Ginkgo doesn’t seem to slow brain decline

Ginkgo doesn’t seem to slow brain decline
By IANS
December 30th, 2009

WASHINGTON - Ginkgo biloba supplements, taken by older adults for several years, did not slow down their cognitive decline, says a new study.

Cognitive decline is a decrease in the ability of the brain to perform regular functions like judgement, reasoning, memory, learning and understanding.

“Ginkgo biloba is marketed widely and used with the hope of improving, preventing, or delaying cognitive impairment associated with ageing and neuro-degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease,” the study authors write.

“Indeed, in the United States and particularly in Europe, Ginkgo biloba is perhaps the most widely used herbal treatment consumed specifically to prevent age-related cognitive decline.”

Beth E. Snitz, University of Pittsburgh and colleagues analysed outcomes from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study to determine if G biloba slowed the rate of cognitive decline in older adults who had normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The GEM study previously found that G biloba was not effective in reducing the incidence of Alzheimer dementia or dementia overall.

However, evidence from large clinical trials regarding its effect on long-term cognitive functioning is lacking.

The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial included 3,069 community-dwelling participants, ages 72 to 96 years, who received a twice-daily dose of 120-mg extract of G biloba.

The study was conducted at six academic medical centres in the US between 2000 and 2008, with a median (midpoint) follow-up of 6.1 years. Change in cognition was assessed by various tests and measures.

“In sum, we find no evidence that G biloba slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults,” the study authors wrote.

These findings were published in the December issue of JAMA.
Source: Health News http://blog.taragana.com/health/2009/12/30/ginkgo-doesnt-seem-to-slow-brain-decline-17705/

1st year is critical to brain growth & language development

Towards the end of the first year of life, infants show decreased sensitivity to phonetic differences not used in their native language (Werker & Tees, 1984) and increased sensitivity to the differences that are used (Polka, Colontonio, & Sundara, 2001). http://convention3.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation 0/9/4/0/5/p94052_index.html?phpsessid=b42046a0893bff2b106ae275f6a98662

The growth of language cell synapses in the brain explodes after birth and peaks out in the 8th month. (Newsweek International 15.8.2005).

All researches seem to support the theory that the sensitive period for language learning is in the first 8 months after birth. Your baby will be able to pick up the different languages he is exposed to effortlessly.

The brain grows fastest in the 1st year. This is also the sensitive period for emotional development and IQ. The growth environment for a baby in the 1st year is therefore very important. When both parents are away at work, and if the helper only feeds and changes diapers for the baby, your baby is at risk of growing up in acute deprivation of social interaction and language stimulation.

Le Beaumont's Gifted Babies program is to create a highly interactive play environment for babies to stimulate brain growth, with a chance to take part in programs run by native teachers from 5 different countries.

Does a baby need to learn 5 languages? Your baby will grow up speaking only one language, 3 or 5 languages, all at the native level, depending on his exposure in the critical early months and years! It all depends on how you would like to optimize the opportunity during the sensitive period of your baby's growth.

The Gifted Babies program is evidence based. It has built up a large number of successful cases over the past 5 years. It is in essence a brain development program. The additional languages that the child picks up is just an extra bonus.

Le Beaumont is leading the world in the application research in early brain development and language acquisition. Share this information with your friends and colleagues. Find out more at this week's Parenting Seminar on Saturday. Tel:2866 2028 (office hours) or leave a note at giftedbabies@gmail.com

The Early Learning Plan for Washington State, USA

The Early Learning Plan, even in draft form, is well thought out, comprehensive and in ways very innovative. It highlights the extensive scientific evidence that demonstrates just how crucial a child's earliest years are in terms of his or her overall development, including noting that brain development is most intensive from birth to age 3.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010590775_guest28sheehan.html

The draft plan was delivered to Governor Chris Gregoire of the Washington State at the beginning of December 2009.

Washington University is leading in the research on early education.
How soon can babies learn?
http://kcts9.org/video/introduction-how-soon-can-babies-learn

Access to high-quality infant and toddler care

The most rapid phase of a child’s development occurs in their first (three) years of life. While the early period in children’s development is absolutely critical to their future success, it is also where public investments are lowest.

(As parents, you have a choice for your own baby - to invest or not to invest in the critical first years of rapid brain development.)

When young children lack basic nutrition in the prenatal period, (language stimulation & social interaction) during infancy and in early childhood, the effects on their brain development can be devastating and long-lasting.

Facts & Figures
By the first nine months, disparities in cognitive, social, behavioral and health outcomes are already evident, and they widen by the time the child is 24 months old.

Policy Recommendations
Improve and increase access to high-quality infant and toddler care. Source: http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/early_learning_and_development/

Children Now is a non-profit organization in California. Copy and paste the web address to check the graph which shows the rapid brain growth in the first 3 years. A baby needs rich language environment and social interaction to stimulate brain growth and the development of languages during the critical period.

Looking To Make Your Baby Smarter?

Looking To Make Your Baby Smarter?
Forget the DVDs, Dad is Best for Baby Brain Development

Dec 23, 2009 – IRVINE, CA …

Over the past couple of months, there has been an uproar among parents over Baby Einstein toys and the unfounded claims that the toys will make a baby smarter. In light of this, Boot Camp for New Dads reminds parents that there is a substantiated way to raise your baby’s intelligence - through playtime with Dad.

Now celebrating their 19th year, Boot Camp for New Dads is nationally acclaimed as the “Best Practice” for preparing men to be fathers and has been named a U.S. Navy Model Program. Boot Camp for New Dads has prepared more than 200,000 men for fatherhood over the years. Today, Greg Bishop and 400 other Boot Camp Coaches conduct workshops in 44 states and the U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force.

Greg Bishop, author of two books on fatherhood and the founder of Boot Camp for New Dads bcnd.org), a non-profit orientation program for fathers-to-be, operating in more than 260 hospitals, clinics, schools, fire stations and churches around North America and internationally, has worked with hundreds of thousands of dads over the past 19 years.

Bishop and thousands of dads (and moms) know that when it comes to raising infant intelligence, dad is the baby’s best toy. According to a recent article in Parents magazine, playtime may look like all fun, but is actually “work” to your child. In the article, Marilyn Segal, PhD, an early childhood studies program director at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale stated, “Playtime helps develop a baby's social, intellectual, language, and problem-solving skills.”

Babies grow by playing. Never underestimate the power of play and the way dads are happy to crawl on the floor and really get into playtime with their baby. For example, the skills a three-month-old learns by playing a simple game of “peek-a-boo” include observation, language, coordination, communication, exploration, problem solving, socialization, rhythm, creativity and humor. Other games work on dexterity, balance, trust, strength and timing.
http://www.prlog.org/10463741-looking-to-make-your-baby-smarter.html

Babies need rich stimulation when growing up, especially during the first year. Never let your baby grow up lying on the bed throughout the day, gazing only at the blank ceiling, while you and your spouse are away at work. Arrange a rich stimulating program for your baby, as soon as the mom returns to work after the post-natal leave. Rich stimulation makes your baby more confident, more intelligent and linguistically more gifted. Acute deprivation of stimulation during the first year can lead to retarded brain growth and language impairment. Find out more at the Saturday Parenting Seminar. Reservation: 2866 2028.

It is never too early to start.

It is never too early to start. A variety of studies show that interaction with an infant influences brain development.

Studies by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child show nurturing and stable relationships with caring adults are essential to healthy human development beginning at birth. From the prenatal period through the first years of life, the brain undergoes its most rapid development and early experiences determine whether its structure is sturdy or fragile. Spending time with your child creating these meaningful relationships will give them the skills they will need to face life's challenges.

The experts agree that healthy development depends on the quality and reliability of a young child's relationships with the important people in his or her life. These relationships not only include parents but teachers and extended family.

statesmanjournal.com Oregan
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20091223/OPINION/912230412/1049

Babies join the infants' Gifted Babies Program at around 3 months, coming 3 to 5 times a week. This highly interactive program creates rich stimulating environment for babies during weekdays when their parents are away at work and they are left at home with the helper with nothing to do. The rich stimulating environment for babies during the critical period is very important for brain growth. Babies grow up more confident, curious, attentive and more intelligent. Babies pick up a number of languages effortlessly. Find out more in the Saturday Parenting Seminar on 5/F Tower 1, Admiralty Centre. Reservation: 2866 2028.

Changing Brains: Brain Research and Language Acquisition

This 9-minute video is a gem.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOHtSkSPfA

Congratulations to parents of the winning photos and many thanks for sharing the happy moments with us.

Le Beaumont has introduced a new recruitment system modeled on Goldman Sachs. Invest early so that you don’t have to feel sorry later on. Candidates have to go through a grueling process of interviews with the Centre Manager, with different groups of Parents and children, with fellow teachers, and finally with the Director. This is to ensure quality of teachers.

Miss Elizabeth Mudd, English in TKO, Miss Katie Taylor, English in TST, Ms Silvia Maldonado, Spanish in CWB, Miss Jeanette Constantino, Spanish in Admiralty, Ms Victoria Alliod, French in CWB, are among the first batch of teachers recruited under the new system. They are young, passionate, caring and very committed to our cause. We are expanding and recruiting also from the Oxford University, with an offer to pay off 50% of their student loan on completion of 2 1/2 year contract.

Booster sessions for the same language in the same week produce impressive results. Enjoy 50% discount for booster sessions during the Christmas school holidays and in the first quarter of 2010!

Rock-a-bye baby ...

All parents, whether they are musically-inclined or not, have certainly sung various songs to their children. We sing to soothe a crying baby, to rock him to sleep, to entertain and interact with him. Research has shown that singing, in actual fact, benefits the brain.

According to Kidshealth.org, a parenting website, "children who grow up hearing music, singing songs, and moving to the beat are enjoying what experts call ‘a rich sensory environment’. That’s just a fancy way of saying a child is exposed to a wide variety of tastes, smells, textures, colours, and sounds".

Researchers believe this forges more pathways, or neural connections, between the cells in their brains.

When children sing and move to music, both the left and right hemisperes of their brains are activated, stimulating learning and memory. A simple example will be the Alphabet Song – by singing it a number of times, children can memorise the entire alphabet with ease and enjoyment.
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=41543 Wed, 23 Dec 2009

The first year is crucial to brain development. Leaving your baby behind at home with a helper doing nothing is not an option. The Gifted Babies Program creates a highly interactive program of songs, games, stories and interaction with other babies, stimulating the healthy development of the brain and the learning of the key speech sounds. The contrast is big. The outcomes are obvious.

Mind-reading brain implant could allow paralysed to turn their thoughts into instant speech

A revolutionary new device that reads a person's thoughts and turns them into speech could soon change the lives of paralysed patients around the world.

The Neuralynx System is being developed by a team of scientists led by Professor Frank Guenther at Boston University.

Users will simply have to think of what they want to say and a voice synthesizer will translate the thoughts into speech almost immediately.

They provide our first insight into how neurons in the brain represent speech.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1237794/Mind-reading-brain-implant-allow-paralysed-turn-thoughts-instant-speech.html#ixzz0aWRbdp6n
23rd December 2009

This is yet another piece of evidence that our speech is related to neurons in the brain. We believe that a voice recognition system is developed in the first 8 months after birth. This is the best time to learn foreign languages. Sounds which have been programmed into the system can be produced. Sounds which have not been programmed into the system cannot be produced.

