LITTLE PIM BLOG
Constance Zimmer of HBO's Entourage loves Little Pim!
Sometimes when I am watching my four-year old and fourteen month-old squabble over cheese puffs or when I've been playing "come and get me" complete with crawling under dining room table one too many times, my mind drifts to my alter ego... an accomplished professional woman wheeling and dealing with the big boys in a Prada suit, who would never have a smudge of baby yogurt on her needs-a-dry-cleaning jacket that she tries to get out with a napkin at work. This alter ego looks something like... DANA GORDON, the beautiful no-nonsense studio executive on HBO's hit show Entourage who engages in hilarious love-hate banter with ARI GOLD (Jeremy Pivens). In the last season, DANA was the second in charge at a major motion picture studio, looked fantastic, and was at the top of her game. So imagine how thrilled I was to learn that Constance Zimmer, who plays DANA GORDON on Entourage, is using Little Pim with her daughter Coco! They were recently photographed at a Little Pim event at The Tree House Social Club in Los Angeles and Celebrity Babies picked up the story. Constance's daughter Coco is 15-months old, and Constance would like her to speak French, like her dad, Russ Lamoureux, so they have been watching the French DVDs at home. Constance says, "Little Pim is fun for her [Coco] and something we enjoy doing together.”
Merci bien Constance et Coco! And thanks Constance, for reminding me that behind some of those glamorous, perfectly put together stars we see on TV...is another mom like us!
Behind the Scenes Making Little Pim's First CD
We recently recorded songs for our upcoming Little Pim CDs in French and Spanish, which we'll be releasing this summer. As a filmmaker, I've had the chance to go "behind the scenes" on countless films, but I had never been part of a CD production. It was so much fun! We had kids (including my son Emmett, seen here with Adele and Adrian) do backup in French and Spanish and brought in two very talented singers, Violette de Bartillat for the French and Barbara Brousal to sing Spanish. We had three popular Milkshake songs for them to sing that the band adapted to include Little Pim vocabulary, and that we then translated into French and Spanish. Both Violette and Barbara have beautiful voices and perfect accents in French and Spanish. Their love of kids and music really came through when they sang and I felt like I had front row seats at a rock concert.
I also learned how you make harmony: the singers sing the song, then hear it played back in their headphones and sing harmony with themselves. On one of our songs, a beautiful lullaby called "When you are Sleeping", they actually layered in three different harmonies. Here is a little taste of the Spanish version. I hope you'll love the songs as much as I do.
Parents want to Know: How Is Little Pim Like The Pimsleur Method?
Many parents who research Little Pim soon discover my name is Julia Pimsleur Levine, and want to know if I have a connection to well-known Pimsleur Method. The Pimsleur Method was created by my father, Dr. Paul Pimsleur. The next question is usually whether and how my father's work influenced Little Pim. I grew up with my father’s ground-breaking research into how people acquire second languages, so the Pimsleur Method was certainly part of the inspiration for Little Pim and a big influence. The Little Pim method is entirely different from the Pimsleur Method, as it was designed for young children, not adults. I drew from research on how babies, toddlers and little kids learn languages and worked with Dr. April Benasich, a leading neuroscientist from Rutgers University. I am proud to be continuing my father's legacy with Little Pim (Dr. Pimsleur passed away in 1977). In many ways our teaching series is a natural extension of my father's early work; before he created the Pimsleur Method, he spent many months studying how children learn languages. In fact, he was trying to recreate for adults the ease with which children can acquire second and third languages.
Here are some of the teaching principles shared by Little Pim and the Pimsleur Method as well as an explanation of how they differ:
1. Graduated Interval Recall - One of the key reasons the Pimsleur Method works, is it uses Graduated Interval Recall, first used by my father, in which words you have been taught are brought back to your attention at exactly the right moment before you're about to forget them. Little Pim also uses a recall method, which is particularly effective with kids since they have a natural love of repetition and keep coming back for more.
2. Immersion - The Pimsleur Method uses total audio immersion, and Little Pim uses both visual and audio immersion. The addition of visuals is integral to Little Pim's entertainment immersion method. I know as a mother, and it was confirmed by my research, that kids won't learn unless they're having fun, so we have brought the fun to the forefront in Little Pim. Making the series' teacher a loveable panda and including real kids involved in joyous every day activities like blowing bubbles, playing with toys and eating yummy foods, are all part of what keeps little ones entertained. Our focus on immersion is just as central to the Little Pim methodology as it is in the Pimsleur method for adults. Native speakers do all the teaching in our DVDs, through Little Pim the Panda.
3. Core Vocabulary - The Pimsleur Method focuses on teaching commonly used words in order to lead to a comprehensive understanding of a “core vocabulary.” Similarly Little Pim teaches young children a carefully selected 60 words per DVD (180 in the 3-disc series). These are essential words in the language they will be able to use right away and build from, to create a variety of phrases. After all, exposure to language is more than memorizing vocabulary and rote phrases. The 60 words are re-combined to form new sentences, which expands the language experience to include a variety of ways to use words in different daily situations.
