About Us

The Children’s Center for Language & Culture, Inc. (a.k.a. ChiCeLaCu!) is an educational center, founded in 2007, located in Vienna/Tyson’s Corner, Virginia. We provide services that aim at teaching children more about the Hispanic culture and language. Our goal is to have a direct impact in the knowledge and understanding for our children and youth. We offer direct personal services to individuals, organizations, schools, non-profit organizations, and international agencies operating in the USA and Latin America, in the field of Education.

ChiCeLaCu is made up of a team of native Spanish speaking teachers who are active in or retired from the Fairfax County Public School System. All of which have had classroom experience in schools, colleges and universities in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Honduras, Bolivia and Cuba. Each of our teachers average 15-25 years of experience in educational instruction. Our teachers are professionals in their field, with Academic Degrees in Education, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Music, Education, Dance, and Physical Education.

In the field of education, we offer specialized educational services through total immersion in Spanish, for children 4* to 12 years of age, (this is an Annual Program for students who are 5 years old and those who will turn 5 by January or February of 2012). We offer morning classes as well as After School Programs from Monday through Friday. In addition, we have a Spanish Immersion Saturday School. During the summer, July to August, we have a Spanish Immersion Summer Camp Monday through Friday and Saturdays, different options and times are available. Please see ‘Schedule and Prices’ for time listings.

ChiCeLaCu! offers services for children and youth whose native language is Spanish, for those with a reasonable knowledge or exposure to Spanish as well as non-speaking Spanish children but who are interested in learning it. ChiCeLaCu! is a friendly, welcoming center for children to come and learn  about the Hispanic culture and to learn Spanish, in an fun and informal atmosphere.

ChiCeLaCu offers a complete curriculum from Pre-K to 8th grade, based on the official curriculum of the Department of Public Education and other education styles in Latin America. We take our educational models from the official syllabi of Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru.  Furthermore, we compiled the pedagogical experience gained from the Nicaraguan National Literacy Campaign. Our Grammar Program covers Language Arts, spelling, oral expression, handwriting, reading, writing, and literature. Our language Programs highlight a cultural connection between language, grammatical concepts and the arts (graphic arts, dance and music), by fusing composition, language arts and performances.

WHY CHOOSE US?

1. ChiCeLaCu is the only center in Northern Virginia that specializes in teaching just one language, Spanish. We operate each day throughout the week, including Saturdays and we accept children from Preschool through 6th grade.
2. We are the only center who takes their Pre-K through Secondary school curriculum from the syllabi of Latin America
3. All of our teachers have a Bachelor Degree in Education and/or Spanish and have classroom teaching experience in Latin America and the USA.

By only offering one language and not several like other centers do, can be financially more difficult, and means a long-term investment and dedication to our work. However, we can guarantee your time here will be offered only with the highest quality of education, you can count on a personal experience and a plethora of diversified resources like audiovisuals, materials, books, a library, art work, games and so on in the Spanish language. Your experience at our center will let you see more into why we have such a passion for teaching Spanish. Our specialization on just one language will allow you to enter an educational environment for both students and parents of complete Spanish immersion!

The results of our program can be seen over an extended period of time with our students. Our recent  graduates were members of our program for 3 years and graduated in June of 2010. These students have achieved a substantial amount of learning and understanding of the Spanish language in reading, writing and verbal expression.

Cultural Activities

As part of our Plan of Studies, all of the students have the opportunity to grow in their appreciation and knowledge of the culture and the history of Latin-American countries. We have several expositions and shows during the school year, trying to give our students the opportunity to appreciate handicrafts, graphic arts, maps, clothes, dances, music, and foods of the selected country. In an entertaining and informal way, our students learn Latin American music and dance. The Folkloric Ballet of “Latin American Inheritance” of the Children’s Center for Language & Culture is implemented in January of each year, and there is an official presentation and performance at the end of the school year.
The main cultural event is our end of course performance, in June, when the students make a public presentation completely in Spanish showing their new abilities in the Spanish language and arts.

