Business Details
32 Years
experience
Your Trusted Spanish Immersion & Music School in Oak Park
Founded in 1994, The Language & Music School has dedicated over three decades to redefining education through personalized, immersive learning experiences. Our mission centers on inspiring lifelong learners by tailoring education to individual needs, interests, and strengths. With a unique blend of language immersion, music integration, and academic rigor, we empower students from preschool through 12th grade to achieve their full potential. Our proprietary LMS Method, developed by founder Maria Emilia Fermi, combines music and language learning to create a dynamic educational framework. Our team of certified educators brings decades of combined experience in multilingual instruction, musical arts, and specialized tutoring.We maintain a low student-to-teacher ratio to ensure personalized attention while fostering emotional intelligence and social development. Our commitment to innovation is reflected in our emergent curriculum approach, which adapts to students' evolving needs rather than following a rigid structure. Accredited by MENSA as a recommended program for gifted learners, we combine academic excellence with character development. Our facility in a historic 1905 Tudor Revival mansion provides a distinctive learning environment that encourages creativity and exploration. Through continuous curriculum refinement and community engagement, we remain at the forefront of alternative education models.
Services
Spanish Immersion
Music Lessons
Academic Tutoring
Language Classes
Homeschool Programs
Summer Sessions
Private Lessons
Gifted Education
Music Composition
Language Immersion Curriculum
Details
- Year established: 1994
Highlights and features
- We offer personalized education with a 30-year proven track record of success
- Our LMS Method integrates music and language learning for enhanced retention
- We maintain a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio for individualized attention
- Our emergent curriculum adapts to each child's unique learning journey
- We provide scholarship support to 100% of our students regardless of background
Associations and certifications
- MENSA
What people say
Fluent in Spanish
Thriving learning environment
Personalized attention
Creative curriculum
Dedicated educators
Services
Spanish Immersion
Our Spanish Immersion curriculum integrates language learning throughout daily activities, transforming Spanish from a subject into a natural communication tool. Students achieve fluency through music, conversation, and cultural experiences while meeting core academic standards. The program emphasizes practical application over theoretical study, with additional exposure to Russian, Chinese, and other languages.
Music Lessons
We offer comprehensive music education covering piano, guitar, violin, and over 15 other instruments. Our approach combines technical skill development with creative expression, preparing students for performance opportunities and musical theater productions. Lessons integrate music theory and composition while fostering appreciation for diverse musical traditions.
Academic Tutoring
Our one-on-one tutoring addresses individual learning needs across all core subjects. Certified educators create customized learning plans that adapt to each student's pace and style. The program supports advanced learners seeking enrichment while providing necessary scaffolding for those needing additional support in mathematics, sciences, or humanities.
Homeschool Programs
Our homeschool-style microschool combines structured academics with flexible scheduling in a mixed-age environment. The emergent curriculum evolves based on student interests while maintaining rigorous academic standards. This approach fosters social-emotional development alongside intellectual growth through project-based learning and collaborative exploration.
Gifted Education
Recognized by MENSA as a recommended program for gifted students, our curriculum challenges high-ability learners through accelerated pacing and depth of study. We provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary projects, independent research, and creative problem-solving while maintaining a supportive environment that nurtures emotional and social development alongside intellectual growth.
People
Maria Emilia Fermi
Founder and Director
Creator of the LMS Method with 30+ years in education. Combines language acquisition and music pedagogy to develop holistic learning approaches. Leads daily instruction while overseeing curriculum development and staff training.
Brando Fermi Crawford
Co-Director
Administrator and founder of Acting for a Cause. Brings theater education expertise and philanthropic leadership to school operations. Oversees special programs and community engagement initiatives.
Kat
Music Instructor
Teaches voice, piano, and multiple instruments while developing music curriculum. Specializes in creating collaborative learning experiences that integrate different artistic disciplines through performance-based projects.
Phil
Math Tutor
Provides math instruction from preschool through high school levels. Develops individualized learning plans that address specific needs while connecting mathematical concepts to real-world applications.
