Education at Home
061083
Haruna
061091 Mai Yabusaki
<Introduction>
Miyamaru
We are going to talk about the way to develop second language acquisition at
home. We think that parents should try to speak in a second language in their daily life
when they can. Moreover, it is important that the parents help their children learn the
second language by repeating and playing. After that, we will show Kazuko Nakajima’s
opinions and compare them with ours.
Our thinking
1.
Giving children a chance to use second language as much as possible.
When children stay at home, parents should speak the second language as much as possible
in the situation which parents set. For example, the parents should speak with their children
only in the second language at snack time with concentration. The reason we should set the
situation is that, above all, parents have to improve their child’s first language more than the
second one.
2. Using the same phrase again and again.
If children could use the phrase naturally, the parents should try to use the new phrase
which has the same meaning. It is very important for children to repeat the same phrase. We
think that children get accustomed to the rhythm and speak second language naturally by
repeating. For example, parents say, “Wash your hands” when the children wash their hands.
Parents go through it for children until parents think that the children remember it. After
that, parents ask them, “What did I say before washing your hands?” in Japanese to check
their understanding. If the children say,
“Wash your hands,” parents can go next step. The parents can rephrase “Why don’t you wash
your hand?” or something like that.
<Examples>
Wash your hands.
Why don’t you wash your hands?
Wash your hands, please.
Shall we wash our hands together?
Let’s wash our hands together.
3. Don’t start to teach second language when children are young.
As has been mentioned, parents have to let their children improve their first language.
4. When children make a mistake, parents shouldn’t correct the mistake immediately.
Parents should correct it after finishing their speaking. If the parents interrupt
their children’s speaking, the children would become afraid of making mistakes. （showing
example）The parents should make the circumstance that their children think mistake is not
bad thing. This thinking connects to next our thinking.
5. Over look the mistakes of grammar. (However, we should teach the mistakes of meaning
difference.)
Parents shouldn’t correct a few minor mistakes. Everyone used to make minor mistakes
when we were children. For example, in Japanese,
<Japanese>
Wrong
Right
Kireikunai(きれいくない)
Kireijyanai（きれいじゃない）
Sukikunai（好きくない）
Sukijyanai（好きじゃない）
Kore, otousanngaagetayo
Kore,otousangakuretayo
（これ、お父さんがあげたよ）
（これ、お父さんがくれたよ）
Imakuruyo（今来るよ）
Imakitayo（今来たよ）
It happens also in English.
<English>
Wrong
I putted a cup on the table.
He have a cat.
Right
I put a cup on the table.
He has a cat.
Parents should use correct grammar and let their children realize that they had made a
mistake.
6. Don’t teach the alphabet.
As has been mentioned, it is most important for children to be able to speak and write their
first language. At that time, children need not remember the alphabet when they are up to 5
or 6 years old. Even the native children who speak of the second language can’t write the
alphabet.
7. Role-playing
It is included in our thoughts. The examples are playing doctor, school, and bakery
and so on.
Kazuko Nakajima’s thinking.
Kazuko Nakajima engaged herself in the study of the bilingual education in Canada.
Now, she has advanced the possibility of bilingual education in Japan. We found in the
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internet that she had a lot of ideas about the second language education in home, so we
decided to compare our ideas and her ideas.
１．Developing the first language is the most important thing.
The first language is necessary to develop the children’s social ability, emotional
stability and knowledge. It means that the first language is a base of the formation of
character. In addition, the first language is a tool that forms the children’s character.
The home has a vital role in bringing up the bilingual. Of course schools have an
important role, but the role is to add the new language for the children who know the first
language. The home has to help that the children make their base of bilingual, the first
language development.
２． Natural acquisition
Learning the second language is bound to help the children develop their children’s
intelligence and emotional side. When the parents teach the second language, it is important
to consider the children’s age and their interest. The parents should create the situations
that their children can acquire the second language naturally. In addition, it is better that
the parents don’t translate the second language into the first language and speak with
natural speed.
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３．Shouting is not the best way.
When the children make mistakes to choose words, the parents must not forget
their concern for their children. If the parents don’t do it at that time, the children will kill
their enthusiasm or feel psychological pressure. The parents should say right things and tell
that their mistakes are not so big problems.
４． A journey of a thousand miles starts with but a single step.
There is more than one way to become bilingual. The parents must not give up
bringing up their child bilingually. Knowing the presence of the second language can
stimulate the development of the children’s language ability. And also, there is a possibility
that the children are interested in the language itself. And also, learning the second language
can enhance their powers of concentration and give interest for other culture.
５． Value quality is above quantity.
If the children have a lot of time to use the first language and little time to use the
second language, the first language will absolutely become superior. If the parents want to
bring up their children with good balance of two languages, they should let their children
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learn both languages at the same time. However, it is very difficult. So, the idea is to keep the
balance of both languages by enhancing the quality of the weak language.
６. The parents need confidence and cooperation.
The parents should teach the second language with confidence. If the parents can’t
use the second language well, it will not be a problem. The parents should show their
children the forward-looking attitude to learn the second language. It becomes a message for
their children that learning the second language is important and valuable. Then, it can give
the motivation for the children. The parents should be a good listener and give a point of
reference to use the second language.
As the children grow, the parents should connect home language learning with out
of the home. For example, they can send their children to English preschool or school, private
English school and summer camp. These things will help the children. The parents needn’t
try to raise bilinguals only by themselves.
<Conclusion>
We thought that the parents shouldn’t teach the second language before their
children acquire the first language. Also, the parents must not shout at their children’s
mistake about the second language. Those two points are the same as Kazuko Nakajima. On
the one hand, we thought that the parents should speak the second language in their daily
life when they can. However, Kazuko Nakajima said to value quality above quantity. This
was the difference between her idea and ours. Surely, it is difficult for Japanese parents to
speak in the second language as much as possible, so we felt her idea is better than ours. In
addition, we were realized that we couldn’t consider about helping for the parents. We were
surprised by her. Then, we thought that we have a lot of things to consider about the
education at home more and more.
The circumstances often affect children language acquisition. Only their home
surrounds children before they enter primary school and elementary school. If the parents
want to give their children Early Childhood Education of second language, they should get
language environment ready for their children without pressure. The most important thing is
that the environment is comfortable for their children.
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