The Gifted Babies Program is based on a 5-country world tour of songs, games, stories and activities conducted in the language of the host country. Children who have gone through this program grow up more sociable, curious, intelligent and highly gifted in languages. They can speak English, Putonghua and other languages with the full details of a native speaker.

語言障礙 預防勝於治療

今天無線電視台星期二檔案，介紹一對夫婦，開店賣朱古力，用利潤支持一間為語言障礙孩子，提供免費言語治療的中心，赤子童心，令人敬仰。

語障是可以避免的發育問題。語障是腦語言細胞發育不全，未能建立完整的辨音系統，無法正常處理語音訊息。隨著教育普及，高教育的父母，雙雙均有自已的事業，嬰兒在首八個月語言細胞發育高峰期，往往在嚴重缺乏和人溝通、嚴重缺乏語言環境下長大，導致發育不全。語障在英國、美國、香港等富裕社會，已愈來愈普遍。

香港大學兒科曾於2005年就362名嚴重語障孩子進行研究，發現家有外佣的孩子，語障風險高70%，父母在家裡說多於一種語言的孩子，語障風險高200%。是因為混淆而引起語障？但為什麼兩族通婚的孩子，雙語流利，星加坡、瑞士、北歐等多語地區，孩子不但沒有混淆、出現語障，語言水平更遠超單語國家？

高收入(有外佣)、高教育(母語外並精通英語)的父母，雙雙各有自已的事業，工作時間長，對嬰兒的時間小。嬰兒出生後首半年語言發育高峰期，孩子在嚴重缺乏語言環境、缺乏語言刺激的環境下長大，語言細胞神經末稍無法連線，無法建立辨音系統，形成語言障礙，及低智商。(請參考16.12.09網誌 Harvard Medical School study: children in Romanian orphanages had lower IQ)

嬰兒成長，一方面需要營養，更需要一個良好的成長環境。溫馨、及豐富的語言環境，刺激語言細胞神經末稍的連線，語言及其他的感官刺激，刺激腦部發育，令嬰兒更聰明。

外佣少與嬰兒談天，家裡嚴重缺乏語言環境。物以類聚，生物只能通過和同類接觸而學習，不能通過電視、影碟學習。(請參考2.12.09網誌 Baby Einstein, the best selling baby DVD in US)

如父母均需外出工作，應早日參加東山語言中心的『資優兒培訓計劃』，安排外佣每天抱嬰兒參加中心活動，每週起碼3次，最好是每日一次。父母放假的日子，應多和孩子玩耍、談心，唱兒歌，不必參加中心活動。正如已有母乳的日子，不需再喂奶粉。

『資優兒培訓計劃』，在父母上班的時候，提供互動和豐富的語言環境。這是一項經一萬小時研究、已累積5年經驗，証明非常成功的計劃。參加這計劃的孩子，長大後特別聰明，外語能力特別強，面試時佔盡優勢。

如你有好友有初生嬰兒或快張臨盤，這段訊息，會是最寶貴的聖誕禮物。請把 link 電郵給她。

Positive experiences and environments are critical to their healthy development.

Recent research on the brain development of young children demonstrates that positive experiences and environments are critical to their healthy development. This raises the question about how best to promote the cognitive, social and emotional development for children.

A baby's brain is only 40 percent developed at birth, so brain growth during the early years is very robust. In the first month alone, the connections between the 100 billion brain cells have increased 20-fold to about 1,000 trillion.
Linda Craven: Early experiences have lifelong impact on child's brain
Statesman's Journal, Oregan. December 20, 2009
Linda Craven of Silverton is the program chair and faculty member of the Early Childhood Education department at Chemeketa Community College.

The massive neuron in a baby's brain sets the stage for wiring (learning) to take place upon stimulation from human interaction. Playgroups provide positive experiences and environment for babies to grow up.

Harvard Medical School study: children in Romanian orphanages had lower IQ

An ongoing Harvard Medical School study called the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, has shown that children in Romanian orphanages had significantly lower IQs (65 versus 103) than children living in the community.

Those living in orphanages also have a much higher rate of mental illness than those living in the community, the study also shows.

Those placed in foster families made dramatic recoveries in mental health and language acquisition - but the success rates were significantly diminished for those who were older than two when they were put into the foster homes.
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav121409b.shtml Dec 14, 2009

This adds to evidence on the importance of human interaction, stimulation and a rich language environment during the first 2 years after birth. Our research shows that the first 6 months after birth is critical to brain and language development.

Our Gifted Babies program is a brain development program for babies from high income highly educated families during weekdays when both parents are away at work. Many babies are brought up in acute deprivation of interaction with people and language stimulation, akin to babies in orphanages.

The program mimics a round the world tour. A group of babies of similar age join an arm chair tour. A local guide, i.e. the native teacher, will organize singing, exercising and story sessions with the babies in the host language. The group moves on to another country the next day, and the day after. The 5-country tour repeats on a weekly basis, with different themes, but often familiar songs which babies love to hear.

The Gifted Babies program expose young children to the sounds and culture of different countries. This stimulates the massive wiring of brain synapses. Babies become more responsive, more curious and more intelligent. The languages they pick up so effortlessly is just an added bonus.

By the age of two, Beaumont babies are confident, elogquent and can speak the 5 languages they learn with as much details as a native speaker. When they attend interviews in English for kindergarten admission, they are often asked this question:
"Have you come back from abroad?"
"Why?" Parents sometimes ask.
"How come your child speaks English so well?" The teacher wonders.
Early exposure to native English speakers does make a lot of difference.
Same applies to Putonghua, and other languages.
Why not make the best use of the opportunity when your baby is still growing up?

Babies learn from interaction with the same species

Babies learn from interaction with the same species, not through TV or DVD. This has been confirmed by two important researches conducted by the Washington University in 2003 and 2007. Many research shows that TV is bad for babies below 2 years of age.

The initial months after birth are crucial to brain and language development. Your baby needs rich language stimulation during this period.

Research in North Carolina Univeristy from 1972-2007 proves that early language training boots IQ.

Babies from high income highly educated families are at higher risk as both parents are likely to have their own careers. Research shows that babies brought up under acute deprivation of interaction with people often suffer from retarded brain growth and language impairment, irrespective of the good genes they inherited from their parents.

Knowledge is power. Update your knowledge base from the Saturday Parenting Seminar at our Admiralty Centre. Reservation: 2866 2028.

Happy 55th Anniversary!

QES celebrates its 55th Anniversary! The school has produced a number of King Edward Scholars who are the Top Student of the Year in School Certificate Examinations.

Dr. Arthur Hinton was the Principal who succeeded Mr. CHEUNG Wai Fung, Founding Principal of QES. He is a legendary figure at 89 years of age, a pioneer in promoting an all-round education through extra curricular activities and service to community, a mentor to so many of us throughout the past half a century. Dr. Hinton is an Advisor to Le Beaumont. He advises us to look for teachers with passion, empathy and commitment rather than just paper qualification.

Le Beaumont would like to dedicate its rediscovering the learning of languages to all parents and to all children, especially babies to be born in 2010. Bring your baby to Le Beaumont after the first month, 40 minutes a day, Monday to Friday, and expose your baby to native teachers in 5 languages. Your baby will grow up with higher EQ, IQ & LQ. By the 2nd year, your baby will be able to speak to speak 5 languages like a native speaker, not only in English, but also in Putonghua, French, Spanish and Japanese!

Babies are better at learning languages than adults. Babies learn better & faster. But why? How? What is the process involved? How can you help to maximize the language potential of your baby? Come and share 10,000 hours of research on early brain development and language acquisition in the Parenting Seminar to be held every Saturday from 10 - 11:30 a.m. and from 2 - 3:30 p.m. at Admiralty Centre. Reserve your seat early. Tel: 2866 2028.

Research Links Early Exposure to Language in Babies to Easier Acquisition of the Language as Adults

Tue Dec 8 14:43:55 2009 Pacific Time

NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Dec. 8 (AScribe Newswire) -- Most scientists agree that the earlier you expose a child to a language, the easier it is for that child to learn it.

California State University, Northridge assistant professor of psychology Janet S. Oh wanted to take that concept a step further. She wondered whether early experience with a language - say before the age of one - can still help an adult many years later to acquire that language more easily that an individual who has not had such early exposure.

"Early indications are that it does," said Oh, who published the results of her pilot study in the latest issue of the Journal of Child Language.

Oh's pilot study compared 12 adults adopted from Korea by U.S. families as young children to 13 participants who had no prior exposure to Korean. All but one of the 12 adopted Koreans were brought to the U.S. prior to age one. Because their adoptive families were European Americans, the adopted Korean adults had little to no exposure to Korean after adoption. Oh wanted to find out whether relearning can aid in accessing early childhood language memory.

All 25 participants in the study were recruited and tested during the second week of the first semester of college Korean language classes. They completed a language background questionnaire and interview, a childhood slang task and a Korean phoneme identification task. Phonemes are the smallest contrastive units in the sound system of a language.

"The results revealed an advantage for adopted participants in identifying some Korean phonemes, suggesting that some components of early childhood language memory can remain intact despite many years of disuse, and that relearning a language can help in accessing such a memory," Oh said.

Oh had a suspicion that the adopted adults might have had some advantage in learning Korean as adults, but she didn't expect the results she got.

"The average age of adoption was five months, so we really weren't sure what the study would find," she said. "They were infants when they came to the United States so they weren't even speaking yet, and all exposure to Korean language and culture was pretty much cut off. Yet, when they started studying Korean as adults they clearly mastered learning the sounds that make up the language much easier than those who never had exposure to the language."

Oh said she chose Korean in part because the sounds that make up the language are so different from English. The distinctions between the speech sounds initially can be quite difficult for non-native speakers to hear, much less produce.

[This is yet another piece of scientific evidence to confirm Le Beaumont's Gifted Babies Program. The first piece of evidence we have was that a 65 year old student of ours were able to recognize the basic sounds of Putonghua he was exposed to as a baby. The 2nd piece of evidence was that a 29 year old student of ours was not longer able to recognize the basic sounds of Putonghua without any exposure as a baby. If you want your child to learn English and Putonghua well, start as early as possible, as a baby. The same principle applies to other key languages in the world. Le Beaumont Language Centre is leading the world in the R & D of early brain development and language acquisition. Come to the Saturday Parenting Seminar to share 10,000 hours of research for free. It may change the whole future of your child.]

