The Hebrew Corner is flexible in taking on late starters. We are open to designing a program which uses both private sessions and class study to prepare youngsters for bar/bat mitzvah.
There is evidence to suggest that the earlier a child starts his or her Jewish education, the longer and stronger will be his or her Jewish identification. We recommend starting children on a Hebrew education ideally no later than the third grade year.
However, some families start the Jewish education of their children later than the third grade. At the Hebrew Corner, a third grade starter is placed in a class we call Shoresh (roots). A fourth or fifth grade starter would be placed in a Shoresh II class. For sixth or seventh grade starters who have had no Hebrew training at all, and want to begin a Hebrew education at The Hebrew Corner, we would probably recommend a combination of classroom learning and private instruction, or exclusively private instruction.
In any case, every child is different and has different needs. We like to meet every student (and their families) before s/he begins instruction at The Hebrew Corner. That way we can assess every student, understand his or her individual needs, and place the student in the best learning situation available.