Of course, the most important influence of all, was that my father instilled in me a love of language learning and teaching languages. Like my father, I think language learning should be fun, easy, and teach words you can use immediately.
Zanes en espa ol
This Sunday, rather than listen to Emmett's favorite French CD for the 1,199th time, we popped in Dan Zanes' new ¡Nueva York! CD and gave it a whirl. The disc features songs in both Spanish and English, all with a fun, modern sound that makes it as listenable for adults as it is addictive for kids. Zanes is one of the most popular childrens' singers around -- along the lines of Raffi --- and is local to the New York area (I think Brooklyn). I find listening to music in another language is a great way to familiarize your kids with basic words and phrases in a context that can last a lifetime. Think about how long you hold onto song lyrics, even those you heard as a wee child. Sometimes by the end of a crazy day I can't even remember what I ate for breakfast, but I'll never forget the words to "Frère Jacques," which I learned in grade school in France, or the entire Carly Simon repertoire, which is burned into my brain, for better or for worse.
My interest in Zanes and his music is of course an extension of my fascination with fun language learning, and the planning that is going into Little Pim's CD project. What's really great about ¡Nueva York! in particular, for both existing fans and those new to Dan Zanes, is his decision to use the album as an opportunity to work with many talented artists and musicians, including Barbara Brousal, an accomplished vocalist and frequent Zanes collaborator who taught Spanish at St. Anne's grade school for nine years and may very well be the Spanish singer on our Little Pim CD. We are so thrilled at the prospect of working with such a talented musician on our project. But until our CD is ready, I suggest sampling ¡Nueva York! For Parents trying to teach their kids Spanish, this is a lively creative selection to add to the mix. Hasta pronto!
Milkshake, Music, and Little Pim
Last Saturday afternoon, Emmett and I went to see the kids’ band Milkshake perform at the new 92nd Street Y in Tribeca. Milkshake has been a longtime favorite in our household. Their line about "goat stew" in the song "Breakfast Time" makes Emmett collapse in fits of laughter. When I started thinking about putting together a music CD to complement the Little Pim series, Lisa Matthews and her merry band were at the top of my crazy wish list. I felt like I had won the kiddie music jackpot when they recently agreed to work with Little Pim.
In the audience at the show, I was reminded of all the reasons Milkshake were my top choice as collaborators. They tend to be parents' favorites in their kids' music collection. Their songs are cheerful and contemporary, their lyrics a great balance of cutely cloaked lessons and unabashed silliness. The band exudes a contagious positive energy and has a unique understanding of how to capture childrens’ attention. On stage, dressed as a baseball player in a tutu, Lisa batted big blow up balls for kids to catch in the audience while playing “Baseball.” During “Bottle of Sunshine,” she held up a big plastic bottle and showered the kids with thousands of squares of yellow confetti – a little kid’s dream.
At one point Lisa addressed the audience saying, “Our drummer can count to ten in Spanish. Can anyone in the audience count to ten in other languages?” I was astounded at the number of little hands that flew up around me. Emmett was chosen to count in French, and another child in the audience rattled off one-to-ten in Spanish. A two-and-a-half year old behind me counted to ten in Chinese, effortlessly. I even heard shouts of Korean numbers, recognizing them from when I used to watch Emmett’s tae-kwon-do class yell them out together during their push-ups: "Ha-na, tul, set!"
I later joked with Lisa, asking her if she threw this element into the show for my benefit. Of course, multiculturalism is a big part of Milkshake’s winning formula, and it’s a big part of the reason I am excited and honored to work with them in the near future.
International Toy Fair
Little Pim Co. just returned from the International Toy Fair in New York City, where we had a booth. We spent four days meeting buyers, talking to owners of big and small book and toy stores across the country about the virtues of starting language learning at an early age. We also drank way too much coffee. We got to see lots of cool toys - everything from bugs that dance using solar power to magical flying fairies to the latest releases from the big toy companies. There were a few educational items I wanted to share that can help you introduce your children to a foreign language:
Lindenwood Blocks
These high quality hand-crafted looking blocks are available in numerous languages. Each set provides complete alphabets, numerals and animal pictures. The blocks are made from Michigan basswood with child-safe inks and are also perfectly sized for little hands.
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Geopuzzles
Invented by a dad from Wisconsin who created Geopuzzles to help his three children learn geography.
I fell in love with the puzzle where the pieces are shaped liked countries (I was worried my one year old would swallow Andorra, but he assured me they couple countries so that no piece is smaller than one inch). This puzzle can provide a great way for you to teach your child where other countries are and what languages they speak there.
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Kingka Sholeen Lou-Hsiao is a teacher and mother who was helping her two-year old son to learn Chinese when she had the idea to create a fun, hands-on way for him to learn his characters. Kingka is a memory game that teaches over 50 characters and is easy to play, even for parents who don't speak any Chinese.
Sholeen teaches in Montessori schools and the game has been adopted by many top preschools around the country.
Parents Want To Know: Can Learning Two Languages Cause Speech Delays?