英語宜從幼時學

日文老師 Mika，在東山任職已有半年，將於下月回日本，離開東山。

『學外語最難是發音準確。發音出錯，人家根本不知道你想說什麼。』
『對呀！日本人覺得說英語很困難。』

『從你的教學經驗來說，幼兒和成人比較，誰對聲音的模仿力強？』
『幼兒！』

『如果要英語說得好，什麼方法最有效？』
『可能真的要參加東山語言中心的嬰幼兒培訓計劃，自幼學起。』

『學生中有成功例子嗎？』
『成功的例子很多：不到一歲的嬰兒，已明白日語說的指示；
一個一歲兩個月的學生，只學了兩個月，日語單字說得很準確。』

『東山和妳以前任職的學校有什麼不同？』
『第一是東山的學生起步早，成效很好；
第二是東山在硬件和軟件上肯投資，學習環境好；
第三是老闆和同事非常好，孩子很可愛，很聰明；
第四是東山重視理論、研究和教學成績，質素很高。』

『在東山做得開心嗎？』
『做得非常開心，希望日後有機會再合作。』

熱愛工作、美食的人感到最幸福 Happiness Index Rises

根據嶺南大學最新的幸福指數調查發現，不太注重金錢，但熱愛工作和美食的受訪者覺得較幸福，而女性和收入較低的受訪者也較覺得快樂。

最喜歡工作的受訪者，幸福程度最高，有77分；而喜愛美食和烹飪的受訪者則排第二，有74.1分。

東山語言中心老師的入職條件，是要喜歡孩子、喜歡這份工作，而孩子全是開心果，東山的員工，幸福程度應有78分。

The latest Hong Kong happiness index has risen marginally overall as the financial crisis has eased, according to Hong Kong happiness index.

The Lingnan University poll surveyed 828 people aged 21 and above in November, 2009 in which respondents were asked to rate their happiness on a scale of zero to 100.

It found that women were happier than men. Overall, the happiness level was 70.6, slightly higher than last year’s 69.3 and the second rise in a row from a low of 67.2 in 2007.

Setting people’s favourite activities against their happiness level, the pollsters found people who liked their jobs best were the happiest, scoring 77, followed by those who liked food and cooking at 74.1.

The lowest, 62.7, comprised people who love investment and making money most.

The happiness index for those with a monthly household income of less than HK$10,000 was up 5.7 per cent, while for those on HK$10,000 to Hk$19,999 it was up 8.2 per cent. - HKIHRM News Digest

How soon can babies start?

How soon can babies start? This is the question put forward to leading psychologists at the Washington University.

Your baby starts picking up the sounds when you talk to him on the first day of birth. Talking to your baby is very important. It stimulates his brain growth, the wiring of synapses and the formation of the voice recognition system.

If you have go to work, make sure to arrange your helper to bring your baby to Le Beaumont, an hour a day, Monday to Friday, so that your baby can be brought up in a rich stimulating environment for brain growth and language development.

Acute deprivation of language stimulation during the critical growth period in the first year can lead to retarded brain growth and language impairment.

For details of the Washington U interview, go to -
http://kcts9.org/video/introduction-how-soon-can-babies-learn
Saturday Parenting Seminar at Admiralty (free): Tel:2866 2028

Babies learn fast and learn well

Just want to share with you another happy news from us. Today, we heard
Jasmine (almost 22 months old) sings a putonghua song "小鴨子" at home. My maid told me that she learned that song a few times and could manage to sing the whole song! She has a very good memory and we are all very amazed! Thank you once again for Ms Zheng's teaching.

四十年後網上重逢

很偶然之中, 在網上看到一則有關你的新聞, 真沒想到相隔差不多四十年之後, 會在新科技幫助之下,有你的消息, 真的很高興！很高興！

當年住在秀茂坪26座7樓, 不知你還記得否？我移民到法國已有34年了, 現下我們一家定居在巴黎, 兒子都成家搬出了。

你呢！近況如何！希望會收到你的回音。祝你和你的家人安好！


當然記得當年上一層樓那位年青漂亮的女孩！也記得你們婚後移民法國的事。移民是很大的挑戰。移民勤奮向上，不怕艱苦，是經濟的重要動力。香港、上海、巴黎等大城市，原居民不多，是移民的血汗，成就了現在的繁榮。

我在香港政府工作了37年，大部份時間做開山霹石，推動改革的工作。
70年代推動勞資和解，推動企業協商和成立公積金。
78年，我是第一個訪問南韓的香港官員，並訪問日本等亞洲多國。
84年地鐵全線罷工，解決後，在我的建議下，董事局加入了人事部。
85年推動環保，在屯門推出第一個廢紙收計劃。
88年組織勞資關係節，召開全港管理層千人大會，提升人事部地位。

92年受命用7億元創立僱員再培訓局，我放棄先進國家以技術培訓主導的模式，定位為應變能力的軟技能訓練，並積極邀請僱主和民辦機構的參與，成立地區的顧問小組，協調培訓和就業，並把權力下放，由兩百多個大、小的培訓中心，不斷探討市場的需要，設計不同的課程。創新的模式，把培訓成本節省了百份之九十，把就業率提升了五倍。94年國際經濟合作及發展組織(OECD)評為全球最成功的再培訓計劃，96年獲亞洲管理大獎。97年路過巴黎，OECD教育及培訓的最高負責人，邀請我和麗玲到他家吃晚飯，是最高規格的接待。

04年有見於數十萬學生學英語學得那麼苦澀，並影響畢生的前途，決定提前退休，打算用十年時間，把研究和教學結合，破解語言學習之謎。5年來投入超過一萬小時的研究，和實踐的考驗，取得了重要的突破，每週六和家長分享育兒最新的知識。這幾年來，能親自看到一批又一批幼兒，受惠於新的知識，出色成長，樂觀自信，好奇好學，反應敏捷，能說多國語言，發音標準，並一一一進了最好的學校。看到孩子成才，比什麼都高興。

在法國的這幾十年，是怎樣過的？有哪些難忘的事？請向家人問好！

Finland leads the world in education

Mr. Rajakangas, Consul General from Finland, introduced his deputy, Ms Korhonen, to me at lunch at the Jockey Club. We are planning to launch a Finnish language course shortly at Le Beaumont Language Centre, and to introduce the cutting-edge Gifted Babies program to Finnish parents with young babies to learn Putonghua and Japanese.

The Gifted Babies program incorporates the latest research findings in neurology studies and in early language acquisition. Babies in their first 15 months are only interested in sounds and rhythms, not in words or sentences. Exposure to more languages in infancy enhances the voice recognition system for life. And when they need to learn the language in higer studies or in business, they will be able to pick up the foreign language so much better and easier.

Finland is a great country, so innovative, with so much emphasis on education, on the value of people and on technology. Finland leads the world in education. There is so much for us to learn.

Baby Einstein, the best selling baby DVD in US

Research conducted at Washington U in 2003 and 2007 confirmed that babies did not learn from the screen. Exposing babies to the screen can lead to attention problems.

Babies learn through human interaction, through games, songs, or simply evedropping on parents' dialogues.

In the 1st 15 months, babies are very interested in speech sounds. He is also interested in all the human interaction that goes with the sounds, which stimulates brain growth and the development of EQ, IQ & LQ.

The Voice Recognition System (VRS) can be comparable to an amplifier in a Hi-Fi system. The VRS is built in the 1st 8 months after birth. The amplifier is the most expensive component in a Hi-Fi system. An ordinary one, at say HK$3,000, will be able to pick up a song and the tune, but you will not be able to recognize the singer.

I was the Officiating Guest in an international Hi-Fi exhibition in HK in 2008 and had the fortune of being shown to the most expensive amplifier in the world. It costed HK$6M! But after hearing the demonstration, wow, it was worth every dollar! It could pick up the details of every instrument in the orchestra!

So what happens to the Voice Recognition System of your child? It is worth $6M in the first 8 months. But unless you can build up massive wiring of the language synapses during this critical period, all redundant synapses will be pruned away in droves after the 9th month. The value drops like the shares of Dubai World, from $6M to $0.6M, to $0.06M.

Even in the best scenario, you would never be able to wire all the language synapses in the brain because there are too many of them, hundreds of billions. We can try to make as many connections as possible if your baby can join the Gifted Babies program in the 2nd or 3rd month after birth.

Your baby will join a 1-hour tour from Monday to Friday, a country a day, 40 times in the first year, and another 100 times in the 2nd and 3rd year. Your child will be able to pick up all the details in the sounds of the 5 key languages in the world. Your child will be able to speak with as much details as a native speaker, and hence speaks like a native speaker, in all the 5 languages, for as long as he lives! And with all the extra exposure and stimulation during the first 3 years, your child will have much better EQ, IQ & EQ.

I met a Jewish friend in a dinner last year. After reading my name card, he told me that he had a friend in US who said that he was willing to pay half a million dollars, US dollars of course, to anyone who can fix his English. I told him that fixing the English is not a problem, but his friend would have to come much much earlier next time, i.e. within the first 3 months after birth.

But let us come back to what used to be the best selling DVD in the US, Baby Einstein DVD. Here is an update from CBS News. Copy and paste the following path to the space for URL on the top of the page and click "enter".

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/24/business/main5417254.shtml

Julia and Juliet

Julia and Juliet is a good movie, warm, light hearted, and touching. Two stories spanning half a century is intertwined with each other. The modern one starts with a blog, with all the aspiration, enthusiasm and frustration when you are speaking to the void.

But a blog gives you a chance to put your thoughts in writing and share them with people you have never met. It is like an open diarly. Very often, it is a prelude to a book.

Isabel called me from Shenzhen. Austin, his 6-year old son, won a national competition in English solo verse speaking! He and his brother Eddie, 2 years his junior, have studied Spanish and are now thoroughly enjoying themselves in Japanese.

Children grow up very fast. There is a generic clock in our body. Doing the right thing at the right time would produce the best result. Early years are definitely for languages and play, which in turn stimulate brain growth.

What is in life? For the pursuit of happiness. Empathy, respect for other people, and learning how to get along with people make us happier. That is why we learn greetings in Le Beaumont.

Quality education is costly

Quality education costs money, for the hardware (expensive rent for good location and space), software (salaries for quality teacher, a strong management team, research and technical support.) Some would go for the best they can afford because infancy comes only once in a life. Some would shop around for cheaper alternatives.
It is a matter of priorities. It is a matter of choice.

In order to attract more Oxford graduates to join our internship program(re: the preceding blog), we plan to pay off 50% of their student loan if they stay with Le Beaumont Language Centre for 2 1/2 years. The great majority of students in UK are burdened with a huge student loan, which often comes to around HK$400,000.

Le Beaumont differentiates itself as a vibrant new start up compnay, with a cutting-edge program. Le Beaumont is a research as well as teaching centre, which stands out from the pack doing only teaching. Le Beaumont is probably leading the world in the R & D on early brain development and its relations with language acquisition.

Le Beaumont has develops its own culture, giving priority to human value, and emphasising on research, innovation and breakthrough. We have attracted a 1st Class Honours graduate and a Master degree holder from Oxford, a handsome young guy called Patrick Carr, to work out the prototype of our Gifted Babies program.

Sam, the Director is a retired top Civil Servant with international acclaim. He developed the retraining program which was rated by the OECD as the most innovative and cost effective retraining in the world in 1994 and won the Asian Management Award in 1996. The Director will act as a personal mentor to the interns, developing leadership skill, positve work attitudes and habits for success. The interns will be lost in a huge bureaucracy.

The interns will have a wonderful time with babies and toddlers, observing how they grow up from month to month, how they they focus, how their attention span increase, how they become more curious, and picking up the Oxford English, with round vowels and clear diction.

The interns will become experts with babies and will become well informed and most popular parents, a big bonus apart from their remuneration and financial rewards. Let us look forward to it.

