The Spot Color Immersion Method®

At the heart of Language Together is the Spot Color Immersion Method®. Developed with teachers and curriculum experts, our method combines multiple language strategies to simplify language learning. Each page looks basic but is packed with proven techniques to encourage and engage young learners—story-based immersion, simple sentences, repetition, context, color coding, comprehensible input and other techniques.

"Using story form is the ideal approach for teaching languages to children ages 4 – 10 years old."  —Helena Curtain & Carol Ann Dahlberg, "Languages and Children" (Pearson).

Beginners can easily guess the meanings of new words, with help from the visual and context cues. For those who want extra support, English translations and word charts are provided on the inside book covers.

Our method incorporates research from language experts such as Stephen Krashen, Steven Pinker, and Blaine Ray. Krashen and Pinker promoted natural immersion over grammar and drilling. Ray invented TPR Storytelling in the 1990s, a story-based method gaining rapid popularity among teachers worldwide.

"Free voluntary reading may be the most powerful educational tool in language education." —Stephen Krashen, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics & Education, University of Southern California

Beginners can finish books all by themselves (or with help from the online audio narration), fueling them with accomplishment and motivation to keep learning. They beam with pride as they exclaim, “I read this story on my own—in a new language!”

Our Method

Immersion:

Our words and pictures tell the whole story—no translations are necessary. Kids naturally figure out the meaning (aided by the purposeful use of color and other visual cues), just like they do in the real world.

Students pick up language effortlessly through repeated exposure to comprehensible input.

Flashcards with a Story:

We turn basic flashcards into stories with meaning and context—transforming a rote learning process into an enhanced educational experience.

Step by step, our deceptively simple stories introduce high frequency words and phrases. Target vocabulary is woven into short stories that make kids laugh — and forget they are actually learning.

Context:

Context makes learning relevant and helps kids make connections faster. We present familiar scenarios that kids will also enjoy—toys, colors, shapes, eating breakfast, getting dressed, and more.

Repetition:

Young kids thrive on repetition and patterns. Each book is built on a clear repetition motif, giving kids structure and opportunities to practice and learn.

Audio:

Native speakers provide a good verbal model, promoting more accurate speaking and comprehension skills. The online audio allows kids to independently review and enjoy stories without help from adults.

 

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Educator Reviews

  • NORTHEAST CONFERENCE ON THE TEACHING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES (NECTFL)— The NECTFL Review: A Journal for K-16+ Foreign Language Educators. Review of Set 1.

    Filled with wonderful little treasures that help children make connections faster, Set 1 books are a strong complement to any elementary language program.

    Read the full review 

  • NECTFL — The NECTFL Review: A Journal for K-16+ Foreign Language Educators. Review of Set 2.

    A wonderful sequel to the Set 1 books...Set 2 continues to complement, strengthen, and reinforce students’ reading and comprehension skills.

    Read the full review 

  • JULIANA BRINKLEY, First Grade Teacher, The Learning Project Elementary School, Boston MA

    “This series of books is perfect for young children who are learning a new language or simply learning to read in their native language. Useful vocabulary makes learning new words accessible to young students. The charming family centered stories are accompanied by illustrations that emphasize the words being learned. This modern series for learning new languages would be a wonderful addition to a classroom or a home instructional collection!”

  • ADRIANA MARÍA MARTÍNEZ AGUIRRE, Historiadora, Paleógrafa Castellano siglo XVINew Vendor Paleógrafa Universidad de Connecticut-Stamford, Egresada, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia

    “Language Together has created a fantastic collection of Spanish immersion books for children. The illustrations in these books are simply adorable! The bright colors help facilitate recall of vocabulary and useful expressions. Each story is written in perfect Spanish, enabling a good understanding of Spanish idioms and culture. Abracadabra! Like magic, kids will learn Spanish! This wonderful series is highly recommended.”

  • YUPING WANG, Chinese Teacher at Lexington Chinese School, Belmont, MA

    “A great educational resource for beginners. I highly recommend these picture books for young Mandarin Chinese learners! Easy and colloquial phrases, along with vivid pictures, greatly engage young learners. This series of books helps students not only build a foundation of vocabulary but also understand cultural lingo.”

