香港社會，中西文化匯聚，資訊發達，人才鼎盛。語言是我們的一大優勢。隨著經濟的全球化，兩文三語，已不足應用。打入高端的日本市場，需要日語，中、南美洲的市場，需要西班牙語，打入中東市場，需要法語，歐洲市場，需要德語。
學習語言最重要的關鍵是『辨音』和『發音』，原來這取決於嬰幼期語言的接觸。嬰兒期對語音特別敏感，學習外語，手到拿來，毫不費力，而且發音標準，地道，不帶半點鄉音。在東山長大的孩子，到兩歲能說標準的英語、普通話，發音比家長和主流學校的英語老師還要準確。
『沒有研究、調查，就沒有發言權。』培育資優兒，把握最新的研究發現，是最重要的先決條件。社會上的育兒資訊，或來自老人家的經驗，或從報章雜誌，道聽途說，以訛傳訛，缺乏根據。多數人生活在過時的資訊、過時的經驗。嬰兒出生時都有成為語言天才的條件，可以說十多二十種外語。但由於成長環境所限，百份之九十九的語言天才，潛力沒有機會發揮，長大成為凡人。
東山語言中心創於2004年，起步點高，實力雄厚，對嬰幼早教，充滿熱誠。六年來，追蹤全球大學對嬰兒腦部發育及語言發展的關係，加入香港作為國際社會在多語的優勢，和創辦人學習十國語言及對語言研究的熱誠，及得國際級語言專家的幫助，把最新的知識，應用於中心的嬰幼課程，進行分析、研究、引證，在多方面獲得重大的突破，在國際上取得領先的地位。
東山『資優兒培訓計劃』，把握嬰幼兒早年發育的『生理時鐘』，提供豐富語言環境及人際溝通，刺激腦部發育，全面發展語言、性格和智商的發展，深受家長歡迎。早期學生，非富則貴，由於家長對資訊比較敏感，了解多語能力對日後事業的重要性。其後中心把課程普及化，基本課程，每月學費只需3000元，吸引了大批雙收入中產家庭的孩子。
早期愉快成長經驗，培養開朗性格，培育積極、主動的學習態度，建立對語言的愛好，促進腦部發育。東山資優兒，外語能力出眾，幼稚園面試，成績驕人，小學考入名校後，仍名列前茅。
東山重視教育質素，六年來，培育大批尖子，接受了三十多家電視、電台、報章、雜誌的訪問，成為無城中名牌。www.beaumont.edu.hk
附錄：東山的應用研究，印證了多間著名大學的最新研究：
美國北卡羅連納州大學，選了111名嬰兒(最幼的只有六個星期)，由1972到2007年，用35年時間，追蹤研究早期語言訓練對日後成長、學業及事業的影響。發現早期語言訓練，提升資商，改善學業及事業。http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~abc/FPG_ABC-video.cfm
美國俄立崗州大學，對嬰幼腦部發育及語言學習的研究發現，語言學習，愈早開始愈好，種類愈多愈妙，不會引起混淆，會提升孩子的語言能力。http://changingbrains.org/
美國華盛頓州大學 Patricia Kuhl教授，曾任克林頓總統顧問。大學於2010年5月購置了一套最新式掃描設備，研究腦部發育及語言學習的關係。http://ilabs.washington.edu/
美國National Scientific Council on the Developing Child『國家嬰幼發育科研委員會』集全國精英科學家，以哈佛大學為基地，推動嬰幼發育期的研究。發現嬰幼早期成長環境，影響腦部思維架構的建立，影響遺傳因子組成部份的開關，影響一生。http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/council/
1.10.10
『培育資優兒』家長講座系列之二：天才之謎
天才來自遺傳因子還是後天的培養？我們能否培育、及如何培育資優兒？
『天才』是一個籠統的概念，缺乏一個明確的定義。但從智商測試的擬題去看，對於圖像的辨認和排列，語言及數學的測試，無一不與後天的經歷有關。