Oxford University International Internships

Le Beaumont Language Centre is proud to be an overseas sponsor for the Oxford University International Internships program. Fiona, who is in charge of this program at the Oxford end, has confirmed this with me over a long distance call today.

Le Beaumont has close affinity with the Oxford University. Prof. Nigel Reeves, OBE, one of our advisors, was an Oxford 1st Class Honours graduate at the age of 19. Sam Chow, Founder of Le Beaumont, completed a certifcate course in Industrial Relations at the Oxford University in 1973. Patrick Carr, an Oxford graduate with a BA,1st Class Honour, and MA degree, developed the prototype for our Gifted Babies program in 2005.

Le Beaumont Language Centre plans to take in 4 graduate interns as native English playgroup teachers. Apart from teaching, they will conduct R & D in early brain development and language acquisition. They will also learn how to manage a new company. The Director and experienced teachers will act as mentors. Some of them may become the backbone for future expansion.

Oxford admission ensures that the young person excels not only in academic studies, but also in leadership and organizing ability. We are looking for fresh graduates who are very fond of babies, who can communicate with them and are willing to dedicate a year to develop the full potential of Beaumont gifted babies.

The Oxford interns will be a big boost to our search for a better understanding of the early brain development and language acquisition. We on our part hope to help future leaders in UK to have a first hand experience of the dynamism, creativity and rigour of Hong Kong and to help them better understand China.

Compelling reason for babies to start learning English/ Putonghua in the first 3 months

The genetic clock for language development has been identified. The voice recognition system is developed in the first 8 months. Your baby can start learning English and Putonghua from native teachers from the day he is born, or from the 2nd or 3rd month.

There is a compelling reason for your baby to start early. Your baby can pick up any speech sound in any language effortlessly in the first 6 to 8 months, but start losing this ability after the 9th month.

Beaumont babies usually starts from the 3rd month. Jasmine, who is now 1 year and 9months, speaks beautiful English. "Jasmine speaks English better than her parents." his dad told me the other day.

Parents are sometimes the biggest obstacle for the language development of their child. "I can't see any reason why I should waste money bringing my baby to play. She will learn English after going to school."

We have gone through this ourselves, learning English until we went to kindergarten. Did it work? No, it didn't. We can never speak English like a native speaker, like the way Jasmine has succeeded in doing.

If we have evidence based program to help babies develop the voice recognition system in the 1st year, native English pronunciation in the 2nd year, and English usage in the 3rd year, why wait until the 4th year, knowing full well that the child has already missed the most sensitive period for language development?

In search of a more effective way in learning English

Many of us have been studying English for 15 or 20 years. Yet many of us cannot carry out a conversation in English fluently.

What has gone wrong with our education system? What has gong wrong with the language policy?

Please click the link at the bottom right-hand corner and post your comments. We also answer questions about language learning in this blog.

Le Beaumont leads the world

Le Beaumont leads the world in R & D in early brain & language development. Le Beaumont is the pioneer in language training for infants and toddlers in 5 languages. The rich language environment and human interaction with highly experienced teachers stimulates brain development. Beaumont Babies are strong in EQ, IQ & LQ.

1. What is in a language?
2. How do we decipher language from a bunch of sound waves?
3. How does the genetic clock relate to language learning?
4. What do we learn when learning languages?
5. How do we develop communication skills?
6. How to make the best use of the facilities of Le Beaumont?

Language is playing with sounds. Each language is built on 30+sounds.
A Voice Recognition System in our brain, comprising billions of wiring of language synapses, helps to decipher the meaning from a bunch of mechanical sound waves.

Vocabulary is the easy part in language learning. Vocabulary has to be learnt in context. Learning hundred and thousands of words out of context is a waste of time.

Recognizing and pronouncing a new sound in a foreign language is the most difficult part in language learning. If you cannot recognize the sound, you cannot pronounce it properly. Other people would not be able to understand what you say.

Enhancing the Voice Recognition System is the most valuable part in learning languages. A multi-lingual speaker can recognize more human speech sounds than a monolingual child and is thus more gifted in languages.

The Voice Recognition System is developed basically in the first 8 months after birth. Start early. Start from infancy, or as early as possible. This is the centrepiece of our Gifted Babies Program. Beaumont babies are multi-lingual speakers and are more gifted in languages. They are able to speak English, Putonghua and other languages like native speakers.

Verbal communication skills can never be developed by sitting quietly, listening to what the teacher says. Verbal communication skills can only be developed through frequent usage. Context is important, not the content. Children learn more when running around, in high mood, exploring the world around them then sitting tight.

To make the best use of the facilities of Le Beaumont, start early, start from infancy, 5 times a week, in 5 languages. After the age of 3, you can reduce it to 3 visits a week, in 3 languages.

Le Beaumont’s programs are evidence based, backed up by 10,000 hours of research. There are lots and lots of successful cases. Make the best use of its services.

Quality and learning outcome remain our top priority. The Language panels are working on the curriculum for 2010 with reference to the EU guide. The 1st quarter curriculum will be finalized by mid-December.

大連的朋友

Dear Sam,

很感谢您每次信中提及对我儿子的语言培养，我在自己的博客中也得到这些以及东山培训中心，网站的编辑已把那篇文章推荐到宝宝早教专门的模块中，浏览量很可观。

自从收到您的来信，我便和先生开始留意儿子每天所发的不同声音并作记录，因为他太爱讲话，所以每天都会有所不同。

最先在出生的两个月内即会发出ha ku wu hu mu gou
有一次，是在他出生第二个月中，由于我们每天都会叫他的英文名ARES，所以他那天竟然发出这个名字的前两个音节alei,尾音还是上扬的，把我们乐坏了。尽管他是无意识的。

紧接着就是在爷爷逗他时，他竟然发出ye

在他出生后第98天，他竟然发出hello的标准读音，原因是老公每天都会对着他拉长音进行问候。他非常爱盯着每个人的口型，而且同时他的舌头和小嘴都会有变化，是在模仿。

截止目前他会发出20种不同的读音，有时是三个音节一起，比如ou-gu-gui(出生后第97天），mi-mou-ma,hai-nou,hai-lou,还有英文中E作为辅音的发声[e].

在他出生一百天的当天，我们抱他去百日宴，回来后我和婆婆说这一天太累了，ARES也没睡好，结果他马上就发出一声类似叹气的lei,又次让我很惊讶。

大家都说小孩子是无意识的，但我总会发自内心的相信他是有意识的发声，毕竟他发的音是完全不同的，每次我都会报以赞赏的目光和语气反馈给他，他的眼神告诉我，他更加自信。

现在老公在他面前全用英文讲话，而我是中文，呵呵，还有就是英文儿歌，车里家里全都会放给他听，目前我感觉他非常喜欢听英文，也许是老公每次对他讲都都像在演话剧，呵呵，他会很专注并微笑倾听。

我儿子最大的性格特点就是爱笑，非常爱笑，现在经常就是咯咯地笑出声，还有就是爱聊天，不听地说上好久。

目前不足的是还不会翻身，呵呵，正在练习中！

感谢您看完此信！
祝
幸福
Norah

Dear Norah,

恭喜您！您的孩子聰明得不得了！
孩子的照片真可愛！

出生首8個月，是語言細胞發育的高峰期，請繼續多跟孩子聊天、談心，多唱歌，多表演。

英語兒歌的光盤，必需由父母一起伴唱，同時搖搖他的小手，伸伸腳。孩子要通過父母的歌聲，才會慢慢留意原唱者的歌聲。

請記下他每天在語音方面的進展。

通過語言和遊戲，你們開發了孩子對母語和英語的興趣，和語言細胞的連線。你們並且開發了孩子的情緒智商，為孩子建立了一個開朗的性格，令孩子更自信，更好奇，更喜歡學習。

知識是人類共同的財富，很高興有機會和您分享一萬小時研究的成果。
歡迎你在網上的平台和其他朋友分享。

我們正在加緊籌備外語幼教的資料，希望盡早能在網上為年輕父母在教導孩子外語的時候多一些支援。

Best regards,
Sam

Your child can speak English & Putonghua like a native speaker

Are you satisfied with your own spoken English? Do you speak with a local ascent?

Your child can speak English, Putonghua or Spanish like a native speaker by starting early, from infancy.

Grow up with the language with a native speaker, your child will be able to speak the language like a native speaker.

A baby in the first 8 months has 10 times the amount of language synapses in the brain than an adult and hence 10 times greater sensitivity to speech sounds. A baby is able to pick up a new speech sound and memorize it effortlessly, without the interference of a dominant language.

The rich and stimulating environment develop babies' EQ, IQ & LQ. Children grow more confident, curious and become active learners. They are sociable, highly intelligent and are much sought after by all leading kindergartens.

Come and visit Le Beaumont Language Centre, in Admiralty, Causeway Bay, TST or TKO. See how infants grow up with 5 languages from 3 months and speak like a native speaker by the age of 3. Join the Parenting Seminar every Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m.at Admiralty Centre, Tower 1, 5/F.

Tel: 2866 2028

Gifted Babies

GIFTED BABIES PROGRAM – A RESEARCH BASED PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS
This is the Crown Jewel of Le Beaumont's 10,000 hours of R & D. It has been proven highly effective. Many babies have benefited from the program over the past 4 ½ years. They grow up as confident, curious and active learners with outstanding communication skills, in English, Putonghua and a number of other leading languages. They are well sought after by all leading kindergartens and reception classes.

HOW BABIES LEARN
The Gifted Babies Program benefits enormously from breakthroughs in neurology studies on early brain development in the last few years. Research at the Washington Univeristy in 2003 and 2007 proved that babies did not learn sound or visual stimulations through TV or or DVD. Babies learn from interaction with people.

A baby is borne with more than a hundred billion synapses, not yet wired. Wiring (learning) takes place upon stimulation to form a memory unit, and is stored up in the sound data base.

THE RISE AND FALL OF LANGUAGE SYNAPSES
A new born baby has twice as many language synapses than an adult. Rapid growth follows. It peaks out in the 8th month when the amount of synapses is almost ten times that of an adult. The amazing thing is that redundant synapses are pruned off in a massive way after the 9th month. By the age 4, the amount of language synapses is down to that of a 2-month old baby.

If you want your child to speak English, Putonghua, or any language with the details of a native speaker, start early! Start from infancy! Wiring for infants take place at a rate of 30,000 synapses per minute, giving as much detail as a in a digital camera with high mega pixels.

Beaumont Playgroups accepts babies from the 2nd month onwards. Daily exposure to different languagaes, songs, games and activities, and the chance to meet more people improves their EQ. IQ & LQ.

Key Stages In Language Development

Key Stages in Language Development

STAGE ONE Voice recognition is the most difficult part in learning languages. Infants and toddlers can pick up the rich details in a language far better than adults. A baby builds up his voice recognition system in the first 8 months.

Your baby should be able to respond to what you say by the 3rd month. If your baby does not show any response to what you say by the 6th month, it is a sign of trouble. Check if your baby has been brought up under acute deprivation of a language environment and human interaction. And do something about it quickly.

STAGE TWO Immitation to produce sounds. Different babies progress differently. The earliest case we have come across in Le Le Beaumont is as early as 2 1/1 months! Some starts at 8 or 9 months. The majority make the first monosyllable at 13th or 14th month.

