6.8.08

Is my 3 year girl too late to start?

My young girl is already 3Yrs 6 mths old. Is she too late to start? Any recommendation? Miss E.

Nothing is absolute. Yes, it is easier to pick up languages in the first 6 months after birth. But your 3 year 6 months old girl has much more language cell synapses than a 6 year old. Many parents do not know that poor academic results often stem from a failure to master the language tool.

You can help your daughter to build up a strong language foundation,
1. Arouse an interest in languages. Let her enjoy the process of learning. Give her encouragement when she faces difficulties. Give her recognition when she makes her efforts.
2. Create a language environment and enables her to meet native speakers on a regular basis. Send your child a nearby Le Beaumont Language Centre. A baby can join all the 5 language groups from Monday to Friday. A 3-year old girl can start with English and Putonghua playgroup. When she has settled in, add one more language playgroup. If she is really keen, add one more while she still has the time. By the time she goes to primary school, she probably has only time for 3 languages.
3. Playgroup is an extremely effective tool in developing the listening and spoken skills of a child, and in deciphering the sentence structures and language patterns which we normally call grammar.
4. Help your child build up a strong verbal language skill before reading and written skills, not vice versa.
5. If you want your child to be strong in English, let her pick up one more European language. This will increase her sensitivity and a better understanding of language structures and patterns. Sam

16.7.08

語言的奧秘 和 嬰兒腦細胞發育

語言是什麼?
語言是語音和符號。

胎兒後期對母親談話所用語言的聲調已開始留意;母親轉換語言,胎兒的心跳就有反應。
嬰兒的語言世界,只有語音和大意,未有國界之分,亦不會引起混淆。

語言是人類的本能,嬰兒只需要有機會和人接觸,引起他的注意力,語音刺激腦語言細胞末稍的連線,成為記憶單元,嬰兒就學會了一個語音,毫不費力。以後就能辨認這個語音,終生不渝。

研究發現,嬰兒出生第一天,已能辨認母親的聲音。
日本的嬰兒的一項研究發現,六個月的嬰兒分辨L和R音,十個月的嬰兒卻已喪失這能力。
嬰兒期接觸的語言種類愈多,語音領域愈闊,語言天份愈高。
從出生或三個月開始接觸的語言,辨音能力,不亞於母語;到十三個月開聲時,發音特別準確、特別地道。

『國家地理誌』2007年拍製的Scince of Babies記錄片指出:

1. 嬰兒的腦部發育最快,首一年已增加一倍,相等於餘生增加的份量;
2. 嬰兒以百億計的腦細胞,出生時還未有連線;
3. 通過和人接觸,通過應用,腦細胞才出現大幅度的連線,建立本能,和個人資料庫。
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi4O4ugySYw

東山語言中心在2008年推出『嬰兒學堂』Gifted Babies 課程,一週五天,學費5,000元,廣受家長注意,報讀人數,直線上升。課程根據大量研究報告,源自2004年創辦的『啟蒙外語遊戲組』,及由2006年成立的『小北歐』『多語啟蒙遊戲組』,多年來纍積了大量成功個案,發現越喜歡玩、越多機會玩的嬰兒,語言能力越高,反應越快,人越聰明,遠比同齡孩童,因而成立『嬰兒學堂』。

來自五個國家大學畢業的老師,設計適合不同年齡孩子的遊戲,提供豐富的語言環境,通過遊戲、通過語音,刺激腦細胞的連線,擴大辨音能力,建立視像和語音的聯想,記憶、邏輯思維,音樂、數學的基本概念,和其他孩子的交往,不同情緒的體驗和處理,加強多語能力、智能和情緒智能的發展。

我曾經就『嬰兒學堂』Gifted Babies 的基本理念,請教香港大學教育學院副院長Dr.Tony Yuen, PhD., 和Linguistics Department 的 Prof. TAN Lihai, PhD., 得到他們的肯定,並正在探討就幼兒腦細胞發育和語言及智能的發展,一起合作,進行長期的研究和跟進。

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