蘇格蘭有一所音樂學院，吸收了來自英國各地音樂天份特別高的學生，進行培訓。BBC(英國海外廣播公司)電視台節目主持人，對這批天才學生家長的背景，進行一項調查，發覺家長多來自中產家庭，職業分佈很廣，但很少家長在音樂上有過人之處，孩子的天份，似乎和遺傳因子扯不上關系。但記者卻發現，這批學生，對音樂興趣特別濃厚，和音樂接觸的時間，差不多是同齡孩子的一百倍。
2000年暑假，我在香港大學聘請了一批會考狀元，嘗試建立一個會考網。他們的家庭背景，和一般學生分別不大，看不到遺傳因子的影響。其中一位姓羅的同學，會考十優，大學入學試七優(一般考生，只考三科)，是數學天才。
『你父親做什麼工作？』
『他是一間津貼學校的校工。』
『母親呢？』
『她沒有上過學，是家庭主婦。』
『為什麼你的數學這麼利害？』
『我自幼喜歡數學。』
『從什麼時候開始？』
『大概歲半。』
『什麼啟發你對數學的興趣？』
『母親剛教我認1,2,3,4的數目字，我發覺電視上有些數字不停地在變，自此以後，我對數字的興趣特別濃厚。』
『電視上不斷變動的數字是什麼？』
『後來我才知道，是股市的恆生指數。』
我們不排除遺傳因素的影響，但後天的成長環境，卻起著決定性的因素。孩子如能對某方面的事物產生濃厚興趣，樂此不疲，人家還未起步，已建立了龐大的資料庫。【興趣、注意、觀察、分析、理解、成就感、加強興趣、注意、觀察、、、】，引發了一個良性循環，造就了過人的成就。我們把這理論應用於『資優兒培訓計劃』，效果非常接近。
天才主要來自成長環境對孩子的啟發和培育。在過去六年，東山在香港培育了一大批尖子。他們對語音特別敏感，對語言特別感興趣，學外語比人家快、比人家好，並且性格開朗，喜歡主動學習，特別聰明，幼稚園入學面試佔盡優勢，入了名牌小學，對學習及語言的興趣不減，仍然名列前茅。
『天才』是一個籠統的概念，缺乏一個明確的定義。但從智商測試的擬題去看，對於圖像的辨認和排列，語言及數學的測試，無一不與後天的經歷有關。
蘇格蘭有一所音樂學院，吸收了來自英國各地音樂天份特別高的學生，進行培訓。BBC(英國海外廣播公司)電視台節目主持人，對這批天才學生家長的背景，進行一項調查，發覺家長多來自中產家庭，職業分佈很廣，但很少家長在音樂上有過人之處，孩子的天份，似乎和遺傳因子扯不上關系。但記者卻發現，這批學生，對音樂興趣特別濃厚，和音樂接觸的時間，差不多是同齡孩子的一百倍。
2000年暑假，我在香港大學聘請了一批會考狀元，嘗試建立一個會考網。他們的家庭背景，和一般學生分別不大，看不到遺傳因子的影響。其中一位姓羅的同學，會考十優，大學入學試七優(一般考生，只考三科)，是數學天才。
『你父親做什麼工作？』
『他是一間津貼學校的校工。』
『母親呢？』
『她沒有上過學，是家庭主婦。』
『為什麼你的數學這麼利害？』
『我自幼喜歡數學。』
『從什麼時候開始？』
『大概歲半。』
『什麼啟發你對數學的興趣？』
『母親剛教我認1,2,3,4的數目字，我發覺電視上有些數字不停地在變，自此以後，我對數字的興趣特別濃厚。』
『電視上不斷變動的數字是什麼？』
『後來我才知道，是股市的恆生指數。』
我們不排除遺傳因素的影響，但後天的成長環境，卻起著決定性的因素。孩子如能對某方面的事物產生濃厚興趣，樂此不疲，人家還未起步，已建立了龐大的資料庫。【興趣、注意、觀察、分析、理解、成就感、加強興趣、注意、觀察、、、】，引發了一個良性循環，造就了過人的成就。我們把這理論應用於『資優兒培訓計劃』，效果非常接近。
天才主要來自成長環境對孩子的啟發和培育。在過去六年，東山在香港培育了一大批尖子。他們對語音特別敏感，對語言特別感興趣，學外語比人家快、比人家好，並且性格開朗，喜歡主動學習，特別聰明，幼稚園入學面試佔盡優勢，入了名牌小學，對學習及語言的興趣不減，仍然名列前茅。
