by NATHALIE LAVILLE
Observer staff
April 2, 2008

In the U.S., second languages like French, German and sometimes Spanish are usually offered from ninth grade. In Fairfax County, students can study languages like chinese, japanese or arabic as early as in elementary school. Times have changed and first graders seem to appreciate it. Nathalie Laville attended a class of arabic at beech tree elementary school, in Fairfax County. Click play below the photo to hear her report.

Fairfax teacher, Fatwa Hussein, leads her students through Arabic lessons.
Audio by Nathalie Laville. Photo by Jodi Kinkaid.