I saw your concern about possible language confusion raised by your friends. I can assure you that your child will not get confused from exposure to more languages. Marcus will become more sociable, more confident, with better IQ and will be very strong in languages, benefiting him throughout his school years.
The confusion theory dates back to the 1950s from a professor in psychology in US. It has dominated the Western world for over half a century and is still being taught in all the universities in HK, and hence the medical doctors, speech therapists and teachers.
The confusion theory arose in the ignorance of multi-lingual regions in the world, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Switzerland and Scandinavia, where it is common for children to speak 5 or 6 languages. They don't get confused and are much stronger in languages than monolingual children from US.
Marcus is enjoying his programs and is benefiting from the exposure to more languages in Le Beaumont. He benefits in growing up with more friends, with native teachers, and from games and activities that exercise his brain.
Please let me know if you have any other problems.
Best regards,
Sam
Find out more at the Parenting Seminar on Saturday at Admiralty. Tel:28662028
31.3.10
29.3.10
Lifelong benefits of early experiences
By Jessica Goodman
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 4:30 a.m.
In the first three years of a child's life, 700 new connections in the brain form every second, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
According to the center, early experiences can impact early development, where "differences in the size of children's vocabulary can first appear at 18 months of age, based on whether they were born into a family with high education and income or low education and income."
"It's kind of like building a house," said Elisha Freeman, manager of United Agenda for Children. "If that foundation doesn't get laid right in the beginning, it's hard to go back later and fix it."
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20100327/NEWS/3271029/1170
Enrolled for the Parenting Seminar on
Early Brain Development and Language Acquisition
Sat 10 Apr 2 - 3:30 p.m.
5/F Tower One, Admiralty Centre Tel:2866 2028
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 4:30 a.m.
In the first three years of a child's life, 700 new connections in the brain form every second, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
According to the center, early experiences can impact early development, where "differences in the size of children's vocabulary can first appear at 18 months of age, based on whether they were born into a family with high education and income or low education and income."
"It's kind of like building a house," said Elisha Freeman, manager of United Agenda for Children. "If that foundation doesn't get laid right in the beginning, it's hard to go back later and fix it."
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20100327/NEWS/3271029/1170
Enrolled for the Parenting Seminar on
Early Brain Development and Language Acquisition
Sat 10 Apr 2 - 3:30 p.m.
5/F Tower One, Admiralty Centre Tel:2866 2028
24.3.10
What's in a name? Quite a lot By Hon Bernard Chan
If I write that my name is Chan and I am Chiuchow you can tell several things about me. You will know my name and the part of China where I have family roots. But you can also guess that I am from Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong.
If I wrote that I am Chen and of Chaozhou origin, you could tell that I have the same Chinese name and ancestral area, but you could also tell that I am from the mainland, since I write in Pinyin.
And if I wrote that I am Tan and Teochew, you could tell it's the same name and place again, but you might guess I am probably from a place such as Singapore or Thailand where the spelling reflects the local pronunciation.
The strange thing about this feature of our culture is that people who read Chinese will miss this information. They will see the name, and that will be that.
But if they see Wu, Ng or Goh, they will be able to guess this is someone from the mainland, Hong Kong or Southeast Asia, respectively. It can be quite specific.
Oei is probably from Indonesia, and Vong from Macau (they are both Wong to us). Non-Chinese readers can actually know more than someone looking only at the Chinese.
There is an alternative to writing names as they are pronounced. If you use Chinese on your Hong Kong identity card, a dedicated number represents each character of your name. Even if you are a Tran from Vietnam or a Chin from the Philippines, you are actually 7115, like me.
Hon. Bernard Chan is our friend and a Member of the Executive Council of the HK Government.
Come to the Parenting Seminar on
Early Brain Development & Language Acquisition
Tsim Sha Tsui
27th Mar,10(Sat) 2pm
Reservation: 2376 3111
If I wrote that I am Chen and of Chaozhou origin, you could tell that I have the same Chinese name and ancestral area, but you could also tell that I am from the mainland, since I write in Pinyin.
And if I wrote that I am Tan and Teochew, you could tell it's the same name and place again, but you might guess I am probably from a place such as Singapore or Thailand where the spelling reflects the local pronunciation.
The strange thing about this feature of our culture is that people who read Chinese will miss this information. They will see the name, and that will be that.
But if they see Wu, Ng or Goh, they will be able to guess this is someone from the mainland, Hong Kong or Southeast Asia, respectively. It can be quite specific.
