Anyone else's DC's had problems in foreign speaking playgroup/childcare?

[Hummahummamumma]

Brief background - we (DH & I, both English) have lived in Germany for just over 2 years now since DS was 4 months old. He has been attending a pre-kindergarten for two mornings a week since last April (at 2) and up until the last two weeks has absolutely loved it and I have been perfectly happy about the prospect of him starting Kindergarten full time mornings in April when he is nearly 3 - UNTIL NOW. DS has absorbed any German he knows through his surroundings, but has long been able to understand what is said (according to the carers at his nursery and as witnessed with German friends) and is a pro at Deutsch nursery ryhmes, but is only able to speak a few words. Anyway, the point it the last two weeks he has not wanted to go and has been reported as being 'very sad' while there and on occasions crying. I spoke to the owner and she said she thinks it is because now that he is older and speaking a lot (in English), he is getting upset because the other children don't understand him when he is talking to them. I have also seen this recently when we are with friends he has known since Krabbelgruppe. I am so upset as the last thing I want is for him to feel in anyway isolated or unhappy - but all the advice I received about the subject when we were first here never mentioned this kind of issue. Apologies for this being long, being concise has never been a strong point of mine!! Any shared experience or advice would be great as I am completely freaked for my little guy as he has always been such a happy chappy and so at home in his foreign surroundings! Thanks,

ds is 4 and we are in Spain. He was a late talker and used to get frustrated at nursery because he couldn't communicate but it got better when he started mastering simple words to get his point across. We concentrated on the important ones: no, yes, potty (!), hungry, thirsty, I don't like it, I want that etc etc. He has been through a few phases where he's felt a bit left out, usually when the others in his friend group take a developmental leap forwards and he takes a while to catch up due to the language.

However, if you've been there since he was tiny and he's understanding well I wonder if the issue is something else? ds has had periods of separation anxiety which I understand is quite common if they feel out of place in any way, and although it's usually short lived (couple of weeks), it has made him sad on occasion.

How is his spoken english? Does he communicate well with other english speakers? Perhaps he is annoyed that he can't communicate so well in german? Could you concentrate on some key words for him to empower him a bit? ds always feels better if he is "armed".

Not sure I've helped after all that waffle....!