French or Spanish

almom

It is difficult for me to say what you should do.
I know that there are parents that insist that children put more time on learning Chinese at early age. They think that Chinese program in international schools is not strong enough.
And then there are parents that think that learning Chinese is too much a waste of time, or even think that it is "not cool enough" to speak too much Chinese.

Our family have lived in Canada and the US for quite some time. Our children have always used English most of the time even we are now in Hong Kong, although we normally try to use Cantonese as much as possible. Unlike most local Hong Kong families that are trying hard to keep up with their children's English, we are trying hard to use more Chinese. I do not think my children need to be very good at Chinese. But I would think that as a ethnic Chinese living in a Chinese city, it is totally ridiculous that a Chinese child cannot even communicate in simple Chinese.

I would say that for you, your children should be learning English + Chinese at this stage. Even if your children have always been using English at home, you should still let them learn better English first. At such a small age, even native English speaking children have to learn the language. I have seen many western kids that do not write or read English that well.

As with Chinese, it is up to you to decide. All I want to say is that it is not a cool thing anymore not to be able to speak Chinese. But how far you want your children to learn Chinese, you need to decide. I think I am happy with the Chinese program with most international schools with western curriculum. I am not agressive. I would rather they spend more time polishing their English skills. Like I said, even native English speak may write very flawed English. English is not an easy language to master, yet most top universities in the world are teaching in English.
For a third language, I still think it best to start at secondary school, or the earliest at around 8-9 years old. I believe that children should first master at least one language first (my choice is English), instead of have "half buckets" of many languages.
Totally my personal views. May not work for everyone though.

hysterical

Actually, the happening trendy second languane in the US is Chinese Mandarin. In California, even public schools are offering Chinese as a foreign language elective. So, I would suggest Chinese as a second language would be at the top of my list. A third language can be chosen later. However, keep in mind that if you don't use it, it's very easily forgotten. Unless you can keep up the third language for many years, plus speaking it outside of the classroom, it is very literally "go in one ear, and out the other."

原文章由 babyoush 於 08-5-21 16:20 發表


其實我已決定會比佢地學普通話架啦, 不過我諗緊將來除咗普通話仲好唔好學多一種其他語言,  ...

achow

Dear all,-who interest in French

I have a friend who is Chinese but she have been studied in Switzerland and Canada for more then 15 years. She mainly study FRENCH.
She is a very patient and responsable girl. If anyone who like to hire her, please feel free to contact me. And I will pass her phone number or e-mail to you.

babyoush

原文章由 almom 於 08-5-21 21:55 發表
It is difficult for me to say what you should do.
I know that there are parents that insist that children put more time on learning Chinese at early age. They think that Chinese program in internation ...

我知道啦, 我會等佢地學好英文先, 我同你一樣會選擇英文為佢地主要語言, 不過我都會比少少額外主持佢地學普通話, 因為我都有少少擔心IS普通話唔夠, 雖然我唔會話要佢地中文好叻, 不過都唔希望相差太太遠, 好多謝你比意見我, 你o既意見真係好有用, 多謝~

elmostoney

唉!我諗唔好學咁多啦, 其實一個星期得一兩堂, 作用唔大.  我個女而家兩歲, 之前諗住考is, 所以同佢講英文多, 佢係95%英文人, 後來上左好多parenting class, 先明白中文難學, 如果比佢走左英文條路就好難返轉頭, 所以我而家先同佢講返多d中文, 佢而家都明大部份, 但係講都係30%時間.

我反而會想個女學普通話, 而家美國人都越來越多人學.  如果再學, 梗係西班牙文, 法文只得法國, 部份switzerland同比利時講, 冇物用, 除非你諗住去非洲也.  物鬼好唔好聽吖, 我學左7年, 睇埋17世紀舊法文小說, so?  你唔去過, 點都聽得唔好講唔到.  反而我去日本住大半年, 日文底子好淺, 但係真係住係到學, 聽同講好好多.  所以你要諗究竟有冇用, 學來做物東.  如果比小朋友學, once中文同英文都ok左, 最好盡快, 學語言, 有好多scientific study證實, 0~6歲係學得最快, 只要持續每日有最少一個鐘, 連續半年有人教就得, 唔好諗住靠cd/tv呢d, 因為冇互動.

babyoush

原文章由 elmostoney 於 08-6-10 23:22 發表
唉!我諗唔好學咁多啦, 其實一個星期得一兩堂, 作用唔大.  我個女而家兩歲, 之前諗住考is, 所以同佢講英文多, 佢係95%英文人, 後來上左好多parenting class, 先明白中文難學, 如果比佢走左英文條路就好難返轉頭, 所以 ...

普通話一定要學, 我2個女都冇得選擇

elmostoney

English is the easiest language to learn and Chinese is probably one of the more difficult ones among the popular languages nowadays.  If you decide that your child will go along the IS path, it is especially important that they start with Chinese when he/she is little.  ALL of my relatives' kids who go to IS - even the ones to CIS - all need some degree of after-school tutoring in Chinese.  The sad fact is, although their Chinese is passable, nobody really wants to read or write the language because they find it so hard!!!  To them, Chinese is just a language for school (apart from conversing in Cantonese at home).

I studied in HK until secondary school and started the equivalent of Form 2 in the US.  English was a breeze.  By the equivalent of Form 4 in HK, I was in an "advanced" English language class among the top students, and I really didn't work very hard for it.  The point is not bragging, but to tell you that English is relatively EASY!  Memorizing Chinese characters, reading and writing them is time-consuming.  If you live in HK or other Chinese environment, do not rob your child of the chance.  I never understand how people can live in a place for ever so long and would waste the precious opportunity to pick up a new language.

I now keep a Chinese diary about my daughter, all in the hope that although she will probably go to IS, she will still want to ready about herself - in Chinese.

[ 本文章最後由 elmostoney 於 08-6-11 16:27 編輯 ]