No, in fact the majority of our students have American and English-speaking parents.
Dr. Maria Montessori calls this combination of ages a multi-age classroom in which the little kids who learn through imitation have an opportunity to learn from the older kids while the older kids benefit from the experience that allows them to learn compassion and to care for the younger ones.
The earlier a child learns a language, the better. In fact, studies have shown that children, who learn another language before the age of five, learn with the same part of the brain that they use to speak their mother tongue.
In addition to developing a lifelong ability to communicate with more people, children may derive other benefits from early language instruction, including improved overall school performance and superior problem-solving skills. Knowing a second language ultimately provides a competitive advantage in the workforce by opening up additional job opportunities. Some evidence also suggests that children who receive second language instruction are more creative and better at solving complex problems. Studies have shown -- and experience has supported -- that children who learn a language before the onset of adolescence are much more likely to have native-like pronunciation.
In most cases, learning another language enhances a child's English ability. A number of reports have demonstrated that children who have learned a second language earn higher SAT scores.
Is it harder for a child to acquire two languages at once?
There is no evidence to suggest that it's any harder for a child to acquire two languages than it is for the child to acquire one language. A child doesn't have to be exceptional or have any special language ability to become bilingual; as long as the child is exposed to two languages throughout early childhood, he or she will acquire them both.