DOTS First English

DOTS First English

An early-exposure English programme starting from age 1. Learning is genuinely fun — children sing, play, recite poems and absorb the language naturally. Every level is tailored to the child's stage of mental and emotional development.

At Inlingua Baku, children learn in a warm and friendly environment through imitation, experience, repetition and interaction with other children. The programme covers emotional, intellectual and social development alongside language acquisition.

From the very first lesson, teachers communicate exclusively in English with the children, encouraging them to participate in classroom activities. Using this method, children begin to understand and use English to express their feelings, thoughts and interact with others.

• Classes from age 1 onwards
• Storytelling, songs, rhymes and games
• Native-speaker methodology
• Safe, stimulating, child-friendly environment

Who this programme is for

DOTS First English is for children aged 1 to 6 — a first, natural encounter with English in the pre-school years. There is no academic pressure: the child plays, sings and recites, and picks up the language inside that process.

• Families who want to start early — at this age a language is absorbed through listening and repetition, not through rules.
• Children about to start nursery or school — working in a group, taking turns and interacting with other children are part of the programme.
• Parents planning an English-medium nursery or school — ear and pronunciation are formed in exactly these pre-school years.
• Bilingual households — English settles as a third language in a group setting, through play.

If your child has already turned 6, see the Children and Teens programme. An age-by-age guide: when to start English with your child (ages 3–17). All children's courses, Russian included: language courses for kids.

Age steps: from 1 to 6

Every level of the programme is tailored to the child's stage of mental and emotional development — a two-year-old and a five-year-old do not work on the same task.

• Ages 1–2 — listening and imitation: songs, movement games, simple repeated words. No speech is expected yet; the ear is being built.
• Ages 3–4 — first words and short phrases: rhymes, short stories, role play.
• Ages 5–6 — simple sentences and dialogue: answering a question, describing a picture, speaking up in a group.

From 6 the child moves on to the Bubbles step (ages 6–8) of the Children and Teens programme, where reading and writing are gradually added. Why starting early matters: why start a foreign language before age 6.

What a lesson looks like

Lessons run on the Inlingua method, in English from the first minute, with no translation. This is the order in which a child acquires language: hear it, repeat it, then use it.

• Learning is built on imitation, experience, repetition and interaction with other children.
• Storytelling, songs, rhymes and games — there is no grammar lesson at a desk.
• Activities come in short blocks that follow one another at the pace of a child's attention span.
• The teacher draws in every child individually — a one-word answer counts as an answer.
• The programme covers emotional, intellectual and social development alongside language acquisition.

The materials you work with

Textbooks are designed in Bern and published in Switzerland by the Inlingua Bern publishing house exclusively for schools in the association; there is a separate series for the pre-school years.

• illustrated books and worksheets matched to age;
• audio with songs and rhymes — to play in the background at home;
• game cards and materials for movement activities;
• access to the online learning platform.

More on this: Teaching materials. All programmes: English language courses in Baku.

Format, schedule and price

At pre-school age lessons run at the centre in small groups — working alongside other children is part of the method itself. Mini-group and one-to-one are also possible, and the timetable is built around nursery hours.

Before you enrol there is a free introductory conversation: we take the child's age and temperament into account and suggest the right group and time. No obligation. The price depends on age group, format and intensity — message us on WhatsApp and we will send the full price list.

FAQ

Is age 1 too early for English?

The programme is built for exactly this age. At 1–2 no speech is expected: the child hears the language, absorbs its rhythm and sounds, and imitates. There is no academic pressure, no homework and no grading.

My child cannot sit still for long — what happens in a lesson?

The lesson does not involve sitting still. Activities come in short blocks that follow one another: a song, a movement game, a picture, a story. A short attention span is normal at this age, and the programme is built around it.

The teacher speaks only English — will my child understand?

Yes. Meaning is carried by gesture, pictures, movement and repetition — which is exactly how the child learned their first language. Translation is not used, because it pulls attention away from hearing the language itself.

My child is 5 — this programme or Children and Teens?

Five is the top step of DOTS First English; the programme is designed for ages 1–6. From 6 the child moves to the Bubbles step of the Children and Teens programme.

Will my child learn to read and write on this programme?

No — at this stage the work is on listening and speaking. Reading and writing are added systematically later, at the Junior step (ages 8–10) of the next programme.

How much does the programme cost?

The price depends on age group, format (group or one-to-one) and intensity. Message us on WhatsApp and we will send the full price list straight away. The introductory conversation is free.

Next step: send your child's age on WhatsApp and we will suggest a group and a timetable. Contact page.