If your baby shows good response to what you say, but is not saying anaythig, don't worry. Einstein began to talk not until the age of 4. Send him to a playgroup which gives him much more opportunities to talk.

In the first 15 months, a baby is more interested in sounds and rhythms than meaning. So focus on sound play. Babies love familiar songs, stories and games. Don't change too frequently. Remember, it is sound play that is important, not the contents of the program.

STAGE THREE After the 15th month, a baby's attention shifts from sounds to meaning. A vocabulary spurt follows.

The best way to build up vocabulry is by recognizing actual objects in daily life, through play, conversation and story telling. Reading of big picture books with scanty words can be intrdoced at this stage.

Flash cards help but should be used only as a supplementary learning tool. Overuse of flash cards leads to rote learning. Over indulgence in flash cards eats up valuable time to play (and learn) and and to speak. it runs the risk of killing the interest in learning. (Re: Einstein Never Used Flashcard, Psyschology Book of the Year 2003).

STAGE FOUR By the 3rd year, the baby's attention again shifts. This time, attention shifts from individual words to commonly used sentence patterns.

Playgroup creates enormous opportunities to use English in the context of senstences. Reading should play a more important part at this stage. But read together.

By the end of the 3rd year, your baby will be able to use English in full compliance with the customary rules of English grammar.

STAGES FIVE Vocabulary comes naturally with life experience and usage. At age 4 and 5, your child still likes to run around, explore the world and build up the vocabulary. This is by far the best way to develop the communication skills in English, Putonghua, Spanish or any other language.

Children in Finland spend their time in playgroups up to 6 years of age and start their formal schooling at the age of 7. By the age of 15, students in Finland tops the world. (PISA – Program for International Student Assessment by OECD).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programme_for_International_Student_Assessment

Hong Kong leads the world

As a metropolitant city with a large expatriate community and free assess to information all over the world, HK is strategically placed to lead the world in the R & D in multi-lingual studies.

HK gives me the opportunity to study 10 national languages and 6 Chinese dialects. My former position as an Assistant Commissioner for Labour (1990-2004)enabled me to meet many learned friends in the diplomatic circle. (My favourite question was "Diplomats are so strong in languages. How do you train up your people?")

As a Founding Executive Director of the award winning Employees Retraining Board(1992-1998), it enabled me to meet world class academics and training experts from different countries.

My lifelong interest in languages has prompted me to take early retirement and to invest 10 of my most productive years(2004-2013)to understand more about languages and to find a more effective way in learning foreign languages.

I am extremely grateful to many friends in the academic world and the diplomatic circle, especially Prof. Nigel Reeves, OBE.

We have focused our study in a narrow field in the past 5 years, viz. early brain development and language education. We are grateful to the primary research conducted at the Harvard Univeristy Medical School, the North Carolina Univeristy, the Washington University, to name just a few.

We are much indebted to the Newsweek International's feature article on 16 Aug 2005. We also benefited enormously from the many splendid documentaries produced by the National Geographic.

Le Beaumont is probably the only centre in the world that is putting all these latest research findings into actual application. We are grateful to the many talents who have joined Le Beaumont in helping us to push the frontier of knowledge further.

Mr. Patrick Carr, with a First Class Honours Degree and also a Master Degree from the Oxford University, helped us to develop the prototype for the Gifted Babies Program.

Mrs. Eileen Lawson, Mr. Chrit Jenkins, Ms Christine Taylor, Mr. Benjamin Holladay, with a First Class Honours from the Essex University, have returned to their own countries.

We are building a very strong team in the key languages in the modern world. We meet once every week. We are continuously enriching our unique pool of knowledge about language development among infants and toddlers.

We are most grateful to all the valuable feedbacks, comments and suggestions from our parents. Moms are the true experts on infants and toddlers. Their observations are a constant source of inspiration. The moms have informed us that their babies have become more intelligent after joining our baby program, previously known as Baby Phonics. This directs us to the study of the development of IQ and EQ.

Our baby program started off as a language program in the first 4 years. But by the end of the 4th year, there are overwhelming evidence as well as theoretical support that EQ, IQ and LQ are not largely developed by the early experience and environment in which a baby is brought up. Acute deprivation in language stimulation, when both parents are working, leads to retarded growth in brain development and language impairment.

Exposure to more languages very early on and rich stimulation through play do bring up infants as gifted babies. Beaumont Babies will become future leaders in our society.

CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY STUDY

The Cambridge University has just completed a 6-year in-depth study on primary education.

Dame Gillian Pugh, the review’s chairman, said: “If you introduce a child to too formal a curriculum before they are ready for it then you are not taking into account where children are in terms of their learning and their capacity to develop.”

She added that forcing four-year-olds to “sit quietly” often backfired as it turned them off reading at a young age.

http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/Press_and_media/Finalreportcoverage-Octob.html

活力充沛的上海

剛從杭州、上海渡假回來，深受上海的活力所感染，亦很欣賞杭州的旅遊配討設施。中國近三十年的成就，是優秀領導層的成就。我特別欣賞朱鎔基，他原是清華大學經濟學院的院長。

清華大學和中國近代史有分割不國的淵源，1900年義和團事件，引至由庚子賠款，美國國會決定以部份賠款，在中國設立清華大學。清華大學教授的薪金，數倍於國內大學，因此吸引了梁啟超、胡適、朱自清、陳寅洛等名重一時的學者，建立了強勢美國一流大學的的傳統。

朱鎔基思路清晰，領導能力高，公信力強。他上任後把國務院的職位，裁減一半，首次發行國債，把國營企業現代化，並推出A股和H股，通過市場機制，順利把國企私營化。他並且通過加入國際關 貿組織，借助外力，打破國內的寡頭壟斷經濟，引入競爭，盤活國內的經濟。

香港在中國近三十年經濟起飛，擔當了資金和市場訊息提供者的重要角色，造成了一個雙贏的局面。珠三角仍有約六萬間港資企業，長遠計，必須打破來料加工、低技術含量的加工業。

香港資訊發達，管理比較上軌道。東山語言中心，在對上5年中，對嬰幼腦部發育和語言學習，投入超過一萬小時的研究和發展工作，跟進全球最新科研的報告，並得到英國和美國尖端學者的參與，成就了全球最先進、效益最高的嬰幼培訓計劃。這是香港的優勢，亦將會是我們對國家的貢獻。

育嬰知識知多少

考古學家最近在非洲發現440萬年前人類的化石，把人類的歷史，從已知的60萬年歷史，推前了380萬年。火星探險，正在尋找生命的來源。

四千年來，人類的文明，不斷進步，但我們對四週的事物，所知還是有限。隨著科研的發展，知識在新陳代謝，不斷更新。我們不應停留在我們熟悉、但已過時的認知，育嬰知識，必須與時並進。

有人說，初生兒像條小毛蟲，什麼也不會，只會哭、飲奶，和整天睡覺。

不要小看整天在睡覺的小毛蟲，研究顯示，嬰兒在首八個月的辨音能力，比我們高出十倍！

更令人意想不到的，是從第九個月開始，用不著的神經末稍，大幅被淘汰，辨認新語音的能力，不斷下降。

如何善用8個月的時間，如何把握機會之窗，充份發揮人類學習語言的本能，成為面對我們的最大挑戰。

學習語言，真的有時間限制嗎？研究人員在上世紀的70年代，研究日本人無法辨認 L 及 R 兩個音的問題，這究竟是先天的遺傳，還是後天的培養？

研究人員分別用一組 6 個月大的嬰兒，和一組 10 個月大的嬰兒，進行研究，發現前者完全可以分辨 L 和 R 的分別，後者卻已經無法辨別這兩個不同的音。

還是日本人，日本嬰幼教育大師七田真，發現年紀愈大，語言學習的能力愈差，提出了語言學習能力的『年齡遞減理論』。

香港的成年人學通話的舌尖音和翹舌音，非常困難，但小孩卻覺得非常容易。我們畢生學習英語，仍是說得那麼別扭。

如何令我們的孩子，說英語像英語，說普通話像普通話，而且能說多幾種外語，日後在國際舞台上，大施拳腳，可以嗎？

[知識是人類共同的財富，請參與討論，及和親友及孕媽媽分享。]

起步早，外語好！

若要外語說得好，必須起步早！早到什麼時候？

胎兒在第七個月，已能辨認母親的聲音。研究顯示，母親如由一種語言，轉換說另一種語言，胎兒的心跳，會有反應。另一項研究顯示，如果母親由一種語言轉變到另一種語調相近的語言，胎兒的心跳，不會有反應。胎兒所辨認的只是基本的語調，因此不必花錢買胎教的玩意。如果母親喜歡輕歌慢舞和散步，不但可以令心情輕鬆，孩子可能更喜歡韻律。父母多些談心，可以幫助孩子認識父親的聲音！

『卡爾維特的教育理念』，是一本非常值推薦的書。卡爾從孩子出生第一天開始，跟嬰兒聊天，首個月，就告訴孩子他生邊的事物，而且每天寫日記。卡爾相信，聰明才智，全是後天的培養，不是先天的遺傳。

卡爾從小就用德、意、法、英、拉丁、希臘等不同的語言和孩子聊天，到4歲開始，閱讀世界名著。6歲時，孩子成會遠近知名的神童，9歲拿獎學金進大學，12歲畢業，13歲拿博士，14歲出版第一部數學的著作，其後成會名重一時的學者。卡爾維特，印證了早期語言培訓和幼教的重要，從出生第一天開始。

北卡羅連納州大學的一批心理學家，在1972年，挑選了111名幼兒，年紀最輕的只有6個星期，提供5年的語言訓練，每3個月進行智商測試。

週歲前，接受訓練和沒有接受訓練的嬰兒，看不到多大差別，但到15個月，差距出現，到24個月，智商的差距已被確認。孩子到6歲上小學，智商測試，改為每年一次。從1977開始，研究跟進了30年，到2007年完成，證明早期語言訓練，對日後的智商、學業和事業，都有很大的影響。

[知識是人類共同的財富，請參與討論，及和親友及孕媽媽分享。]

資優兒培訓計劃

研究發現，嬰兒出生首八個月，語言細胞神經末稍數量，高速增長，最高達到成人的十倍。由第九個月開始，用不著的神經末稍，大幅被淘汰，週歲時剩下3份之2，4歲時剩下3份之1，但仍遠高於成人。

嬰兒對語音的敏感度高，連線能力強，記憶力好，學習速度快，每分鐘可以建立高達3萬個連線。這時期如有機會接觸多國語言，可以拉闊音域，增強辨音能力，發音準，學習外語，倍感容易。

母親弄兒為樂，由母親照顧的孩子，語言環境豐富，孩子會特別聰敏。由外佣照顧的孩子，少機會談心，語言環境相對貧乏，影響語言發展。

東山語言中心，自2004年開始，投入超過一萬小時，研究嬰兒腦部發育，和早期語言發展，多所突破。東山資優兒培訓計劃，聘請英、法、德、西、日和北京籍老師，在嬰兒語言發展的黃金時段，每天提供40分鐘的外語訓練，刺激語言細胞的連線，建立多語辨音系統。

