- How does the QTalk Method work?
For a full overview of the QTalk Method, please see the “QTalk Method” tab on our main menu. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more detailed information.
- What is the best age for a child to begin learning a second language?
We begin drop-off classes with children as young as 2 years old-- by that age most children have established a foundation in their native language and can focus on learning an additional target language through structured, yet engaging exercises and interactive games.
For infants less than 2 years old, our Baby & Me classes are designed to expose the child to the target language and to teach the parent/caregiver basic phrases for the reinforcement of at-home communication.
- How quickly can a student expect to speak their target language?
Children: The speed of language acquisition differs from child to child depending on their age and prior exposure to a second language. While comprehension happens in children after a couple lessons, the ability to “produce” language, to actually speak, takes longer.
Language production is directly affected by reinforcement. If your child comes from a bilingual home, or frequently practices the target language outside of the classroom, their acquisition will happen in a matter of months. For children who attend a 40 minute class once a week and do nothing else outside of the classroom, language production will happen more gradually over the course of a year.
Adults: Our Core 1 Curriculum takes the adult student through basic sentence structuring, to dialogue practice, to narration in the present tense. After several classes, students will be able to maintain simple exchanges in their target language. By their tenth class, students will be fully conversational in the present tense and simple future.
Our Core 2 Curriculum broadens the student’s range of expression by moving into more sophisticated tenses such as the past, conditional, etc. to refine conversation.
- How much reinforcement is necessary outside of the classroom?
The more reinforcement the better!
Reinforcement should take place regularly. Rather than devoting 1 hour/once a week to studying, we suggest that students devote 20 minutes, five times a week, to reinforcement. Frequent review of the target language keeps the material fresh and on the tip of your tongue.
- What can I do at home to accelerate language acquisition?
Our QTalk books and the corresponding games directly coincide with the content taught in our classrooms. Upon flipping through the pages, you will note that each book breaks down the Tribeca Language curriculum lesson by lesson. At the beginning of the session, we will provide you or your child with the printed materials needed for at-home reinforcement.
Our thematic QTalk online games also correspond to the curriculum taught at Tribeca Language, and we have noted that those students who frequently use the games tend to demonstrate fluency in the target language at a faster rate than others. The games were designed to supplement our classes and offer a fun way to practice the target language at home, and we cannot say enough about the importance of enjoying oneself while learning! For a free trial, click on “Online Games” in the main menu of our site.
Finally, for students who come from a bilingual home, as much immersion as possible in the target language is crucial. By taking the target language out of Tribeca Language, the conditioned learning environment, students discover the applicability of a second language outside of the classroom, and can broaden their access to vocabulary by applying the language in a new way.
- For Parents: I can see that my child understands the language, but I can’t get them to speak to me. What should I do?
This is a common obstacle for children learning a new language. The main factor at work here is what we call “performance anxiety”. When put on the spot, any individual, a child in particular, becomes hesitant to speak as they feel anxiety around their ability to speak well. Pressuring the child to speak will push them further from the ultimate goal of producing the target language. The child may develop an aversion and resistance to the language if he or she feels pressured to perform. Instead of overtly pushing the child to speak, a parent or caregiver should subtly invite the child to speak.
There are several ways to do this: make it a fun challenge, ask them to be your “teacher”, or address them in the target language without drawing special attention to it.
Another solution is to create what we at Tribeca Language call “language sandwiches”. If the child seems to have a hard time understanding or recognizing vocabulary, say it first in English, then the target language, and repeat the English, or vice-versa.
For example, you could say (in Spanish and English):
“Tiene hambre? Are you hungry? Tiene hambre?”
This way, the child is not overwhelmed by the unfamiliar vocabulary and will recognize the words in context, thus comprehension comes more naturally the next time they are introduced to him or her.
As the pressure to speak is lifted, these simple tactics may be all that is needed to encourage your child to speak without hesitation! By catching the child off guard, he/she may just begin speaking naturally without thinking twice!
- What is your Make-up Policy?
Students are welcome to make-up their missed classes during the session they are enrolled in. Make-ups do NOT carry into future sessions. For the best make-up option, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
- What is your cancellation policy?
- How do I get to Tribeca Language?
We are located right in the heart of Tribeca on the north side of Harrison Street, between Greenwich Street and Hudson Street. The closest subways are the 1 to Franklin, the 2/3 to Chambers, or the A/C/E to Canal Street.
For internet mapping, our complete address is: 22 Harrison Street, New York, NY 10013.