『培育資優兒』家長講座系列之三：語言的奧秘
『語言』是什麼？
語言是聲音的組合，通過腦裡『辨音系統』，傳情達意，互相溝通。
人類四百萬年進化過程，全憑口語溝通，文字到最後一萬年才出現。
『辨音系統』是什麼？是一套軟件，把音波進行分析、解碼，理出意思。
『辨音系統』如何建立？嬰兒需要大量語音刺激，進行儲存、整理，分析。
『辨音系統』何時建立？系統主要在出生後首八個月建立。
『辨音系統』如何運作？系統只能辨認系統內已輸入的語音。
『辨音系統』如何處理未能辨認的語音？
腦部會自動將脈衝轉接到系統裡最接近的語音，聽到的變成系統裡的聲音，模仿時會發出系統裡的語音。
腦部這種把外語語音變成母語語音的扭曲現象，形成『帶鄉音的外語發音assent』，難以擺脫。
『帶鄉音的外語發音assent』如何避免？
只能在嬰幼期建立『辨音系統』時入手，讓孩子盡早接觸想要學的外語，輸入『辨音系統』。
外語已輸入『辨音系統，就可以說一口標準的外語，而不會出現發音被扭曲的現象。
美國俄立崗州大學研究指出，學習外語，愈早開始愈好，接觸的外語愈多愈妙。
『資優兒培訓計劃』，讓嬰兒自幼便接觸英、法、西、日、普通話等五國語言，
『辨音系統』遠比單語孩子優勝。長大後外語字正腔圓，完全沒有鄉音。
孩子為什麼要學這麼多外語？
有機會接觸多語，可以培養孩子對語言的興趣，求學時，語文科將成為強項。
到孩子長大時，經濟將進一步走向全球化，多語能力，畢生受用，佔盡優勢。
『語言障礙』如何產生？
嬰兒如嚴重缺乏語音刺激，『辨音系統』沒法建立，無法解碼，無法用語言進行溝通，成為語言障礙。
『語言障礙』能否醫治？
可以作有限度善，但非常昂貴，效果欠佳。
預防遠勝治療。重視嬰幼期語言環境，多和孩子聊天，多和其他人相處，多參加遊戲組。
Species learn from species. 華盛頓州大學研究顯示，嬰兒無法從影碟等機械裝置學習語言。
語言是聲音的組合，通過腦裡『辨音系統』，傳情達意，互相溝通。
人類四百萬年進化過程，全憑口語溝通，文字到最後一萬年才出現。
『辨音系統』是什麼？是一套軟件，把音波進行分析、解碼，理出意思。
『辨音系統』如何建立？嬰兒需要大量語音刺激，進行儲存、整理，分析。
『辨音系統』何時建立？系統主要在出生後首八個月建立。
『辨音系統』如何運作？系統只能辨認系統內已輸入的語音。
『辨音系統』如何處理未能辨認的語音？
腦部會自動將脈衝轉接到系統裡最接近的語音，聽到的變成系統裡的聲音，模仿時會發出系統裡的語音。
腦部這種把外語語音變成母語語音的扭曲現象，形成『帶鄉音的外語發音assent』，難以擺脫。
『帶鄉音的外語發音assent』如何避免？
只能在嬰幼期建立『辨音系統』時入手，讓孩子盡早接觸想要學的外語，輸入『辨音系統』。
外語已輸入『辨音系統，就可以說一口標準的外語，而不會出現發音被扭曲的現象。
美國俄立崗州大學研究指出，學習外語，愈早開始愈好，接觸的外語愈多愈妙。
『資優兒培訓計劃』，讓嬰兒自幼便接觸英、法、西、日、普通話等五國語言，
『辨音系統』遠比單語孩子優勝。長大後外語字正腔圓，完全沒有鄉音。
孩子為什麼要學這麼多外語？
有機會接觸多語，可以培養孩子對語言的興趣，求學時，語文科將成為強項。
到孩子長大時，經濟將進一步走向全球化，多語能力，畢生受用，佔盡優勢。
『語言障礙』如何產生？
嬰兒如嚴重缺乏語音刺激，『辨音系統』沒法建立，無法解碼，無法用語言進行溝通，成為語言障礙。
『語言障礙』能否醫治？
可以作有限度善，但非常昂貴，效果欠佳。
預防遠勝治療。重視嬰幼期語言環境，多和孩子聊天，多和其他人相處，多參加遊戲組。
Species learn from species. 華盛頓州大學研究顯示，嬰兒無法從影碟等機械裝置學習語言。