資優兒培訓計劃，通過遊戲，接觸其他的小朋友，並訓練孩子的好奇、專注、和思考能力，提升情緒EQ、智商IQ和語言能力LQ，並將跟進30年，考證嬰幼早期語言訓練，對智商、學業和事業的長遠影響。

學費：每月3,300元
查詢電話：2866 2028 電郵：giftedbabies@gmail.com
[請轉告親友和你認識的孕媽媽]

語言障礙的成因

近年來，語障個案急速上升，沒法找到原因。香港大學兒科在2005年對362名嚴重語障的孩子，進行研究，發現了兩個奇怪的統計數據：
1 有外佣的家庭，語障風險高70%；
2 父母說超過一種語言，語障風險高200%。

幼兒太早接觸外語，是否會產生混淆，影響語言的發展？這套權威理論，源自1950年代單語國家的美國。有一位名教授，提倡要先學好母語，才學外語。這套理論，影響全球學術界、教育系統、言語治療師、和父母，超過半個世紀，被視為權威理論，並被港大的研究人員所引用。

但事實如何？到了21世紀，社會開放，兩族通婚，雙語家庭，日趨普遍。他們的孩子，不但沒有因太早接觸外語而引起混淆，不會說話，而且語言天份特別高，雙語的能力特別好。

隨著社會的發展，交通發達，我們發現世界上有不少多語地區，像星加坡、馬來西亞、瑞士、和北歐。多語地區長大的孩子，不但沒有引起語言的混淆，語言能力，更遠勝單語地區。過時的混淆論，不攻自破。

然而，為什麼有外佣的家庭，語障風險會高70%，父母說超過一種語言，語障風險高200%？

[知識是人類共同的財富，請參與討論，及和親友及孕媽媽分享。]

語言障礙的預防

經過長時間的思考和分析，我發現了一個社會現象：高收入(有外佣)和高學歷(說多於一種語言)父母的孩子，在語言發展的過程中，竟是高危一族！

這個發現，令我大為震驚！

孤兒院是一個已知的語障高危族群，波斯尼亞於90年代，連年戰亂，大量孤兒被美國家庭領養，但語言障礙普遍，找不出原因。研究人員追溯到波斯尼亞的孤兒院，發現服務員忙著替孩子喂奶、換尿布，整個大堂，鴉雀無聲。服務員做完了工作，各自拿著一杯茶，到小院裡去聊天，大堂裡還是靜寂一片。研究人員相信語障和孤兒在嚴重缺乏語言刺激的環境下長大，有密切關系。

其後腦神經細胞的研究，發現神經末稍，要有適當的刺激，才能連線，成為記憶單元。

高收入、高學歷的小家庭，父母忙於事業，早出晚歸，而首年孩子的睡眠時間特長，父母少有機會和孩子弄兒為樂。孩子如在嚴重缺乏語言刺激的環境下長大，容易出事。

我把這發現電郵給顧問 Prof. Nigel Reeves, OBE. 他也非常震驚。他提出，如這現象屬實，其他先進國家，是否也有同樣問題？Zerotothree.org 指出，美國語障數字是8%至12%.BBC2005年報導英國孩子的語障數字是10%，語障已成為富裕社會的一大問題。

預防勝於治療，應訓練外佣，在週一至週五父母上班的日子，帶孩子到語言中心參加活動。週末是家庭日，父母應多一些親子的時間，帶孩子遊公園、商場和食肆，和孩子操練母語。

遊戲中豐富語言環境，視覺、觸覺，和思維的應用，刺激腦部發育。根據過去5年的觀察，孩子的得益，和參加活動的頻率成正比。每週參加五天活動的孩子，效果明顯比每週參加一兩次的大。

為了減輕經濟負擔，我們將在十一月，為2至8個月的嬰兒，把活動的時間從一小時縮短至40分鐘，月費由5,000元減至3,300元，令更多嬰兒有機會在語言發育高峰期，參與這全球最先進的多語訓練。(Tel: 2866 2028; E-mail: giftedbabies@gmail.com)

[知識是人類共同的財富，請參與討論，及和親友及孕媽媽分享。]

在大連的朋友

早些讓孩子接觸地道的英語國家的人，刺激腦語言細胞，建立英語的辨音系統。不要等，愈早愈好，東山在香港收的幼兒，最小的是剛滿月的嬰兒。

可惜大連目前還沒有東山的點，沒法參與目前全球最先進的嬰幼培訓。可以找幾個朋友，分擔外籍老師的費用，抱著孩子，一起聽外籍老師唱兒歌、說故事。

杜曼闪卡、七田真语言启蒙和大量昂貴的英語教材，都是大人喜歡的東西，對孩子的外語發展，作用不大。不如在家裡和孩子一起聽英語儿歌，玩遊戲。

開始的時候，你要提著他的小手，一起唱，一起聽故事，手舞足蹈。孩子是通過你的歌聲，才開始留意外籍原唱者的聲音，學習英語的語音。

到孩子聽到英語儿歌，能自已手舞足蹈，雖還未開聲，就已經成功了。孩子喜歡熟悉的歌曲和遊戲，過了週歲，英語的發音會比較標準。

試記下孩子發每個聲音的日期，用拼音記下那個音，告訴我。東山會盡快在大連開展活動，培育人才。

Brain develops fastest in the 1st year

Average brain weights
Male, in grams, (Female)

Newborn 380 (360)
1 year 970 (940)
2 years 1,120 (1,040)
3 years 1,270 (1,090)
10-12 years 1,440 (1,260)
19-21 years 1,450 (1,310)
56-60 years 1,370 (1,250)
81-85 years 1,310 (1,170)

(Data from Dekaban, A.S. and Sadowsky, D., Changes in brain weights during the span of human life: relation of brain weights to body heights and body weights, Ann. Neurology, 4:345-356, 1978)

Bilingual Babies Get Head Start -- Before They Can Talk

James Owen
for National Geographic News
April 13, 2009

Even before they can babble a single word, babies in bilingual households may get a head start in life, according to a team of scientists in Italy.

Rather than confusing babies, hearing more than one language gives newborns a mental boost, according to the new study, which tested seven-month-old infants.

"In many European countries, parents are wary of giving a bilingual education to their kids and try to speak only one language," said study author Jacques Mehler of the Language, Cognition, and Development Lab at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy.

"They are afraid [their children] might suffer when they get to school and so on," Mehler said. "Because of our results, I doubt that very much."

[Sam's remark: Babies brought up in multi-lingual regions like Singapore, Malaysia, Switzerland and Scandinavia never get confused. They grow up to become more gifted in languages than children brought up in monolingual countries like France, Japan or China.]

What role do parents play in a baby's brain development?

Parents are another important part of the developmental equation. Infants prefer human stimuli--your face, voice, touch, and even smell--over everything else. They innately orient to people's faces and would rather listen to a speech or singing than any other kind of sound.

Just as newborn babies are born with a set of very useful instincts for surviving and orienting to their new environment, parents are equally programmed to love and respond to our babies' cues. Most adults (and children) find infants irresistible, and instinctively want to nurture and protect them. It is certainly no accident that the affection most parents feel towards their babies and the kind of attention we most want to shower them with—touching, holding, comforting, rocking, singing and talking to—provide precisely the best kind of stimulation for their growing brains. Because brain development is so heavily dependent on early experience, most babies will receive the right kind of nurturing from their earliest days, through our loving urges and parenting instincts.

In spite of all the recent hype about "making your baby smarter," scientists have not discovered any special tricks for enhancing the natural wiring phase in children's brain development. Normal, loving, responsive caregiving seems to provide babies with the ideal environment for encouraging their own exploration, which is always the best route to learning.

The one form of stimulation that has been proven to make a difference is language: infants and children who are conversed with, read to, and otherwise engaged in lots of verbal interaction show somewhat more advanced linguistic skills than children who are not as verbally engaged by their caregivers. Because language is fundamental to most of the rest of cognitive development, this simple action—talking and listening to your child—is one of the best ways to make the most of his or her critical brain-building years.

[Sam's remark: Parents should spend more time talking to and playing with their baby every day. When parents are at work, they can arrange their baby to join the Gifted Babies program at Le Beaumont, once, twice, three, four or five times a week. We create a rich language environment that models on the Scandinavian countries where people are especially gifted in languages because of their early exposure to a greater variety of languages.

Our observation in the past 5 years is that babies joing our program once or twice a week is perceivably more responsive to babies who have not joined the program. At the same time, babies joining the program 4 or 5 times a week are perceivably more responsive and intelligent than babies joining the program once or twice a week. Wiring of brain synapses takes place at a rate of up to 30,000 units per minute during the sensitive early years. The frequency of visits to the centre directly affects the memory size in the brain that is built up over a period of 2 to 3 years

Le Beaumont has invested $40M in R & D and in building up an international team of high quality graduate teachers from all over the world for our baby program. We believe that the stimulation and development that your baby receives in the foundation years is critical to future development and is much more important than the kindergarten or primary school years.]

Zero to Three
http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_brainFAQ#role

How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development

Recent advances in brain research have provided great insight into how the brain, the most immature of all organs at birth, continues to grow and develop after birth. Whereas this growth had been thought to be determined primarily by genetics, scientists now believe that it is also highly dependent upon the child’s experiences. Research shows that, like protein, fat, and vitamins, interactions with other people and objects are vital nutrients for the growing and developing brain, and different experiences can cause the brain to develop in different ways. It is this "plasticity" of the brain, its ability to develop and change in response to the demands of the environment, that will enable Michael to learn how to use computers as successfully as his ancestors learned how to hunt animals in the wild.

As he grows, Michael’s ability to understand language, solve problems, and get along with other people will be influenced by what he experiences as an infant and young child. This is not to say that individual genetic differences have no influence on how a child develops; they do. But there is mounting evidence that experiences affect the way genes are expressed (i.e., turned on and off) in the developing brain. While good early experiences help the brain to develop well, experiences of neglect and abuse can literally cause some genetically normal children to become mentally retarded or to develop serious emotional difficulties.

It is now clear that what a child experiences in the first years of life profoundly influences how his brain will develop and how he will interact with the world throughout his life. Parents play the most important role in providing the nurturing and stimulation that children require. [Sam's remarks: Working parents should enroll their babies in playgroups on weekdays, when they have little time to play with the baby, not on weekends when parents are able to play with the baby themselves.]

Children who are abused or severely neglected are at extremely high risk of developing emotional, behavioral, social, and intellectual disabilities. Research has shown that in the majority of infant care arrangements in the U.S., children are not talked to and played with enough.

[Sam's remark: Beaumont Gifted Babies Program ensures that babies can join an hour's activity during each weekday. We also train up domestic helpers how to play with a baby. The program is highly interactive, rich in language stimulation, and addresses the emotional, social and intellectual development of a baby through songs, group activities and games in a wide range of languages. Evidence shows that younger the baby, the better. The ability to pick up key languages in the world effortlessly from an international team of graduate teachers is an added bonus. The program is tailor-made for working parents and for parents who want to realize the full potential of their child.)