Oei is probably from Indonesia, and Vong from Macau (they are both Wong to us). Non-Chinese readers can actually know more than someone looking only at the Chinese.
There is an alternative to writing names as they are pronounced. If you use Chinese on your Hong Kong identity card, a dedicated number represents each character of your name. Even if you are a Tran from Vietnam or a Chin from the Philippines, you are actually 7115, like me.
Hon. Bernard Chan is our friend and a Member of the Executive Council of the HK Government.
Come to the Parenting Seminar on
Early Brain Development & Language Acquisition
Tsim Sha Tsui
27th Mar,10(Sat) 2pm
Reservation: 2376 3111
20.3.10
東山語言中心簡介
香港是一個領先的國際都會，華洋匯集，學習外語，蔚然成風。香港對英語發音和英語教學的研究，由於有多語的比較，和了解國人常犯的毛病，因此在研究、理論和教學上的突破，遠勝歐美單語國家所編的英語教材和教學方法。香港東山語言中心，是其中的表表者。創辦人周東山，背景雄厚，曾擔任香港政府首長級職位長達十五年，任內曾創立香港僱員再培訓局，享譽國際，被國際經濟合作及發展組織譽為全球最具成本效益的再培訓計劃，不少國家的專家，專程前往取經。
周東山曾學習十國外語，對英語發音的地區性變化，尤感興趣，除深入研究拼音，並多次週遊英國，由南至北，採訪地區特色。有感香港學生學習英語長期面對的困難，視為畏途，並嚴重影響學習興趣，於2004年決定提前退休，用十年時間，鑽研問題所在、基本原因，尋找解決的辦法，解決學子的困難，以此回饋社會。
他在國際上人脈廣闊，包括各國的外交家，國際級的語言學家，起步時幫助很大。他創立的東山語言中心，有教無類，學生年齡，由滿月的嬰兒，到六十五歲上市公司的主席，卻無意中有機會觀察不同年齡段學生的不同表現，並有機會和大量母親，交換幼兒學習的心得。
他發現學習外語成效和年齡成反比。年紀愈大，成效愈差，年紀愈小，成效愈好。他發現嬰兒的聽覺特別靈，到成年的時候，大多數情況下已無法辨認新的語音。他因此把研究精力，追蹤全球著名大學在嬰幼早期腦部發育的研究，及和語言學習的關係。五年後終於獲得重要突破。(待續)
嬰幼早期腦部發育和語言學習的關係講座
3月20日下午2時
金鐘一座5樓 電話留座：2866 2028
周東山曾學習十國外語，對英語發音的地區性變化，尤感興趣，除深入研究拼音，並多次週遊英國，由南至北，採訪地區特色。有感香港學生學習英語長期面對的困難，視為畏途，並嚴重影響學習興趣，於2004年決定提前退休，用十年時間，鑽研問題所在、基本原因，尋找解決的辦法，解決學子的困難，以此回饋社會。
他在國際上人脈廣闊，包括各國的外交家，國際級的語言學家，起步時幫助很大。他創立的東山語言中心，有教無類，學生年齡，由滿月的嬰兒，到六十五歲上市公司的主席，卻無意中有機會觀察不同年齡段學生的不同表現，並有機會和大量母親，交換幼兒學習的心得。
他發現學習外語成效和年齡成反比。年紀愈大，成效愈差，年紀愈小，成效愈好。他發現嬰兒的聽覺特別靈，到成年的時候，大多數情況下已無法辨認新的語音。他因此把研究精力，追蹤全球著名大學在嬰幼早期腦部發育的研究，及和語言學習的關係。五年後終於獲得重要突破。(待續)
嬰幼早期腦部發育和語言學習的關係講座
3月20日下午2時
金鐘一座5樓 電話留座：2866 2028
10.3.10
Languages exercise your brain
Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new Tel Aviv University study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging.
A person who speaks more languages is likely to be more clear-minded at an older age, she says, in effect “exercising” his or her brain more than those who are monolingual. Languages may create new links in the brain, contributing to this strengthening effect.
While the controversy continues as to whether or not parents should introduce their young children to a second language, Kavé thinks that learning a new language is only a good thing, even if it isn’t intended to stave off mental decline in old age.
“In my professional opinion, learning a new language can only do good things,” she believes. “Other languages are good for you at any age. They allow for a flexibility of thought and a channel for understanding another culture better, as well as your own,” says Kavé.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm
Parenting Seminar 5/F Tower One, Admiralty Cnetre.