  • SARAH HENSLEY, Elementary Spanish Teacher, Aldine Independent School District, Houston, TX

    “These books provide an authentic introduction to language that is colorful and enjoyable. For someone trying to learn a new language, I like the approach, since it is an immersion style. The repetitive sentence structure gives the idea, but the word that changes is the vocabulary word. As a bilingual teacher, I am going to include Set One as part of my classroom library. Thanks for the opportunity. I love them!”

  • JENN GIULIANO LAWING, K-4 Language Teacher, Charlestown, RI

    “I love the books. I tried the Color story yesterday with my K class and they really liked it. The illustrations are great too. These are perfect for beginner readers. I was so excited, like Christmas excited, when I got to the end and realized there is a QR code that students can scan and listen to the book as a read along. What a great independent center--LOVE IT!”

  • AMY SCOTT, World Languages Teacher, Kirk Day School, St. Louis, Missouri

    “I think these books are appealing to children and that all age groups would enjoy them. I would definitely use Set One in the classroom and can envision using them weekly. They introduce material in a way that is easy for children to understand. I love that they introduce both vocabulary and useful phrases, and that humor is incorporated, as well. I would like to see more sets added so they can take students all the way from preschool through the elementary years!”

  • PAOLA MENDIZABAL, Elementary Spanish Teacher, Newport News Public Schools, Williamsburg, VA

    “These books are perfect for young language learners! I will definitely use Set One in my classroom. I can use the books to introduce vocabulary to students in a whole/small group setting. I can also put the books in the library and students can read on their own. I really like these books!"

  • WEI ZHOU, Chinese Teacher, Riverbend School, Natick MA; Charles River School, Dover, MA

    “The books are great! The stories are very well structured, short and fun. I like how the words correspond to the illustration with colors. Bright idea. The books are simple enough for younger students learning vocabulary only, but also sufficient for advanced students who are ready to learn sentences. Congratulations to Language Together on these excellent books.”

  • MARIELA WANG, Chinese Teacher, Links Institute, Argentina

    "Language Together has developed a nice way to introduce Chinese to small children. I like the format. The repetition set in story mode is good way to drill sentence structures. I would use these books in my class, twice a week, for my students aged 4-7. There’s a shortage of this kind of material and I would like to see more!"

  • TRACY HONG SYZ, Chinese Teacher, Immaculate Heart Academy, Ridgewood, NJ

    “This is an effective content-based immersion approach. The language content is excellent. I love the stories, the beautiful design, the visual aids and titles (using Chinese idioms for each title—brilliant!) I think Set One is suitable for non-heritage beginners ages 3 and up, especially in US classrooms. I would use it as supplementary material in my classes as a “Do Now” warm up or a read aloud in a group or pair setting. Students can also re-tell and recite the stories and practice picture narration. I would like to see Set Two!”

  • CAROLINA GÓMEZ, Spanish Teacher, Spanish Playground

    "These fun books are excellent for emerging readers and provide wonderful support for learning language!"

  • LINDA LÓPEZ-STONE, Multicultural Kid Blogs

    “These books are a wonderful educational resource and would be a great addition to the home or classroom!“

  • ASHLEY MOORE, Life with Moore Babies

    “This is really a clever way to learn a foreign language. As a homeschooling parent, I was surprised by the simplicity of the materials: just ten little books. But the simplicity makes it great for younger kids. My children can use the curriculum on their own, giving me a break while they still get instruction!“

  • TOT TOT GOOSE

    “I am excited to add these books to our homeschooling curriculum! These books are short and entertaining, and the easy language and repetition are great for early readers!“

  • BY CATARINA

    “Does your kid want to learn Chinese? Here is a great resource. It's attractive, well designed and makes a great gift!“

  • MORAH SHELI VILLAGE HOMESCHOOLING

    "The audio is very engaging and kids can listen on any device. I like the natural progression of words to sentences and the charts and translations that go with the stories."

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