Zero to Three,
http://www.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/startingsmart.pdf?docID=2422

R & D in Le Beaumont Language Centre rolls on

Dear Mr. Sam,

Thank you for the compliment and since i share the same view about early exposure of the babies to languages and to any sorts of brain enrichment i would like to say that what i noticed through my experience are the following:

1. 1st year baby: most of them were attentive to the different activities however they don't need too many different ones as repetition is a main key for them to understand their role in the game. Once they got it the same game should be repeated adding a further step and so on. It was amazing seeing them trying to talk or laughing as soon as they recognize a song or a game - inasmuch as the steps to reach to a baby brain is first to make him feel secure, second to repeat till it's familiar to him, third they will open their brain and start memorizing, four they will try to communicate what they have already registered through physical manifest of happiness (either jumping in their parents hands or laughing) or making sounds (baby talks).

2. 2nd year baby: was repeating most of the words taught - too many of them were repeating sentences - and some of them knew how to answer back to a question - the parents were amazed when they saw their kid answering with the right answer. I have received too many thanks from parents telling me that their kids learned a lot from me. I didn't have a standard frame for all the kids with the same age - i had a frame for each kid - i had a general one and then an individual according to each kid ability to learn - i was giving more to a kid who was learning fast and less to a kid who was struggling just not to discourage him but always to compliment his efforts. Since the baby brain starts wiring itself in the womb and continue after birth, the baby is ready for just anything. But because it's all new to him, he needs to take time to get familiar with the new situation.

3. 3rd year baby: have already a certain personality so his contribution in the game will not be only repeating what i say or do but add his manners and character to it. As a result too many parents witnessed beautiful funny reactions from their kids. A 3-4 year old was super fun to teach as the kids get all the different old or new stuff almost immediately and they engage more with the teacher. That was encouraging me to be more creative and was taking advantage to feed their brains with more knowledge.

The only downside i noticed about the parents and not the kids is that they force their kid to learn - the same kid was nervous and hyper in the class when one of his parents was with him and relaxed and concentrated and happy about learning when alone or with the "cheche". Parents should be told that there's no point in forcing their kid to learning it's totally the opposite as the kid will soon hate to learn not because anything wrong done inside the class but because he's forced.

Learning should always be a pure enjoyment - kids need to show that they are having fun whilst learning - i had too many games to teach the verbs (i managed to teach 43 new verbs to all the ages through games and all the babies regardless the age learnt most of them. Eventually i started putting the verbs taught in wrong sentences and ask the kids to tell me if what i said is right or wrong and they were all answering that i was wrong and then i gave the right sentence and they all agreed on it - all through fun games).

The other thing i noticed about some parents is that they think they have the right to manage the class as long as they are paying to one kid in this class even though they know nothing about neither the language nor teaching - most of their remarks were wrong but they like to give their instructions and know that they are followed. That was a hassle to the other parents, to their kids classmates and to the teacher. I leave these notes in your capable hands and i'm pretty sure that you know how to solve them.

If intelligence is the ability to learn, then babies are born geniuses. It was an awesome experience i wish i could have done it for a longer period of time. Seeing the baby progress and knowing that i'm part of the reason why this baby who born as genius has the chance to keep his intelligence level high, the feeling was just amazing.

Thank you again Mr. Sam for everything and i mean it; you have opened my eyes to such an exciting world of teaching babies and i can say that i did benefit not only from the work experience but as a well from a prenatal teaching for my baby.

Wish you all the best in your business as you are helping the future society to be built on geniuses.

Best of luck,
(R)(French teacher in Le Beaumont until her emmigration to Australia)

Education Innovation

The importance of early education is at last catching world attention. If you have a baby below one year's of age, I would recommend you to take a look at excerpts of the article "Chile Starts Early" in the current issue of Newsweek, Aug 10-17, 2009 which follow. I would also recommend you to click into Washington University's Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences (ilabs) website at http://ilabs.washington.edu/index.html and view the 11 episodes of KCTS9 and the article on Foundations for a New Science of Learning.

Le Beaumont Language Centre has been promoting early education from 3-months to 3-years in Hong Kong since 2004. The results are impressive. Babies grow up more confident, more responsive, and with the mastery of 5 languages, all at native level standard! These children become good communicators and active learners. They excel in admission interviews and continue their lead after being admitted to top schools.

We are inviting expecting mothers whose babies will be born in 2010 to join our "Gifted Babies 2010 Program". The program is self-financing. Parents have to pay the monthly tuition fee, like other students, of $3,000 (3 languages, 3 days/week) to $5,000 (5 languages, 5 days/week) to cover the overhead costs of high quality native teachers from 5 different countries and the expensive rental as well as operating costs.

The babies will go through the state-of-the-art program from 3-months to 3-years. Parents and teachers will conduct joint assessment on an agreed list of key identifiable performance indicators once every 3 months. There will be video-taped archives of activities and assessment sessions of children in this and other age groups on our website with password access. The centre will follow up on their academic, leadership and language performance through kindergarten, primary, secondary schools and university. We shall follow up on their early career path.

The study will be on the effects of early education on EQ, IQ, & LQ in general, and on subsequent academic performance and career development in particular. It will cover a period of 30 years. There will be no pre-selected control group. The performance of the experimental group will be compared with their classmates and the population at large. Our hypothesis is that Beaumont Gifted Babies will all go into the top quartile, with a significant number of them ending up in the top 1%.

We shall invite leading universities, local or overseas, that are interested in this field of study as research partners.

The following are excerpts from the Newsweek article on Education Innovaton.

"In October 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank brought together a panel of top economists and asked them, if they had $10 billion to solve Latin America's most pressing problems, how would they do it? The group, using cost-benefit analysis, decided that the most effective use of the cash would be to invest it in programs like day care, preschool, parenting and hygiene courses as well as early childhood health services.

"James Heckman, (2000)Nobel Prize-winning economist at the University of Chicago, has found that introducing preschool education for disadvantaged kids results in at least a 10% annual return for society by improving students' intelligence score and social skills, leading to better school performance and employment prospects in later years as well as reduced crime and teenage pregnancy rates.

"Work by Harvard's Jack Shonkoff has found that depriving poor children of access to good health care, nutrition, and education during their first three years increases the likelihood they'll suffer from disease, learning difficulties, and poverty.

"All the data are showing that proper care and quality education in the first years ensure that we learn faster and are emotionally better able to cope with life's challenges," says Mgiuel Hoffmann, a Buenos Aires psychiatrist who specializes in early childhood development.

"In October 2006, Bachelet's government in Chile inaugurated a ground breaking campaign called "Chile Grows With You". The program aims at kids from conception through age 4. The President was a paediatrician.

"Chile has been amazing in its ability to create a national concensus and act on it," says Andrea Rolla, director of A Good Start, a joint early-education program of Harvard Universities's Graduate School of Education and Chile's Education Opportunity Foundation.

"Now that the infra-structure is in place, Chilean officials say the next challenge is to boost enrollment and quality. But local preschools are already reporting a dramatic rise in interest."

Chile Starts Early, by Jimmy Langman, P48/49, Newsweek Aug 10-17, 2009.

When do you think a baby begins to learn? Based on what evidence?

Luna 獲九龍塘全部幼稚園收錄

Luna 己兩歲半，年半前參加東山語言中的活動，通曉英、日及西班牙語，今年在九龍塘塘區投考的幼稚園，全部獲取錄！

『你必須盡早送你的孩子到東山語言中心』爸爸告訴他的好友。

不要忽視嬰兒首年的學習能力

千萬不要忽視嬰兒首年的學習能力。
動物有求生的本能，必須學得早、學得快，學得準。
一出生，必須能找到食物，能辨認環境，學習溝通的能力。

視覺、聽覺、語音資料庫、辨音系統，基本在首半年完成。

嬰兒通過大量和人接觸學習，建立龐大的記憶體和資料庫。
語音資料庫愈大、音域愈闊、辨音系統愈強，語言能力愈高。
語言引發嬰兒全方位的學習，記憶庫愈大，反應愈快，人愈聰明。

東山語言中心，投入了一萬小時研究，積累了5年的經驗。
東山語言中心是全球第一個為嬰幼兒提供多語培訓的中心。
中心培育了大批資優兒，自信、開朗，英語說得地道，通多國語言。

香港在語言方面的研究，得天獨厚，有人才、有資源、有條件。
香港在語言訓練方面，已遠超中、英、美、法、俄等單語國家。
香港已創立全球首個嬰幼兒多語教育中心！做出了驕人的成績。

歡迎出席週六下午2至3時半的家長研討會。
金鐘海富中心一期5樓，電話：2866 2028。
最新的研究發現，可能改變孩子的一生。

情緒比智商重要

KJ是很值得看的一套電影。這套電影反映，父母從小栽培、得名師指導，才能成才。5年來，東山已栽培了大量語言天才。

這套電影帶出另一個問題，孩子長大成人，事業開始初露頭角，為什麼父母要離異，給年青人這麼大的打擊？KJ只看到父親有第三者，但為什麼婚姻會出現第三者，這是否單方面的問題？

冰凍三尺，非一日之寒。婚姻出現裂縫，是否雙方面在處理彼此的關係上，都出了錯？港人自幼重視IQ的培訓，但往往不重視EQ的訓練，不懂處理個人的情緒或關心別人，不懂談話的藝術和逗人開心。

東山語言中心，視學生為子侄。在成長過程中，我們認為，IQ, EQ, LQ，缺一不可。

我們重視培訓LQ和IQ, 同時重視培訓EQ，重視孩子對情緒、對人際關係和溝通技巧的訓練。

牛津大學最出名的選課組合是PPE, Philosophy, Psychology and Economics. 哲學對處理情緒，幫助最大；心理學亦觸及不少情緒問題，只有經濟，側重理智分析，但仍離不開市場的不完美和羊群心理。

活到老，學到老！學習積極的人生觀，學習說話的藝術。孩子需要鼓勵、贊賞，身邊人何嘗不需要鼓勵、贊賞？如你言談充滿幽默，家人常常沐春風，哪會有空間給第三者？

KJ 音樂人生

這是一套難得的高水準紀錄片，情真、意真，大飽耳福。
喜歡音樂的人會喜歡；身為父母，更不可不看！
如不想坐第一排，早好早一星期訂票。
九龍塘和國金二期的影院，每晚一場。

好友羅乃新，是音樂天才，對音樂全情投入，每天練琴不少於六小時。
家俊是兒子學兄，音樂天才橫溢，但正在經歷人生的磨練，遙致祝福！
珍惜緣份，珍惜枕邊人，每個孩子都渴望有一個愉快的家庭！

KJ再一次証明早期培育的重要。名師出高徒，豈能計較輜銖？
父母對孩子應有要求，培養興趣，才能誘發孩子的全情投入。
不要忽略早期教育，特別是語言、情緒、觀察和思維的訓練！

Saturday parenting seminar, July 11, 2009

The parenting seminar at 2 p.m. this Saturday at the Admiralty Centre was well attended by parents. Most of the kids were around 1 1/2 years old. They all seem to like the centre.

We shared the 10,000 hours of research on early brain development and language acquisition.

One parent shared her first hand experience that her baby learned much better through interaction with people than watching DVD.

Another parent shared her experience that private tutoring by the primary stage was not too effective as the child has developed a passive mode of learning.

We hope to build up a strong foundation for our babies not only in languages, but also in the essential learning skills such as curiosity, concentration and logical thinking.

