Languages

The South London Home Education community has members who speak a variety of languages at home. Some are raising children bilingually or tri-lingually, while others just want their children to be exposed to different languages while they are young.

Here are some of the languages that local home-educators speak at home: 
 * Yoruba (Western Nigeria)
 * Spanish
 * French
 * Bulgarian
 * Dutch
 * German
 * Gujarati
 * Portugese
 * Greek
 * Russian
 * Swedish
 * Polish
 * Italian

Being raised bilingual appears to give a child's brain a lifelong boost - special from New Scientist magazine.





Language Resources
Here are some classes which have been recommended by home-educators in our area, sometimes with comments:

French
Sylvie Gaspar - French and Portuguese classes from a native speaker who is also a home-ed mum. Very popular and good fun. Catford/Bromley area. Email sylviegaspar@f2s.com

Emeline - French teacher for nature and science groups in French, and also French language - also a home-ed mum. Wimbledon area. Email ebalacheffcolin@yahoo.fr

German
There is a German Saturday School from 10 to 12 at the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Church in Forest Hill/Sydenham for children from age 3/4 to GCSE level.

Home-Ed German group with a HE mum: "I have a 14 year old working towards the Goethe Institut internationally recognised exams, and run classes for home-ed students. Ours is a bilingual house German/English. Please get in touch with me if any of the above is of interest" - g1purrmann@phonecoop.coop

Greek
Greek Schools in the UK

St Cyprian's is a Greek primary school in Thornton Heath. It has Greek classes on a Saturday which you can attend without being enrolled in the full-time school.

Japanese
Mariko Smith - very friendly teacher with long-term experience of teaching home-ed kids up to GCSE level and beyond, but also experienced with young children. Very flexible - will come to you, or you can come to her, or Skype lessons. Email marikosmith@mac.com and see My Japanese Tutor for her and other tutor profiles.

Portuguese
Sylvie Gaspar - French and Portuguese classes from a native speaker who is also a home-ed mum. Very popular and good fun. Email sylviegaspar@f2s.net

Russian
Russian Saturday school in Eltham - SE9 : http://www.linguaplay.co.uk/russian-language-schools/eltham-se9/

The Russian Art class in Eltham - SE9; it's not exclusively Russian, but the teacher is, and most of the kids there go to the Russian Saturday school, so there is some Russian conversation there. However, you don't have to speak Russian to do the classes - some kids who go don't speak any Russian; mostly the teacher speaks English. http://www.lanaart.me.uk/classes.html Russian Friendship Society - Druzhba "We really enjoy going on Wednesday mornings.  The 2 teachers are lovely. It is for under 3. They have also for children more than 3 years old (Wednesdays afternoons).. In other place, on Sundays they have a great gymnastic for small children and other class of Music..

Мама и малыш .... They do different events (picnics, parties) and we like to join them. I tried once with a nice teacher this activity:

Art in a Russian class with Alexandra Pashkina - I found it´s better for children over 3 years old. Every Wednesday 4pm - 4.45pm. Address: Time & Talents Association, St. Marychurch Street, London, SE16 4JE  The Costs - £8  You can Park right outside the school building. Near the entrance. Enter in under the iron gates with letters  " Tine and Talants". The road from stones.

Znaniye Russian Education Centre several branches including Holborn and Canada Water.

http://www.russianschool.org.uk/

Spanish
Bilinguebabes - Spanish classes for toddlers and young children, and parties, run by Audrey, a home-ed mum.

One SLHE member recommends this teacher https://kikirikispanish.wordpress.com/ Her blog has free videos of her.. and she has classes almost every day. Locos Bajitos in London     Meet once per month.. first Saturday or first Sunday each month

Mandarin
I love these teachers  http://www.littlebunnieseducation.com/   Their facebook is nice and if you enrol in their classes they have a group in facebook just for their studentes where there are songs and more resources.. We stopped it for now.. I prefer to focus on the other languages and not get mad :D 