Zifeng
Language Teacher
Instructor for Mandarin Chinese and academic tutoring. Focuses on cultural context in language learning while supporting science and mathematics education through personalized instruction.
Questions
What makes your Spanish immersion program unique?
Our program integrates Spanish throughout daily activities rather than teaching it as a separate subject, creating natural fluency through music, conversation, and cultural experiences.
How does your emergent curriculum work?
Our curriculum adapts to each child's interests and needs, allowing students to explore topics in depth while meeting academic standards through project-based learning.
Do you offer financial assistance?
We provide partial scholarships to all students through our endowed fund, with 100% of current students receiving some form of financial support.
What ages do you serve?
We educate students from preschool through 12th grade in a mixed-age environment that promotes peer learning and social development.
How do you support gifted students?
Recognized by MENSA, we offer accelerated pacing and depth of study with opportunities for independent projects while maintaining social-emotional support.
What music programs are available?
We teach piano, guitar, violin, and over 15 instruments with performance opportunities, music theory, and composition instruction integrated into daily learning.
Reviews (4)
Les Martin
Feb 18, 2022
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Ask for Brando! He basically makes the experience! He gives 5 star 5 diamond quality hospitality! Perfect stay
Tyler Diamond
Jun 16, 2021
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A friend and I stayed in the Airbnb located in this mansion and it was fantastic! The room, along with the entire mansion, has an early 20th century aesthetic. This aesthetic, combined with 21st century amenities, makes for a cozy stay. And because my friend and I are musicians, we were granted access to play in several studios throughout the mansion with some provided instruments. Along with the wonderful facilities comes a top notch staff as well!
Our host, Brando, made us feel right at home and was a true professional in every aspect. Upon our departure, he even personally guided us (confused out-of-towners) to a train station not too far away and gave some history about Oak Park along the way. This was truly a unique and pleasant stay that's hard to find anywhere else. Brando and this location come highly recommended!
Our host, Brando, made us feel right at home and was a true professional in every aspect. Upon our departure, he even personally guided us (confused out-of-towners) to a train station not too far away and gave some history about Oak Park along the way. This was truly a unique and pleasant stay that's hard to find anywhere else. Brando and this location come highly recommended!
Grant Taubman
Apr 28, 2021
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The international mansion is s top-tier destination for language classes. I took Mandarin classes with John for a year. Every week John was pushing me to learn more and more. John made learning Mandarin something I looked forward to each week. His knowledge of the language, history, and cultural awareness gave me an authentic experience that matched my previous teachers in China. The owner, Brando, was amiable and very flexible.
I had to cancel classes a couple of times and reschedule and coordinate without any issues quickly. Between the quality of language and the price, this is an excellent school for any age. I had to leave due to scheduling conflicts, but I would recommend this school to anyone looking for high-end language classes.
I had to cancel classes a couple of times and reschedule and coordinate without any issues quickly. Between the quality of language and the price, this is an excellent school for any age. I had to leave due to scheduling conflicts, but I would recommend this school to anyone looking for high-end language classes.
Lily Williams
Nov 10, 2019
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Well done. This place has so much to offer! I am lucky to live near a community with such an amazing organization. From my understanding, they have three main components: -They host curated events and rent their space for concerts, weddings, and lectures (all their revenue from this part of their business goes toward their Foundation which is awesome) - the highest quality music lessons in the Chicagoland area (as well as Language, Tutoring and different subjects like Coding). no comparison to other local music programs their instructors (I've met Andres, Xavier, Kat) are so professional and charismatic. - a full time school which is the most affordable school that is listed by MENSA as a recommended school. reminds me of the FAME school or Xavier's School for the Gifted.
I actually met the co-Founder when he and part of the team interpreted a conference for International Montessori from Italian and Spanish to English. He talked to me for an hour after interpreting, which was very kind of him, and I followed up by signing up for guitar lessons, which I do not regret- not one bit! Keep up the great work!
I actually met the co-Founder when he and part of the team interpreted a conference for International Montessori from Italian and Spanish to English. He talked to me for an hour after interpreting, which was very kind of him, and I followed up by signing up for guitar lessons, which I do not regret- not one bit! Keep up the great work!
