How To Teach Children To Read
Stephen Lau
Stephen Lau
Children Learning Languages
by Stephen Lau
Most children demonstrate the gift to learn languages at an early age, if given the opportunity and the right learning environment. According to many research studies, the earlier the better when it comes to children learning languages, especially the ability to speak like a native.
As parents, you should provide both the opportunity and the environment.
The benefits of children learning languages
There are many long-term benefits for children learning languages at an early age:
ˇ Better academic performance: Students proficient in foreign languages tend to demonstrate better academic performance in standardized tests in English, such as the verbal component of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
ˇ Students proficient in languages other than English may have a competitive advantage over students who know only English when it comes to career opportunities, especially in the global job market.
ˇ Learners of foreign languages may also acquire problem-solving skills, which are beneficial to their academic career.
ˇ Learning alternative ways of expressing and exposture to different cultures will broaden children's outlook of life, which is a plus in children's maturity.
ˇ Second language acquisition may enhance learning the first language. Scientists have discovered the human brain formats itself to perform different specialized functions, including learning languages. Accordingly, the more imput (such as learning a second language) to the brain will generate more neural network connections, which ultimately benefit learning in the second and first languages.
Different ways of children learning languages
In the United States, there are three major types of programs in elementary schools available to children who wish to learn languages other than English.
ˇ Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES) Programs: A second language is taught just like any other subject in the school curriculum. With three to five sessions per week, children are exposed to the language such that they may achieve full proficiency in the language.
ˇ Foreign Language Exploratory (FLEX) Programs: More than one foreign language is taught together with exposure to their respective cultures. These programs aim at providing groundwork for subsequent learning rather than language proficiency of a specific language.
ˇ Language immersion Programs: Children learn a second language through learning all of their school subjects in that language on part or all of the school day. Not all schools offer this program in which the second language is the medium of instruction for part of the curriculum. Children enrolled in immersion programs have a better chance of achieving full proficiency in second language.
If your child's elementary school does not offer any of the above children learning languages programs, you may express your child's interest in learning languages to the principal, or even join with other parents sharing the same interest to start up a language learning program.
As parents, you can also expose your child to children learning languages computer software and CDs.
Developing children's interest in learning languages
Children are not born with the gift of learning languages. They are instilled and motivated to learn languages.
ˇ Attend cultural events of other countries.
ˇ Expose them to visual media in the second language.
ˇ Enroll them in international exchange summer programs.
ˇ Read and speak to them in the second language (if you are familiar with).
Start your child learning the Chinese language with Chinese children books.
Different stages of children learning languages
There are different stages of children learning languages. Individual children may take different routes to reading and writing mastery.
Initial stage of observation and imitation
Children begin learning a language by observing what others do.
Children start imitating what others are doing; they may pretend that they understand.
Children may use body language to communicate.
Pre-reading stage
Children begin to use simple words or short phrases to communicate what they want. They may use words without knowing their English equivalent.
Initial stage of understanding grammatical rules
Children start using language patterns that are often literal translation from the first language.
Children often show better comprehension than their ability to produce language. It is therefore important to focus more on comprehension than on language production.
Literacy learning stage
Children begin to progress in learning the language through practice and interactions.
Remember, literarcy learning is recursive; that is, children may move forward and then step back to consolidate what they have learned, or they may develop their reading and writing skills unevenly. So be patient and do not despair.
Children learning languages may be a difficult and frustrating experience. Whatever time they may take, it is important for children to achieve these literacy learning goals:
ˇ Be proficient in reading in writing (making sense of what they read and conveying meaning in written language).
ˇ Be confident in using the language.
ˇ Enjoy reading and writing in the language.
Children's exposure to the language does not guarantee the language acquisition. It is therefore important to help children with the right tools and environment to produce the optimum results.
CopyrightŠ by Stephen Lau
Return from Children Learning Languages to the Home Page.
by Stephen Lau
Most children demonstrate the gift to learn languages at an early age, if given the opportunity and the right learning environment. According to many research studies, the earlier the better when it comes to children learning languages, especially the ability to speak like a native.
As parents, you should provide both the opportunity and the environment.
The benefits of children learning languages
There are many long-term benefits for children learning languages at an early age:
ˇ Better academic performance: Students proficient in foreign languages tend to demonstrate better academic performance in standardized tests in English, such as the verbal component of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
ˇ Students proficient in languages other than English may have a competitive advantage over students who know only English when it comes to career opportunities, especially in the global job market.
ˇ Learners of foreign languages may also acquire problem-solving skills, which are beneficial to their academic career.
ˇ Learning alternative ways of expressing and exposture to different cultures will broaden children's outlook of life, which is a plus in children's maturity.
ˇ Second language acquisition may enhance learning the first language. Scientists have discovered the human brain formats itself to perform different specialized functions, including learning languages. Accordingly, the more imput (such as learning a second language) to the brain will generate more neural network connections, which ultimately benefit learning in the second and first languages.
Different ways of children learning languages
In the United States, there are three major types of programs in elementary schools available to children who wish to learn languages other than English.
ˇ Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES) Programs: A second language is taught just like any other subject in the school curriculum. With three to five sessions per week, children are exposed to the language such that they may achieve full proficiency in the language.
ˇ Foreign Language Exploratory (FLEX) Programs: More than one foreign language is taught together with exposure to their respective cultures. These programs aim at providing groundwork for subsequent learning rather than language proficiency of a specific language.
ˇ Language immersion Programs: Children learn a second language through learning all of their school subjects in that language on part or all of the school day. Not all schools offer this program in which the second language is the medium of instruction for part of the curriculum. Children enrolled in immersion programs have a better chance of achieving full proficiency in second language.
If your child's elementary school does not offer any of the above children learning languages programs, you may express your child's interest in learning languages to the principal, or even join with other parents sharing the same interest to start up a language learning program.
As parents, you can also expose your child to children learning languages computer software and CDs.
Developing children's interest in learning languages
Children are not born with the gift of learning languages. They are instilled and motivated to learn languages.
ˇ Attend cultural events of other countries.
ˇ Expose them to visual media in the second language.
ˇ Enroll them in international exchange summer programs.
ˇ Read and speak to them in the second language (if you are familiar with).
Start your child learning the Chinese language with Chinese children books.
Different stages of children learning languages
There are different stages of children learning languages. Individual children may take different routes to reading and writing mastery.
Initial stage of observation and imitation
Children begin learning a language by observing what others do.
Children start imitating what others are doing; they may pretend that they understand.
Children may use body language to communicate.
Pre-reading stage
Children begin to use simple words or short phrases to communicate what they want. They may use words without knowing their English equivalent.
Initial stage of understanding grammatical rules
Children start using language patterns that are often literal translation from the first language.
Children often show better comprehension than their ability to produce language. It is therefore important to focus more on comprehension than on language production.
Literacy learning stage
Children begin to progress in learning the language through practice and interactions.
Remember, literarcy learning is recursive; that is, children may move forward and then step back to consolidate what they have learned, or they may develop their reading and writing skills unevenly. So be patient and do not despair.
Children learning languages may be a difficult and frustrating experience. Whatever time they may take, it is important for children to achieve these literacy learning goals:
ˇ Be proficient in reading in writing (making sense of what they read and conveying meaning in written language).
ˇ Be confident in using the language.
ˇ Enjoy reading and writing in the language.
Children's exposure to the language does not guarantee the language acquisition. It is therefore important to help children with the right tools and environment to produce the optimum results.
CopyrightŠ by Stephen Lau
Return from Children Learning Languages to the Home Page.
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