Program Benefits

Our Total or Partial Immersion Programs involve teaching the Spanish language by means of integrating grammar courses with artistic and cultural activities by means of communication in Spanish. Thus, in the course of a school year, we combine formal language teaching methods along with informal methods like listening to music, performing dances, participating in children’s puppet theaters, and hands on art activities, all of which are representative of the many cultural regions in Latin America.

What are the benefits of the program for English speaking children?

Our immersion program caters to children who only speak English, by offering the opportunity to learn a second language, with highly qualified personnel and with an efficient educational strategy.  Our objective is that graduates of this program be able to speak, read and write in two languages, taking advantage of the fact that children are better able to retain learning a new language in their adolescence years.

Pedagogical investigation has shown that advantages of learning a second language are more than simply the ability to speak an additional tongue. According to these researches, studying a second language enlarges the intellectual potential, the academic achievements, and improves learning abilities in the native language. Given the growing economic integration between US and Latin America, a substantial knowledge of Spanish better prepares children for their future, may it be in personal and/or professional terms. Participating in the Children's Center Language program is not an expense,  it’s an investment in the future of your children.

My child speaks Spanish; how he would be benefited with this program? 

Children who are bilingual in our program, will acquire a sense of respect and appreciation toward their own culture, as well as for others, which prepares our youth to contribute to a more competitive, complex, diverse, and democratic society. Spanish speaking children will learn the correct use of grammar from the same curriculum taught in Latin American schools. We will work with your child to better their grammatical skills, their vocabulary and conversational skills.

This program will also allow your child to improve their level of respect and tolerance, having a sense of identity and pride toward their cultural inheritance. Numerous studies document the benefit of learning a second language at an early age; academic investigations have shown that bilingual students perform better than monolingual students. See for instance “The Impact of Second Language Education”.

When do the courses begin?

Courses begin in September and end in June, of each year.  That is, we offer the same academic calendar as the American public school system, FCPS.

Saturday and Sunday Classes After School Preschool / Home-Schooler Programs 2102 Gallows Rd Vienna, VA, 22182 Phone: 703-992-8722    Fax: 703-938-4092 Map & Directions

Learn Spanish, Spanish Language Classes, Spanish Summer Camp, Vienna, Va - Children's Center for Language and Culture, Inc – Spanish Language classes for children, teens and adults. Spanish Educational Classes, now on Saturday and Sunday – best, local - Fairfax County Language School serving Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Farragut North, Farragut West, Chinatown, Downtown DC, Georgetown, Tenleytown, Cleveland Park, Friendship Heights, U St. Corridor, Columbia Heights, Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Union Station, Capitol Hill, Tacoma, McPherson Square, Archives Navy Memorial, Eastern Market, Rosslyn, Clarendon, Courthouse, Pentagon City, Ballston, Fairfax, Falls Church, Vienna, Baileys Crossroads, Alexandria, McLean, Tyson's Corner, Reston, Crystal City, Arlington, Annandale, Great Falls, Oakton, town of Vienna, town of Falls Church, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, White Flint, Bowie, Crofton, Annapolis, Columbia, Ellicott City.

Areas Serviced include: Washington DC (District of Columbia) Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Farragut North, Farragut West, Chinatown, Downtown DC, Georgetown, Tenleytown, Cleveland Park, Friendship Heights, U St. Corridor, Columbia Heights, Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Union Station, Capitol Hill, Tacoma, McPherson Square, Archives Navy Memorial, EasternMarket. Northern Virginia Rosslyn, Arlington, Pentagon City, Ballston, Fairfax, Falls Church, Vienna, Baileys Crossroads, Alexandria, McLean, Tyson's Corner, Reston, Crystal City, Alexandria, Arlington, Annandale, Great Falls and Oakton. Maryland MD Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, White Flint, Bowie, Crofton, Annapolis, Columbia, Ellicott City