The Chicago Tribune – Andrea Guthmann
“Toddlers march past a colorful mural of Peru, barely able to contain their excitement. “Perfecto!” one teacher calls out, while the words “Cumpleanos Feliz” are being sung to the tune of “Happy Birthday.” It’s the monthly pinata birthday party at Roscoe Village’s Rayito de Sol, which describes itself as Chicago’s first Spanish immersion day care. Most of these babies and toddlers speak English at home, but their days are spent with teachers speaking only Spanish to them. Rayito de Sol founder Luisa Fuentes runs two other Spanish immersion day cares in Minneapolis. She says children who enter her day cares full time by 3 years old, will be fluent in Spanish by the time they leave for kindergarten. “I speak English with an accent because I learned it as a teenager,” says Peruvian-born Fuentes. “But if you learn it as an infant or toddler, you can adapt easily to the new language and be able to speak without an accent.”” (more)