『培育資優兒』家長講座系列之四：把握生理時鐘
『生理時鐘』和語言學習有微妙的關系。要學好外語，應從兩、三個月開始；要發揮語言天份，應接觸多種語言。東山語言中心，經六年長期研究及觀察，發現嬰兒首年成長環境，對語言發展，至為重要。
『生理時鐘』真的存在嗎？孩子什麼時候可以翻身，什麼時候出第一隻門牙，什麼時候能坐、能站立，能走路，什麼時候開聲，都受傳因子的『生理時鐘』控制。語言學習，並不例外。
語言細胞神經末稍，出生後出現爆炸性增長，八個月到達巔峰。由第九個月開始，剩餘的神經末稍，大幅被淘汰，學習新語音的能力，隨年齡而急劇下降。
首八個月的語言環境，決定孩子建立怎樣的『辨音系統』。單語環境，培養單語孩子；雙語家庭，培育雙語孩子。東山『資優兒培訓計劃』，培育三語或五語孩子。孩子接觸的語言種類愈多，對語言愈敏感、對學習愈有興趣，人愈聰明。
研究顯示，高收入、高教育家庭的孩子，由於父母長時間工作，很少時間和孩子嬉戲、談心，很少外出。孩子往往在嚴重缺乏和人溝通、缺乏語言刺激的環境下長大，語障情況普遍。2010年1月4日BBC報導，英國每六名孩子，便有一人有不同程度的語障。香港經濟繁榮，教育普及，男女平等，孩子的語障情況，和英國接近。
父母如雙雙有自已的事業，在上班的日子，必須為孩子安排每天的活動，確保孩子可以每天有機會外出，和人接觸；有豐富的語言環境，刺激腦細胞的連線，建立辨音系統，和龐大的語音資料庫。孩子如參加『資優兒培訓計劃』，更可同時學習多國語言，培養開朗性格，提升智商。語言障礙，預防勝於治療。治療費用昂貴，成效有限。
『生理時鐘』真的存在嗎？孩子什麼時候可以翻身，什麼時候出第一隻門牙，什麼時候能坐、能站立，能走路，什麼時候開聲，都受傳因子的『生理時鐘』控制。語言學習，並不例外。
語言細胞神經末稍，出生後出現爆炸性增長，八個月到達巔峰。由第九個月開始，剩餘的神經末稍，大幅被淘汰，學習新語音的能力，隨年齡而急劇下降。
首八個月的語言環境，決定孩子建立怎樣的『辨音系統』。單語環境，培養單語孩子；雙語家庭，培育雙語孩子。東山『資優兒培訓計劃』，培育三語或五語孩子。孩子接觸的語言種類愈多，對語言愈敏感、對學習愈有興趣，人愈聰明。
研究顯示，高收入、高教育家庭的孩子，由於父母長時間工作，很少時間和孩子嬉戲、談心，很少外出。孩子往往在嚴重缺乏和人溝通、缺乏語言刺激的環境下長大，語障情況普遍。2010年1月4日BBC報導，英國每六名孩子，便有一人有不同程度的語障。香港經濟繁榮，教育普及，男女平等，孩子的語障情況，和英國接近。
父母如雙雙有自已的事業，在上班的日子，必須為孩子安排每天的活動，確保孩子可以每天有機會外出，和人接觸；有豐富的語言環境，刺激腦細胞的連線，建立辨音系統，和龐大的語音資料庫。孩子如參加『資優兒培訓計劃』，更可同時學習多國語言，培養開朗性格，提升智商。語言障礙，預防勝於治療。治療費用昂貴，成效有限。
The Critical Period Hypothesis
miércoles 22 de septiembre de 2010
The Critical Period Hypothesis
1. The meaning of CPH is...
2. She [Genie] was a very communicative person. But, despite trying, she never mastered the rules of grammar, never could use the little pieces — the word endings, for instance. She had a clear semantic ability but could not learn syntax.