Speaking to Metro Moms in Dallas, TX
As a mom, I am very sensitive to this issue - I know how eager I was for Emmett to speak once he began using a few words at age 18 months, and understand why mothers would be concerned about doing anything to delay speech in their children. There is widespread scientific research that proves that learning and/or exposing your child to a second language at an early age will not cause your child to speak English later or less well; that on the contrary, it is a boon. Yet because people used to think that there could be negative side effects to learning two languages as once, some people continue to think so. The fact is that babies, toddlers and preschoolers are actually able to learn up to three languages at once without confusion. Early foreign language exposure enhances a child’s primary language development, and his or her brain power. Experts have dismissed the idea that bilingualism can be confusing for a young child. “This idea was dramatically reversed in a landmark study by Elizabeth Peal and Wallace Lambert at McGill University in Montreal that showed a general superiority of bilinguals over monolinguals in a wide range of intelligence tests and aspects of school achievement” (Dr. Ellen Bialystok, Professor of Psychology at York University, Canada). Dr. Bialystok has even done studies that show that young children who speak a second language have a cognitive edge over monolingual children.
So go ahead and teach your little one "j'ai soif" or "tengo hambre" with confidence! You will be helping them to achieve a better accent and fluency later on and enhance their social and verbal skills.
To read more about the scientific studies supporting learning two languages go to http://www.littlepim.com/about/what-scientists-say/
In 2009 a Majority of the World is Multi-Lingual...Shouldn t your Kids Be?
I watched the inauguration yesterday and shared the renewed sense of hope so many of us felt, and was also reminded that we have a long way to go to repair our country domestically, and our standing internationally. Barack Obama has already generated a lot of good will abroad and thanks to his election, we are well-poised to regain a favorable position in world politics.
During his campaign Obama recognized the importance of children learning second languages as a way of bringing our world closer and making our children more competitive in the global marketplace. Then there is the "global humanplace" which is equally important. Obama himself was raised in several countries and exposed to at least three languages growing up. Below is an excerpt from one of his campaign speeches:
"We should have every child speaking more than one language." It's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is 'merci beaucoup.' A foreign language is a powerful tool to becoming more employable in the global economy ... and children learn languages easier than adults. – Barack Obama
In many countries outside the U.S. kids are learning several languages as a matter of course at an early age. While our school system does not introduce a second language until middle school, there are many things we can do to give our children the advantages of two or even three languages at an early age. Playing music, reading books and watching DVDs in other languages are all part of making another language and easy and enjoyable part of our children's brain food. Visit Helpful Teaching Tips section for tips on making language learning fun for your children.
Parents Want To Know: What language should I teach my child?
Many parents write in and ask me questions about foreign language learning, and so occasionally the blog will feature a question/answer. Today's question is "How do I decide what foreign language to teach my child?"
Maybe you are like many parents who know they want to start their child on a second language early but don’t know which to choose. The first thing you should know is that you can't go wrong. Whatever language you choose, starting your young child on the path to learning a foreign language paves the way for your child to have a good accent, to have the chance of being fluent, and makes it easier for them to learn whatever language they choose to study later on in life. You are giving them the foundation, and they will reap the benefits for a lifetime. A book that is great for introducing your child to the idea that different languages are spoken around the world is Babar's World Tour, where the French elephant Babar takes his family on a trip around the world and his children learn to say phrases in all the different languages.
To many people, the obvious answer to "which language?" in the U.S. is Spanish since it is spoken by over 34 million people in our country. However, this should not necessarily be the only determining factor in your choice. I find parents are more likely to reinforce the learning if they choose a second language to which at least one of the parents has some connection. If one of the parents is fluent in the language that is obviously an advantage, but is not necessary for the child to pick it up. Many moms write to tell me how fun it was for them to see that their high school Spanish or French came back to them while watching Little Pim (it beats singing "I love you" with Barney). Your child can always choose a different language later on; at this early phase, it's most important to give them the framework and a sense that learning and speaking a second language can be fun.
For people who want more concrete answers, here are the “official” Little Pim guidelines for choosing a language:
1) Pick a language you like, perhaps have always wanted to speak (even if it's not the most practical) and that you will enjoy hearing and practicing with your child.
2) Pick a language that you can reinforce easily through native speaking caretakers and or kids, local or international trips, live music and CDs or language classes.
3) Pick a language your partner/spouse/fellow caretakers agree(s) on and make a plan together for how to bring this language into your home through DVDs, music and in person speaking.
4) If your child is old enough (15 months +), try out the different languages and see which one he or she responds to most.
Penny is a French speaking polar bear
One of my son Emmett's favorite stuffed animals is a polar bear puppet we named Penny the Polar Bear. Penny, as she likes to be called, is one of my favorites too because she speaks French. I often put her on and talk to Emmett in French in a high "Penny" voice. He always plays along and answers her. So this morning we had a conversation that went something like this "Bonjour Emmett! Comment ca va?" (hello Emmett! How are you?"). Emmett said "très bien" (very good). Then he whispered to me so Penny couldn't hear, "How do you say the sun is coming up?" I reminded him he knows how to say sun ("le soleil") and then I taught him "le soleil se lève." Emmett repeated this phrase back to Penny perfectly. Penny got so excited about the sun coming up that she did a little happy dance and gave him a kiss on the nose.
