ABC Qix differs greatly from the majority of players in language education who tend to focus on older children, recycle curricula optimized for brick-and-mortar schools, and offer products with no evidence of efficacy. ABC Qix leverages a custom-engineered curriculum and proven training program to transform talented native speakers into highly effective teachers, a strategic decision that delivers a wonderful learning experience. The ABC Qix Method (short-duration, high-frequency, 1-on-1 lessons), based on research in linguistics and early childhood education, goes on to make learning fun and easy for young minds. This combination of technology, methodology, and talent, enables ABC Qix to consistently deliver better overall outcomes for learners than other online offerings. And, uniquely, do so at a reasonable price.
Psychologist Ellen Bialystok has argued that bilingual infants have better executive function and are able to pay attention to tasks better than monolingual infants can. Why? She believes that this is because bilingual children must be aware of two systems, two structures, and two sets of sounds at all times, which helps them to develop the concept of conflicting information earlier on, and helps them to parse through that information with greater efficiency, even at a very early age.
Research has proven that even at 7 months old, bilingual babies are already better at information processing, concentration, and attention to detail than their monolingual counterparts. Since they are receiving input simultaneously in two different languages, they are able to absorb information from two or more sources at the same time better than monolingual babies can. This leads to earlier multi-tasking skills later on in childhood.
Industries such as business, politics, education, and more are looking for candidates with multilingual skills in order to increase relations with international business partners and customers. ABC Qix knows there is a growing demand for languages in the market and is prepared to help its students excel in their language learning.
Research shows that even just an intermediate or imperfect level of knowledge in a second language can result in better cognitive benefits and cultural awareness that results in higher pay later on in life -- even without complete fluency. This means learning a new language is worth it for anyone, not only those who want to reach fluency. Parents who are on the fence about ABC Qix’s products should consider the positive cognitive effects and cultural awareness that arises through language classes with no fluency.
Research has shown that even babies that are only one week old are able to start absorbing one element of language: rhythm of sentences. This research supports the importance of exposing babies and young children to foreign languages as soon as possible in order to facilitate language learning, and it supports ABC Qix’s target of teaching babies.
There are two types of brain cells that are responsible for processing information in the brain: inhibitory and excitatory. Neuroscientists at Carnegie Mellon University have found that the younger children are, the easier it is for their brains to “turn off” certain inhibitory cells during heightened periods of learning, allowing the excitatory cells to recognize all input and language as new information. This means that any information that a baby hears is more likely to be retained, allowing young children’s brains to act like sponges and easily soak up information.
Some parents think that babies and young children who learn two or three languages may start to get “confused”, mix the languages up in their brains, and diminish the acquisition of their native language. Linguistic research has proven that children who are exposed to multiple languages do not end up confused and do not have to keep the languages separate in order to acquire them correctly.
It is true that multilingual children sometimes appear to lag behind their monolingual peers, especially when they first begin to speak. Studies have shown that babies who are exposed to multiple languages tend to start speaking later than their monolingual peers, and when they do speak, they often mix languages in the same sentence (which is called “code-switching”). Though they tend to hit early developmental milestones later than their monolingual peers, research has shown that multilingual children eventually catch up and reach the same levels of literacy, comprehension, and speaking as their monolingual peers (as long as they have enough high-quality and consistent exposure to both languages). For this reason, it is important to remember that comparing monolingual and bilingual children in just ONE language is not enough: “A measure of total vocabulary provides the best indicator of young bilingual children’s language learning capacity.”
Research has shown that infants and toddlers process human faces long before they recognize other objects. By creating a platform that will display both the material and the teacher’s face throughout the entire class, this ensures that students will be able to establish a connection with their teacher, and that infants and toddlers especially will have greater focus on the class.
Teachers can focus on doing what they do best - teaching. Finding experienced and enthusiastic teachers can be difficult - it would be even more difficult to find teachers who are also skilled at creating curriculum and teaching materials. By creating a standardized curriculum for teachers to use, ABC Qix lets teachers focus on using their energy and talents to connect with students and increase their language skills in the most efficient and fun way possible for the child. By using an existing curriculum, teachers also have more time to adapt the teaching materials to each student depending on the child’s age, prior foreign language exposure, personality, and personal interests.
How often should humans exercise? Is it better to exercise for 30 minutes every day or for 3.5 hours once per week? Of course, it is better for the human body to exercise a little bit every day. This concept applies to language learning as well. It’s the details of what you do that affect learning and development.
Using music in language class has been proven to support children’s foreign language acquisition by promoting a relaxed state of mind that prepares them to concentrate for the next 15 minutes of a ABC Qix lesson. In addition, music activates certain resources in the brain that helps children to not only learn but to also retain new vocabulary and sentence structure.
Research has shown that stories are effective in language learning for two principle reasons. The first reason is that stories can be used as a motivational tool by engaging the student and encouraging them to learn more in order to finish and understand the story; the second reason is that stories tend to be more memorable than rote memorization exercises, so they promote retention of new vocabulary and grammar structures. ABC Qix includes a short story every day in order to help children retain new vocabulary and grammar. There are over 200 stories in every year-long course, meaning that children get to hear 4 uniquely different stories each week. This helps with children’s motivation and gets them excited for class because they will be able to hear a new story.
ABC Qix emphasizes that children learn a new language just as they learned their native language. For this reason, ABC Qix does not create or use materials that have been made for second language learners. This means that all the songs, stories, and documents that are used in the curriculum were originally used by children who speak the target language fluently. ABC Qix students are therefore learning the same way that native speakers are learning their language, helping them to truly acquire this second language like they acquired their first language.
Having classes online means that classes can be held at a time that is convenient for everyone: students, their families, and their teachers. This kind of flexibility results in an optimal language-learning environment for the child.
ABC Qix’s online platform means that students do not have to leave their home in order to “go” to language class. When children are in a comfortable and familiar environment such as their home, they are able to focus better on what they are learning.
The cognitive benefits of language learning are not visible only in childhood! They extend throughout an individual’s life, and have even been linked in delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s. Language learning has proven to be an all-encompassing source of benefits for children well into their adult lives, which is why ABC Qix is so passionate about helping children to become multilingual.