3. Feral Children and the Critical Period
Although the critical period hypothesis was hotly debated for some years, there is now compelling evidence — including the evidence from feral, confined and isolated children — that, unless they are exposed to language in the early years of life, humans lose much of their innate ability to learn a language, and especially its grammatical system. http://sladolly.blogspot.com/2010/09/critical-period-hypothesis.html
張貼者： Sam 於 上午2:28
The Critical Period Hypothesis
1. The meaning of CPH is...
2. She [Genie] was a very communicative person. But, despite trying, she never mastered the rules of grammar, never could use the little pieces — the word endings, for instance. She had a clear semantic ability but could not learn syntax.
3. Feral Children and the Critical Period
Although the critical period hypothesis was hotly debated for some years, there is now compelling evidence — including the evidence from feral, confined and isolated children — that, unless they are exposed to language in the early years of life, humans lose much of their innate ability to learn a language, and especially its grammatical system. http://sladolly.blogspot.com/2010/09/critical-period-hypothesis.html
張貼者： Sam 於 上午2:28
26.8.10
The Importance of Oral Language Skills
The Importance of Oral Language Skills
When parents think about literacy, they most often think about the importance of written language, letter recognition, and reading. But an equally critical foundation of good communication is oral language, helping children learn to use words to talk as well as to listen. In fact, historically, the role of stories and folklore in transmitting traditions and culture were paramount.
Today, in our electronic world, we tend to overlook the important role of oral language skills in promoting reading and broader cognitive development. In fact, promoting oral language was another area of focus by the National Institute for Literacy in their series on how to promote early language development.
In a recent booklet by the National Institute for Literacy, oral language is called the “engine” of learning and thinking, as the importance of oral language skills is linked to later literacy achievement in reading, writing, and spelling.
As infants, children use sounds and gestures to express their needs, and the responsiveness of caring adults to these early efforts to communicate play a critical role in brain development. As children grow and begin to use simple sentences and express their likes, dislikes, and curiosity, they are able to learn about the world around them and their environment. And with a growing vocabulary and oral mastery, preschool children more fully express their ideas and abstract concepts through stories and make believe.
What are some things that parents and teachers in early childhood education programs can do to promote oral language development?
As the National Institute for Literacy points out, one of the keys is through shared conversations and book reading—but not just reading a book from cover to cover, but taking the time to ask questions such as, “what do you think will happen next,” or “what do you think this character is feeling now.” Asking questions, providing explanations, discussing feelings—all of this things enrich the language experience for children and help to foster broader skill development.
Equally important is making sure that as adults we talk with children, not to them. Asking open-ended questions, using a varied vocabulary, and taking advantage of routine activities such as driving in the car, shopping in the market, or making dinner to talk with children about the activity or asking them about what they did during the day—these all require relatively little effort but have a big payoff in terms of your child’s language development. Children enjoy talking about things that are familiar to them, but they also can have rich imaginations and turn everyday events into fanciful journeys to unknown worlds that live only inside your child’s creative mind.
Parents today are often stretched, trying to balance the hectic demands of work, parenting, community involvement, friends, and other family members such as aging parents. In that context it is easy to feel as if there is isn’t enough time to do it all. The wonderful thing about oral language development is that you can engage your child anytime and anywhere.
So turn off your mental to-do list and use your time together to communicate, really communicate with your child. There is no doubt that your child will benefit immensely, and you will also learn a great deal about the world from the eyes of a child. And there is probably nothing more wondrous and rewarding than that.
http://education-blog.kindercare.com/2010/08/the-importance-of-oral-language-skills/
When parents think about literacy, they most often think about the importance of written language, letter recognition, and reading. But an equally critical foundation of good communication is oral language, helping children learn to use words to talk as well as to listen. In fact, historically, the role of stories and folklore in transmitting traditions and culture were paramount.
