Introduction: Say goodbye to “dumb foreign languages” and bring language learning back to life.
While traditional foreign language teaching often plunges children into the cycle of “memorizing vocabulary → doing exercises → not daring to speak”, the Glacier au pair program opens another door for children: through the companionship of young people from Europe and the United States, the foreign language becomes a “tool” rather than a “task” for daily communication. The au pair program opens another door for children: through the companionship of young people from Europe and America, they can make foreign language a "tool" rather than a "task" in their daily communication, master the language naturally in a relaxed atmosphere, and gain a cross-cultural perspective.
Au pair for Kakuraishi: Who is it?
The au pairs screened by Gerlach are current/prospective students in their 20's from Europe and the United States who possess the following qualities:
- Love of children: experience with relatives/neighbors, some with part-time tutoring experience;
- Cultural identity: curious about Chinese culture and willing to integrate into family life;
- Non-professional teachers: not full-time teachers trained in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), but good at interacting in ways that children enjoy.
Parents don't step in the trap: au pairs are not “textbook teachers”.”
Many parents mistake au pairs for “home tutors” and ask them to create a 6-month teaching program and use textbooks - this wastes the au pair's core strengths:
- Au pairs specialize in life accompaniment rather than systematic instruction;
- Forced “textbook teaching” can cause children to lose interest in active communication and au pairs to become uncomfortable.
Court Leahy suggested:Think of your au pair as a “family partner” rather than a “substitute teacher” and let language learning happen in a natural setting.
III. Immersion accompaniment: the “invisible classroom” of foreign language learning”
Au pairs live with a family for 3-12 months, where the foreign language becomes a “necessity” for the child to express his/her needs and share his/her happiness:
- Breakfast: The au pair smiles and asks “Want milk or juice?”, to which the child naturally responds “I want milk with honey!
- Play: Build blocks together, the au pair says “Pass me the red block, please?” and the child repeats “Red block” as they pass it;
- When going on a trip: When you see a bird, the au pair points and says “Look, a sparrow!” and the child imitates the pronunciation. ......
With these real-life conversations, there is no pressure to be right or wrong, but only a need to communicate, so that children can overcome their mute foreign language skills without even realizing it, and improve their fluency in listening and speaking.
IV. 4 Core Values of Au Pair Companionship
- Pure language cultivation: native speaker's authentic pronunciation, daily slang, let the child master the “living foreign language”;
- Interest-driven learning: Through games, crafts, stories and other interactions, children are motivated to actively speak a foreign language;
- Reinforcement of situational practice: Use the foreign language in life situations to memorize it more deeply and avoid “learning and forgetting”;
- Expanding cross-cultural horizons: learn about European and American holiday customs and ways of thinking, and develop a sense of global citizenship.
Fifth, the professional protection of the Court Laixi: so that families can choose with confidence
As an agency specializing in au pair services, Gerlach takes a strict approach to each family:
- Three levels of screening: background check (no criminal record) → verification of nursing experience → language proficiency assessment;
- Personalized matching: We match the most suitable au pair according to the child's age, foreign language needs (English/French/German, etc.) and the family's habits;
- Full support: 24-hour problem coordination is provided during the program to ensure that the family and au pair live in harmony.
Conclusion: Starting your child's journey to “natural growth” in a foreign language
If you would like to free your child from the boredom of learning a foreign language and gain fluency and intercultural competence in the company of your child, please contact Glacier to enquire about our au pair program. Our professional team will customize a solution for you, so that your child's foreign language learning can be “twice as effective”.
Glacier--Connecting the world with companionship, making growth more natural