StoryPhones is a multi-award winning MP3 audio system for children – a powerful learning tool to make listening easy and help your children to develop their language, communication, listening and literacy skills. LingoTunes will soon be available to download from the StoryPhones BookShelf, the unique educational audio download store for primary schools.

These sessions are now fully booked, however spaces are still available for the under 3s in Durham or for all ages in Stanley.

Durham under 3 classes start on Monday 12th September at 14:15 at Newton Hall Community Centre. Stanley sessions start at 09:30 on Tuesday 13th September at Craghead Village Hall.

Hope to see you there!

... but that ability begins to fade as early as their first birthdays.

Researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences are investigating the brain mechanisms that contribute to infants' prowess at learning languages, with the hope that the findings could boost bilingualism in adults, too.

In a new study, the researchers report that the brains of babies raised in bilingual households show a longer period of being flexible to different languages, especially if they hear a lot of language at home. The researchers also show that the relative amount of each language -- English and Spanish -- babies were exposed to affected their vocabulary as toddlers.

Read the full article here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110829070559.htm

Frank Jacobs writes;

"Over 18.000 votes have been cast in a poll to determine once and for all the answer to the burning question: Combien de bises? That’s French for ‘How many kisses’, and kissing in France is a lot more complex the French’s somewhat overstated reputation for carefree libidinosity implies.

Unlike more reserved nationalities, the French greet each other with kisses on the cheek – but the practice varies to the point where one risks l’embarras social when the kisser has another number of pecks on the cheek in mind than the kissee. Suppose, for a moment, that you intend to give three kisses and the other person turns away after two. Ah, the humilitation!"

Read more at: http://bigthink.com/ideas/21262

A new study has shown that bilingual children outscore kids who only speak one language in tests that assess various cognitive skills. Results showed that learning two languages in early childhood provides advantages in cognitive skills from a very early age.

You can read more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/18/second-language-toddlers_n_929248.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl7|sec3_lnk3|87417&ref=email_share

Share the language learning fun with all the family! We will change the games online each week so you can practise the words covered in Lingotot sessions together at home. The first set are all about the summer holidays. Have fun!

Lingotot is hosting the very first Lingotot Family Language Day held to celebrate early years language learning and communication in the Derwentside area.

The event will be taking place in Craghead Village Hall, Stanley, Co. Durham for the whole morning of Monday 26th September 2011. This is a day for anyone and everyone interested in language learning; parents and their children, nurseries, schools, local authority staff....the more the merrier!

There will be lots of events for adults and children and it's all FREE! Read more about the day here: http://www.lingotot.com/family-language-day.html

Free P&P now available when you purchase LingoTunes here :)

Bonjour everyone! I'm proud to announce the launch of the new Lingotot website. When you visit you can find out more information about the sessions, book a block of classes, read about Lingotot news, purchase LingoTunes and more!