Today, in our electronic world, we tend to overlook the important role of oral language skills in promoting reading and broader cognitive development. In fact, promoting oral language was another area of focus by the National Institute for Literacy in their series on how to promote early language development.
In a recent booklet by the National Institute for Literacy, oral language is called the “engine” of learning and thinking, as the importance of oral language skills is linked to later literacy achievement in reading, writing, and spelling.
As infants, children use sounds and gestures to express their needs, and the responsiveness of caring adults to these early efforts to communicate play a critical role in brain development. As children grow and begin to use simple sentences and express their likes, dislikes, and curiosity, they are able to learn about the world around them and their environment. And with a growing vocabulary and oral mastery, preschool children more fully express their ideas and abstract concepts through stories and make believe.
What are some things that parents and teachers in early childhood education programs can do to promote oral language development?
As the National Institute for Literacy points out, one of the keys is through shared conversations and book reading—but not just reading a book from cover to cover, but taking the time to ask questions such as, “what do you think will happen next,” or “what do you think this character is feeling now.” Asking questions, providing explanations, discussing feelings—all of this things enrich the language experience for children and help to foster broader skill development.
Equally important is making sure that as adults we talk with children, not to them. Asking open-ended questions, using a varied vocabulary, and taking advantage of routine activities such as driving in the car, shopping in the market, or making dinner to talk with children about the activity or asking them about what they did during the day—these all require relatively little effort but have a big payoff in terms of your child’s language development. Children enjoy talking about things that are familiar to them, but they also can have rich imaginations and turn everyday events into fanciful journeys to unknown worlds that live only inside your child’s creative mind.
Parents today are often stretched, trying to balance the hectic demands of work, parenting, community involvement, friends, and other family members such as aging parents. In that context it is easy to feel as if there is isn’t enough time to do it all. The wonderful thing about oral language development is that you can engage your child anytime and anywhere.
So turn off your mental to-do list and use your time together to communicate, really communicate with your child. There is no doubt that your child will benefit immensely, and you will also learn a great deal about the world from the eyes of a child. And there is probably nothing more wondrous and rewarding than that.
http://education-blog.kindercare.com/2010/08/the-importance-of-oral-language-skills/
Quality early learning matters
The College Completion Agenda 2010 Progress Report states that the United States now ranks 12th, dropping from No. 1, out of the 36 developed nations of the world in terms of college completion.
Their number-one recommendation to begin to remedy this is to “provide a program of voluntary preschool education, universally available to children from low-income families such that all children at or below 200 percent of the official poverty line have a chance to enter school ready to learn.”
The Society for Human Resource Management recently reminded us “today’s infants and toddlers are tomorrow’s business leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, health care workers, and other professionals.” They call for high-quality early learning as a way to help ensure that we build the workforce we need to keep America competitive.
If we are to avoid the continuing decline in our democracy, we need increased attention to, and investment in, quality early learning.
Jim Caccamo of Kansas City is the director of the Department of Early Learning at the Mid-America Regional Council.
Posted on Sun, Aug. 22, 2010 10:15 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/22/2167006/quality-early-learning-matters.html
Their number-one recommendation to begin to remedy this is to “provide a program of voluntary preschool education, universally available to children from low-income families such that all children at or below 200 percent of the official poverty line have a chance to enter school ready to learn.”
The Society for Human Resource Management recently reminded us “today’s infants and toddlers are tomorrow’s business leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, health care workers, and other professionals.” They call for high-quality early learning as a way to help ensure that we build the workforce we need to keep America competitive.
If we are to avoid the continuing decline in our democracy, we need increased attention to, and investment in, quality early learning.
Jim Caccamo of Kansas City is the director of the Department of Early Learning at the Mid-America Regional Council.
Posted on Sun, Aug. 22, 2010 10:15 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/22/2167006/quality-early-learning-matters.html
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