Come with your friends
Sat 13 Mar 2-3 p.m.; Tue 16 Mar 7-8 p.m.
Reservation: 2866 2028
A person who speaks more languages is likely to be more clear-minded at an older age, she says, in effect “exercising” his or her brain more than those who are monolingual. Languages may create new links in the brain, contributing to this strengthening effect.
While the controversy continues as to whether or not parents should introduce their young children to a second language, Kavé thinks that learning a new language is only a good thing, even if it isn’t intended to stave off mental decline in old age.
“In my professional opinion, learning a new language can only do good things,” she believes. “Other languages are good for you at any age. They allow for a flexibility of thought and a channel for understanding another culture better, as well as your own,” says Kavé.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm
Parenting Seminar 5/F Tower One, Admiralty Cnetre.
Come with your friends
Sat 13 Mar 2-3 p.m.; Tue 16 Mar 7-8 p.m.
Reservation: 2866 2028
7.3.10
Learning by instinct - at a phenomenal rate
Let me share with you a key discovery we made in recent weeks. New born babies inherited in their genes the wisdom of 2.4M years of human evolution. The brain is born with 100 billion neurons and synapses, grows into 100 trillion neurons and synapses in the first year, with a memory size that matches a super computer. How sad that we don't have a chance to use even 2% of its capacity!
A near perfect learning software has been embeded in the baby' brain. At birth, it is turn on to the auto mode. Learning takes place by instinct, for survival, at a phenomenal speed, to recognize mom and learn from the mom and the same species and from the environment. Memory is recorded with the wiring of synspes in the brain.
Language acquisition takes place effortlessly during this period of instinctive learning. Learning is constrained only by exposure, never by capacity. A baby can learn 50 languages effortlessly, without confusion. The world of languages to a baby in the first 15 months has no words, and has only sounds and rhythms. It is like the favourite Latin American folk songs we recognize, we love to hum, without knowing its meaning. Babies have photographic memory. Wiring of synapses is automatic, without any effort.
By the age of 2 1/2 to 3, self-awareness creeps in. A child becomes shy. She begins to pick and choose what she wants to learn. The embedded learning system in the brain is switched from the auto mode to a manual mode. As far as language learning is concerned, efficiency drops drastically.
The reason why it is so difficult to learn the correct sounds of a new language is because we started too late. We missed the window of opportunity. Beaumont babies who start playing with playgroup teachers from 5 different countries when they are two or three months old can speak all the 5 languages at the level of a native speaker by the age of 2. And they are higher in IQ because of the exposure to songs, games and activities of so many different cultures.
Share the findings with your friends with young babies or who are pregnant so that their babies would not miss out.
Find out more at the
Parenting Seminar –
Developing Personality, IQ & languages, 0 to 5
Tuesday 7-8p.m. &
Saturday 2-3p.m.
5/F Tower One, Admiralty Centre
Tel: 2866 2028
A near perfect learning software has been embeded in the baby' brain. At birth, it is turn on to the auto mode. Learning takes place by instinct, for survival, at a phenomenal speed, to recognize mom and learn from the mom and the same species and from the environment. Memory is recorded with the wiring of synspes in the brain.
Language acquisition takes place effortlessly during this period of instinctive learning. Learning is constrained only by exposure, never by capacity. A baby can learn 50 languages effortlessly, without confusion. The world of languages to a baby in the first 15 months has no words, and has only sounds and rhythms. It is like the favourite Latin American folk songs we recognize, we love to hum, without knowing its meaning. Babies have photographic memory. Wiring of synapses is automatic, without any effort.
By the age of 2 1/2 to 3, self-awareness creeps in. A child becomes shy. She begins to pick and choose what she wants to learn. The embedded learning system in the brain is switched from the auto mode to a manual mode. As far as language learning is concerned, efficiency drops drastically.
The reason why it is so difficult to learn the correct sounds of a new language is because we started too late. We missed the window of opportunity. Beaumont babies who start playing with playgroup teachers from 5 different countries when they are two or three months old can speak all the 5 languages at the level of a native speaker by the age of 2. And they are higher in IQ because of the exposure to songs, games and activities of so many different cultures.
Share the findings with your friends with young babies or who are pregnant so that their babies would not miss out.
Find out more at the
Parenting Seminar –
Developing Personality, IQ & languages, 0 to 5
Tuesday 7-8p.m. &
Saturday 2-3p.m.
5/F Tower One, Admiralty Centre
Tel: 2866 2028
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)