Local St. Louis Teacher Encourages Students to Stay Sharp Over the Holidays SLLIS Provides Tips on How to Practice Foreign Languages over Winter Break
St. Louis, Mo. (December 9, 2025) Learning a language requires daily application and intense dedication to practice what is taught in the classroom. St. Louis Language Immersion School (SLLIS) students will soon be going on Winter Break, and SLLIS Instructional Coach Nannan Huang has tips for children of all ages to stay sharp on their language skills over the holidays, no matter what language they’re learning. Students learning languages at any school in the area can put these tips into practice over Winter Break, whether or not they attend an immersion school.
Huang, who taught Chinese at SLLIS before transitioning into her Instructional Coach role, said studies show that language learning grows through consistent exposure, even in very small amounts. Huang recommends students spend 15 to 20 minutes daily over break getting exposure to their target language. At SLLIS, students learn one of three target languages: Chinese, French or Spanish.
“Getting that vital daily exposure to your foreign language can be as easy as listening to music, shadow-reading a picture book, watching a cartoon or using an app like Duolingo,” Huang said. “Students can also practice speaking the language every day by greeting family members in their target language, labeling things verbally around the house or explaining a few words to family members each day.”
Huang said parents don’t need to speak the target language, but instead just need to encourage their kids to practice and build a routine while also being willing to hear their child speak in a different language. Huang heavily recommends taking students out to real-world places where they can practice.
“St. Louis is a vibrant, multicultural city,” Huang said. “We have lots of authentic, local restaurants and stores where the people working there speak the students’ target language. During break, when your students have lots of free time, take them to the local Mexican restaurant, Chinese supermarket or French cafe. Those places will give students authentic opportunities to make connections, read the menus, identify familiar foods, and practice phrases in their target language while ordering food and talking to people behind the counter.”
Huang emphasized the holiday break from school is a wonderful opportunity for students to strengthen their language skills in an enjoyable, low-pressure environment. When families integrate those small, meaningful opportunities, students will relearn their skills and return to school confident to continue their education in the classroom.
About St. Louis Language Immersion School
St. Louis Language Immersion School was founded in 2009 and is a charter school serving Pre-K through 8th grade to the City of St. Louis. The school provides students with a world-class, global, dual language immersion education in French, Spanish or Chinese, taught by native speakers. The one of a kind school was named the 2024 Best Public Charter School in Missouri and plays an essential role in the fabric of the St. Louis community. For more information, go to www.sllis.org.