West considering after-school elementary language program

• Reprints

Updated: March 1, 2012 8:07AM

AURORA — Nataly Rios, the student member of the West Aurora School Board, was 11 years old when she began to learn English.

Had she learned it an even earlier age, things might have been easier, the West High senior said.

With proposed changes in the district’s world languages curriculum, West Aurora students may have the chance to learn a foreign language even earlier than that.

The West Aurora School Board is considering offering an elementary school world language after-school program at locations to be announced, beginning next year.

“The earlier they learn it, the more proficient they can become,” world languages chairman Christi Castenson said.

An emphasis has been placed in the district on finding ways to expose students to foreign languages at a younger age, she said. All the research points to children being able to better comprehend what they are learning while they are younger.

The foreign language opportunities for grade school students in the district will be back on the School Board agenda for discussion on Feb. 6.

Board member Allyson Herget said she was excited to see the extra academic opportunity for students. She pointed out, however, that it may be difficult to work out transportation requirements for the program.

She said the district is having difficulty providing transportation for its current after-school activities. Herget said she wants to make sure that students have a way to get back and forth if their parents cannot bring them or pick them up.

“I think we need to make something available to them,” she said.

Erin Slater, district director of curriculum and instruction, said that they are factoring that into the discussions on the program.

The district will be examining additional opportunities for foreign languages at the elementary school level, Castenson said.

“It seems like in today’s global society, knowing a (second) language is a step ahead for anyone,” Castenson said.