Le Beaumont's program are all interest driven. Beaumont babies develop active learning skills and no longer needs tutoring when they grow up.

Based on the experience of bilingual families and multi-lingual countries, babies benefit from early exposure to a wide range of languages. Actually, babies are only interested in sounds in the first 15 months. So there is nothing to confuse them.


Early years are vital in language learning and in developing the voice recognition system. English is of course important. But learning another European language increase the sensitivity to sounds and usage and is of big help in learning English.

Through language and interactive activies, we can reach the inner part of the brain and exercise the brain. This boosts the baby's IQ, EQ & LQ.

『東山外語教學法』

『東山外語教學法』，建基於一萬小時的研究，重視外語的特色、學員的興趣、和學習的成效，理論和實踐並重。語言之間有很多共通處。研究外語，越發覺語言的奧秘，其樂無窮。

孩子的外語基礎好，成就自然高。隨著經濟的全球化，和科技的特飛猛進，大量最新科研報告、財經雜誌，均以外語發表。到了中學、最遲是大學，學習均以外語進行。

如何可以學好英語？嬰兒有學習語言的本能，從嬰兒期開始學習英語，和英語一起成長，發音及表達能力，可以直追母語。

學好英語有什麼竅門？最重要是啟發興趣、多接觸、多運用。如果孩子已經入學，主要是和同齡的孩子相比，好的教學法、師資和語言環境，可以爭取先機。

參加東山語言中心暑期24小時的『英語遊戲組』、『Jolly Phonics』或『普通話遊戲組』『普通話拼音班』、『會話寫作班』，從生活中取材，從遊戲中學習，增加和英籍或北京籍老師面對面的接觸，消除對英語和普通話的恐懼，建立學習外語的自信心、興趣和成就感，為新學期作好準備。

在暑期學習多一種歐洲語言，對語音的敏感度、拉丁語系的特色、和對學習英語的信心，有很大幫助。

遍訪名山尋名師，名師出高徒！

Enrollment for summer program picks up strongly

Enrollment for summer program picks up strongly in Le Beaumont in the first week of July, with more than 100 enrollments in one week. Kids enjoy the language programs and the company of other children. Parents like the A-grade premises of Le Beaumont as well as the quality of the programs.

I have 2 sons, aged 12 and 14, studying in DBS. I am also very concern that they can use the extended summer holiday this year fruitfully. And I choose on the quality of the program as well as the service provider more than on the fees.

Brush up language skills

The extended summer holiday this year is equivalent to 50% of a normal school term! How can we ensure that our children will not stop learning?

When formal school term ends, informal learning begins. Learning through play is the most enjoyable and effective way in learning a language.

Students can brush up their English and Putonghua in the summer, or learn a new language a year. Enroll now so that precious time will not slip away.

What makes Le Beaumont stand out?

How is Le Beaumont Language Centre different?

Le Beaumont has the heart on the development of our future generation. All its programs are research based and evidence based. Babies grow up so fast. Le Beaumont is mindful of the importance of the early months. It arouses babies' sensitivity and interest in languages, curiosity and love of learning, confidence and self-esteem, and the use of senses and the thinking facultly to stimulate brain development.

Aspen's mom has this experience to share.

Since Aspen began she has learnt to crawl, stand and now walk. She learnt to give a high-five from her teachers at le Beaumont and she has learnt to sit and listen attentively and play along with the games. She has also learnt to greet her classmates with kisses and hugs from her older classmates and she learnt how to "au revoir" from her teacher. She loves French and she always stops and listens if she hears anyone speaking French. She also enjoys listen to French baby music and moves her body with the music.

Compared with children her own age she is very advanced. She is not afraid of strangers and she smiles and laughs a lot. She doesn't scare easily and she loves playing with anyone and learning new things. She is unbelievably curious about everything and she will look under a new chair and all around it to see how it works. She has a tremendous amount of energy and she searches the house and learns something new all the time. Many times people have asked my maid about Aspen's age and been shocked when they learnt how young she was because she is so alert and responsive.

I think Le Beaumont TKO is a great school with enthustistic teachers and a friendly and professional staff. Everyone knows my daugter's name and they greet us every time we walk in. The teaching style is very interactive and the children love that they can move around during the lesson. They also vary the tasks for the children a way to keep their interest. Thanks to their wonderful teaching, my daughter shows an affinity to French, I think that is an outcome you cannot buy, and if she speak with a native accent when she gets older that is even more priceless.

Tammy Harris
(Aspen's Mommy)

Nature or nurture?

Is a genius by nature or by nurture?

After 10,000 hours of research, I tend to believe that it is largely by nurture.

Yes, given favourable environment, we can nourish another Einstein. But the developmental process that Einstein had gone through from infancy to his early school years are difficult to replicate. Even his parents would not be aware that some of their casual conversation, the stories they told and the games they played had stimulated an active, inquisitive and imaginative brain. The education system we are brought up with today stiffles initiative, imagination and innovation.

The latest research on early brain development indicates that a baby is born with over a hundred billion synapses, not yet wired. Wiring takes place upon suitable stimulation.

Adaptability is the hallmark for the survival of species, like the flu virus. If the majority of synapses have already been wired before birth, it would be hard for the human species to weather through the myriads of changes taken place in 600,000 years of evolution.

If a genius is born, retarded brain development should not have happened to highly successful parents in affluent societies. Research indicates that babies from high income, highly educated families are more succeptible to developing language impairment than babies from poor families. The successful parents are too busy. Acute deprivation of language stimulation, not language confusion as prviously believed, leads to retarded brain development and the inability by the baby to develop a voice recognition system during the critical period for language development.

The Abecedarian Project was conducted by the North Carolina University over a period of 35 years (1972-2007). The research proves that early language training boosts IQ, academic studies and future career.

Le Beaumont Language Centre in HK is probably the first teaching and research centre in the world to focus on the study of early brain development and language acquisition.

Found in 2004, its Gifted Babies program enrolls babies 4 weeks and after. The majority join the program at 3 months. Many parents accept our recommendation to join the program an hour a day, 3, 4 or 5 times a week. Infants and toddlers join an Aladin type of tour on their magic play mats, visiting different countries on different days of the week.

We set up dedicated playrooms in English, Putonghua, French, Spanish and Japanese. Babies moved to different rooms on different days of the week and are entertained by a local guide, a graduate teacher from the respective country. The native teacher entertains the young visitors with songs, stories, games and interactive activities to involve the babies.

Initially, we see little change. But back-up by massive research findings, we know that our research-based program is actively exercising the babies' brain.

Through language, we have reached the inner most part of the brain that deals with sounds, images, emotion, memory, association, logical sequencing and interacting with people. We know that the wiring of synapses is taking place at a phenomenal rate.

Two months after joining the program, there are many observable behavioural changes among the babies, notably their attention span, concentration, curiosity, eye contact and smiles.

After 6 months, even though the babies are not yet able to speak, parents can observe for themselves that their babies are much more alert, responsive and intelligent than babies of the same age. They have higher mental age.

By the 13th month, when babies begin to utter their first word, the difference is breath taking. Babies who have joined the program for 9 months are able to utter their first words in the languages they are exposed to with impeccable clarity and confidence. Toddlers who join the program not until after they begin to talk take months to master the exact pronunciation of the words.

We have proven beyond doubt that rich language stimulation in early years, facilitated by a team of highly professional teachers from 5 countries, can boost the IQ, EQ & LQ of infants and toddlers. The program help to realize more potential of your child and make your child more gifted in learning, social skills and in languages.

Multiple Intelligence

Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University redefined the concept of intelligence in his book 'Frames of Mind'1983.

Dr. Howard Gardner believed that intelligence was multifaceted and dynamic - expanding far beyond the linguistic and logical capacities that were traditionally tested and valued in schools. Gardner argued that intelligence consisted of eight relatively autonomous intellectual capacities, namely:

(Provided by MIDAS - Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales)

Linguistic

Linguistic sensitivity: skill in the use of words for expressive and practical purposes

Reading: skill in reading

Writing: ability and interest in writing such as poems, stories, books or letters

Speaking: skill in oral communication for persuasion, mnemonics and description

Musical

Musical ability: sensitivity to rhythms, pitch, tunes or melody; and the timbre or distinctive tone of a musical piece

Instrument: skill and experience in playing a musical instrument

Vocal: a good voice for singing in tune and along with other people

Appreciation: actively enjoys listening to music


Logical-mathematical

Problem Solving: skill in organization, problem solving and logical reasoning; curiosity and investigation

Calculations: ability to work with numbers for mathematical operations such as addition and division

Ability to perceive: logical patterns and relationships; statements and propositions; functions and complex processes and related abstractions


Spatial

Imagery: use of mental imagery for observation, artistic, creative, and other visual activities

Artistic Design: to create artistic designs, drawings, painting or other crafts

Construction: to be able to make, build or assemble things


Bodily-kinesthetic

Physical Skill: ability to move the whole body for physical activities such as balancing, coordination and sports

Dancing, Acting: to use the body in expressive, rhythmic and imitative ways

Working with Hands: to use the hands with dexterity and skill for detailed activities and small work


Interpersonal

Understanding People: sensitivity to and understanding of other people's moods, feelings and point of view

Getting along with Others: able to maintain good relationships with other people especially friends and siblings

Leadership: to take a leadership role among people through problem solving and influence

Intra-personal

Knowing Myself: awareness of one's own ideas, abilities; personal decision making skill

Goal Awareness: awareness of goals and self correction and monitoring in light of a goal

Managing Feelings: ability to regulate one's feelings, moods and emotional responses

Managing Behavior: ability to regulate one's mental activities and behavior


Naturalist

Animal Care: skill for understanding animal behavior, needs, characteristics

Plant Care: ability to work with plants, (i.e., gardening, farming and horticulture)

Science: knowledge of natural living energy forces including cooking, weather and physics

Beaumont observation: All these are acquired skills.

Gifted Children - Common characteristics

Here is a list of characteristics common in gifted four-, five-, and six-year olds (Smutny, 2000):

1. Express curiosity about many things
2. Ask thoughtful questions
3. Have extensive vocabularies and use complex sentence structure
4. Are able to express themselves well
5. Solve problems in unique ways
6. Have good memories
7. Exhibit unusual talent in art, music, or creative dramatics
8. Exhibit especially original imaginations
9. Use previously learned things in new contexts
10. Are unusually able to order things in logical sequence
11. Discuss and elaborate on ideas
12. Are fast learners
13. Desire to work independently and take initiative
14. Exhibit wit and humor
15. Have sustained attention spans and are willing to persist on challenging tasks
16. Are very observant
17. Show talent in making up stories and telling them
18. Are interested in reading.

Beaumont observation: These are all acquired skills.

Early language training boosts IQ, EQ & LQ

Any parent with a new born bay should not miss this 6-minute documentary,
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/%7Eabc/FPG_ABC-video.cfm

What makes a genius? Nature or nurture?
What is your opinion? What are the bases of your assertion?

We have invested more than 10,000 hours in the research on early brain development and language acquisition. The findings are eye boggling!

Based on these findings, we are helping an increasing number of working parents to nourish highly gifted babies.

Let me hear your views. I would share our findings with you early next week.

Sam