attention to the young children and keep them engaged,” said Gibson.

She follows something called the La Jolie Ronde (LJR) teaching approach which has been providing French and Spanish language learning to children since 1983. “It has never been more valuable to speak a foreign language, yet it is considered a difficult school subject and too many children are opting out,” said LJR marketing manager Mala Henry. “LJR dispels misconceptions to ensure that language learning becomes a thoroughly positive experience.”

A key aspect of the LJR programme is interactive learning. Gibson recently used the beach as a topic in a French class. The children played with sunglasses, swimwear and beach-themed toys to aid learning vocabulary. Gibson also uses music to engage the children. She said that babies and toddlers respond well to music, because songs become familiar and they enjoy sing-alongs.

Parent Jenny Sainsbury said, “I have been very impressed with the fun baby and toddler French classes. My three year old loves the songs and games, and all the children in the class have picked up a surprising amount in less than a term. My 12-month-old also gets great pleasure from the musical instruments, bubbles and other imaginative props used to supplement the lessons. It’s a really lovely way to spend the morning, and super that it’s so flexible with drop-in options for attendance.”

French classes at Jesmond Library are at 9.45am each Thursday, while Spanish starts at 10.35am. As well as the library classes, Gibson also runs lunchtime and after school language clubs.

The pay-as-you-go cost for attending a class is £7 per family. There is a discount when paying for a full term, with classes costing £6 per family. Email languagesjesmond@yahoo.co.uk for more information.