so worry about the interview

FattyDaddy

Mighty 發表於 12-1-17 10:37
What is the logic of comparing a helper and a mother?

Err ... do you actually live in Hongkong? Many kids in Hongkong spend more time with their domestic helper than their mother, see the logic now? {:1_1:}

Mighty

Well, my observations are based on facts, and I feel a bit sorry for those who dont know and make long term mistakes.  
Regarding Cat. 1, I think lots of people are twisting its original meaning.  If that is the 'norm', then fine by me.  

mister

CSJ安樂窩 發表於 12-1-17 10:42
回復 Mighty 的帖子

Agree with Mighty and I am proud of my kids being truely bilingual.  However, fo ...

Agree with CSJ安樂窩

Understand Mighty's point here, of course it would be ideal if one of the parents' mother tongue is English and another one is Chinese (or another language), to make a kid truly bilingual.

However, I also believe the best way to learn a language is by frequent exposure to it. While in a Chinese society like Hong Kong,  Chinese is the main language in most of the  families, many of them would try to speak to their kids in English to enhance their exposure..

mister

Mighty 發表於 12-1-17 11:17
Well, my observations are based on facts, and I feel a bit sorry for those who dont know and make lo ...

Yes,  I think if the mother tongue of the parents is Chinese, even their kids speak only English, they will be classified as Cat. 2 only.

CSJ安樂窩

My best guess is that the parents will not say their first language is Cantonese if they only speaks English with the kids at home, right?  By doing that and even if both parents have Chinese surname, they will be classified as 'Cat. 1'.  Of course, I cannot comment whether I THINK these acts are correct or not, otherwise, I will be classified as 'jumping into conclusion'

FattyDaddy

Mighty 發表於 12-1-17 11:17
Well, my observations are based on facts, and I feel a bit sorry for those who dont know and make lo ...

We often choose what we want to see, there is no need to pass judgement, and there is no need to feel sorry. Parents only want the best for their children, but what one family considers best may not coincide with another family {:1_1:}

The owner of this thread expressed her anxiety about getting into ESF schools, and ESF schools aim to produce English speakers rather than multilingual speakers, so suggesting her to speak to her child in anything other than English is really preaching to the wrong audience.

錢錢媽

From ESF official news letter, it stated " Letters informing parents of the interview results will be sent on 7 February; deposit and Refundable Capital Levy (RCL) payments for those children offered places will be required by 17 February, 2012."

Any one has had experience if the result letter will be sent earlier than the "official" date.  

SiuSiuPang

CSJ, you got the main point! It's true that many Cantonese-speaking parents have no choice but to create an English speaking environment for their child, so as to get a chance to the International school... I was once very annoyed when we were trying hard to speak "not-so-good" English to our child, but when we see his improvement (now he could express himself in both English and Cantonese), we know that it worths. He will finally have a chance to accept native speaking teachers' education in IS... I think all parents want their children to be better than themselves. My parents do not even know English at all but they still sent me to study overseas.

chongnicole

回復 Mighty 的帖子

We are talking about getting in IS kindergarten, and your suggestion is - don't talk to your kid, watch some DVDs.
That won't work!

FattyDaddy

To put everything in a nutshell, ESF schools be they kindergarten or primary or secondary schools are English schools (notice their name ENGLISH School Foundation?), they are NOT multilingual schools, and that is the exact reason why some parents decide not to go for ESF. A fine decision that may be but very much a personal decision based on one's ethnic and/or political inclinations.

The thread owner is obviously eager to enter ESF schools and feel anxious about it. There is nothing wrong with her trying to maximize her child's chances by speaking English to her child as much and as often as possible, people should respect her efforts instead of trying to tout their different philosophies.

Eve

If they don't offer your kid a place, they will talk to you right after the interview.

littleroundface

all parents are trying to provide the best environment for the kid ...i speak putonghua, my husband speaks japanese and we send him to pure english pn now...sometimes he is confusing, but i believe his language ability will be improved if we insist.

seasamestreet

I am the owner of this thread. Yes , I am trying hard to get my little one into ESF, that' s because his brother already in ESF, if both of them could study in the same school, that will be a lot easier for me. We moved to HK just less than a year, and my hubby is not Chinese, we all communicated in English. For those ABC,BBC,CBC or mixed race who are grown up in English only environment but are multilingual, I would say their parents and them were trying very hard to do that, and I am not that one whom try hard enough.  My children could understand a little bit very simple Cantonese, but definitely  can't study in a local school. so they are in Cat1.

FattyDaddy

littleroundface 發表於 12-1-17 23:31
.i speak putonghua, my husband speaks japanese and we send him to pure english pn now

If your goal is ESF schools, then you ought to start speaking to your child in English now, so that he will get used to hearing and responding to your English, the minimal exposure to English in nursery simply won't suffice. Don't be discouraged even if you think your English is not "good enough". speaking English with your child is a good incentive to make you study and improve your own English too.

FattyDaddy

seasamestreet 發表於 12-1-18 00:19
I am the owner of this thread. Yes , I am trying hard to get my little one into ESF

I wish your efforts will be rewarded by an offer from an ESF school.

Don't be spooked by the suggestion that if you don't use your mother tongue with your child then his/her development will be hindered, ESF students have no problem whatsoever with expressing themselves in English, BUT they do have problems with Chinese, they are essentially monolingual and this is what some parents don't like.

Mighty

回復 littleroundface 的帖子

Yes do keep it up.  Your child can really conquer the world.  Wow...Mandarin, Japanese and English.  What a gift.  I really envy you.

littleroundface

回復 FattyDaddy 的帖子

yes, agree with you. we have english reading time everyday, and I am try to teach him when we are playing iphone game. I know he may not able to speak very good English, but he will use different languages when he speaks to us accordingly, i am really very happy with this improvement.
I would like my kid to learn official language rather than dilate, thats the main reason i do not speak cantonese with him.

littleroundface

回復 Mighty 的帖子

yes, keep working hard everyday....hope he can manage those languages.
No need to envy me, i learn different language at different stage, and found it is very important to have a base official language to learn another official language....never use dilate to learn an official language.

FattyDaddy

seasamestreet 發表於 12-1-18 00:19
My children could understand a little bit very simple Cantonese, but definitely  can't study in a local school. so they are in Cat1 ...

There seems to have been some confusion over what is the definition of Category 1, some believe it has something to do with the parent's first language or their ethnic background.

Tonight I had a little spare time so I took the trouble of actually looking up the ESF website to find out what exactly is Category 1 according to ESF themselves, and here is what I have found ...

Category One
Children who speak English as a first or alternative language but do not speak Cantonese and/or read and write Chinese characters.
http://www.esf.edu.hk/our-schools/admissions-criteria/admissions-policy-and-procedures


So here we are, it has nothing to do with the parent's first language or their ethnic background, they only look at what the child speaks, and the child can even speak English as an alternative language (e.g. first language being Mandarin and second language being English), but if the child can speak Cantonese or read/write Chinese, then he/she won't be Category 1 no matter how good his/her English is.

Those parents planning to send their children to ESF schools should take note of this.

張師奶116

Totally agree with FattyDaddy.

Our family speak English at home even though we are not native English speaker because we think English is an international language and we want to build up our kid confident in speaking English. We do not aim to show off our kid is an English speaker, nor to make him as Cat. 1.

We believe our kid can learn Cantonese from the local community or through the out of school activities.

So far, we can say these arrangement do not hinder his language development. He is at five right now, and he can speak Cantonese, Putonghua, and English. He will speak the appropriate language under different situation. He spoke Putonghua when he was in Taiwan in last Christmas. He speaks Cantonese in local community activities and of course he speaks English in school.