Hong Wen

[hquek]

reiner:

then how to strike a balance for english n chinese? :?

I'm still finding my way honestly. My kids are not natural linguists - they still tend towards english, so I really have my work cut out for me.

The only thing I'm doing is to have daily readings (as much as I can) of english AND chinese books. Reading takes a lot of my time and energy in the evenings.

With DS1, the english reading has borne fruit - he's able to do independent reading; I just need to concentrate on the chinese bit now. With DS2, he's still young so my road ahead is very long.

BTW, I'm a FTWM.

[SAHM_TAN]

hquek:

SAHM_TAN:

Maybe you can try translated children Chinese story book by Jap authors. Their stories and illustrations are more attractive and I like them because there is no hanyu pingyin to distract the child from learning the characters. My kids enjoy them and would ask me to read to them again and again. Although they are classified as picture books, the characters are beyond Kinder level and quite wordy too.

Been shopping at dangdang and gotten loads - many translated from european, japanese and even korean. the quality of reads are sooooo much better than the ones we can find locally, plus the prices are soooo cheap compared with locally published ones (sorry, but I have to think of my wallet first).

I love the japanese ones, the authors seem to understand the children's world. The storylines are beautiful, the lessons/information that the author want the reader to learn is written into the story seamlessly

[SAHM_TAN]

reiner:

then how to strike a balance for english n chinese? :?

I think just have to expose them to both languages consistently. For example, even in cartoons I do not limit them to only English ones. I'm not striving for equal strength in both languages. I do not want them to hate learning either one

[simsl_sg]

hquek:

simsl_sg:

during the calligraphy class, the teacher is very strict with the kids, must greet properly, no turning of head, put the brush at correct position and strength of stroke. For a moment, i really thought i went back into the ancient times. the teacher also showed me a chinese moral education book, something like the \"san ji zing\".

not di zi gui? I think kids in school now has to recite it. SHHK introduced the recitation into their pri 1/2 classes this year I think - in line with MOE or something.

should be di zi gui as i can't recall the title of the book, only know it is published by HW for pri 1 and pri 2.

[hquek]

SAHM_TAN:

reiner:

then how to strike a balance for english n chinese? :?

I think just have to expose them to both languages consistently. For example, even in cartoons I do not limit them to only English ones. I'm not striving for equal strength in both languages. I do not want them to hate learning either one

My kids somehow steer 'naturally' to english - okto, cartoon network etc all in english. chinese cartoons not as attractive (except xi yang yang). So I'm now over concentrating on chinese by actively reading to them in chinese. This is my way of compensating for their 'slant'. Each parent has to do what fits their circumstance.

[SAHM_TAN]

hquek:

SAHM_TAN:

[quote=\"reiner\"]then how to strike a balance for english n chinese? :?

I think just have to expose them to both languages consistently. For example, even in cartoons I do not limit them to only English ones. I'm not striving for equal strength in both languages. I do not want them to hate learning either one

My kids somehow steer 'naturally' to english - okto, cartoon network etc all in english. chinese cartoons not as attractive (except xi yang yang). So I'm now over concentrating on chinese by actively reading to them in chinese. This is my way of compensating for their 'slant'. Each parent has to do what fits their circumstance.[/quote]So u are more into books then to use Chinese educational DVDs?

[nissin]

just ask the office personnel politely and I think they will be obliged to help.


Actually my 1st choice is SJI junr as I have 2 boys but they dun accept pv and we r nt catholics. We r 1-2km so there will be balloting and we do not wish to risk that. HW is our 2nd choice so shall go for it. Think HW is better than SJIJ academically too.

Am afraid of the ‘too chinese’ standard too actually…bought the whole series of si wu kuai du also but have not started.hehe

Btw, are all sap schs such as Tao nan, Pei Chun, Pei Hwa Pres all like dat, very chinese?[quote][/quote]

[nissin]

hquek:

SAHM_TAN:

Maybe you can try translated children Chinese story book by Jap authors. Their stories and illustrations are more attractive and I like them because there is no hanyu pingyin to distract the child from learning the characters. My kids enjoy them and would ask me to read to them again and again. Although they are classified as picture books, the characters are beyond Kinder level and quite wordy too.

Been shopping at dangdang and gotten loads - many translated from european, japanese and even korean. the quality of reads are sooooo much better than the ones we can find locally, plus the prices are soooo cheap compared with locally published ones (sorry, but I have to think of my wallet first).

I bought from dang dang too but some words are really too 'chim' for me. What do u do when u cant read the words? Dictionary?

[SAHM_TAN]

nissin:

Yup, just ask the office personnel politely and I think they will be obliged to help.


Actually my 1st choice is SJI junr as I have 2 boys but they dun accept pv and we r nt catholics. We r 1-2km so there will be balloting and we do not wish to risk that. HW is our 2nd choice so shall go for it. Think HW is better than SJIJ academically too.

Am afraid of the 'too chinese' standard too actually...bought the whole series of si wu kuai du also but have not started.hehe

Btw, are all sap schs such as Tao nan, Pei Chun, Pei Hwa Pres all like dat, very chinese?

When I visited TN for PV balloting, there were chinese sayings hanging from the ceiling on the 2nd level path leading to their classrooms. The P speaks fluent Mandarin and he is very \"chinese\" in his behaviour. I find that there is a difference in behaviour between a \"Chinese\" P and a more \"ang mo\" P. I only have 2 Ps to compare with but it's rather distinct. For PC I heard from my fren that when her nephews were there, they recited the di zi gui when walking from the hall to their classroom.

[SAHM_TAN]

nissin:

hquek:

[quote=\"SAHM_TAN\"]
Maybe you can try translated children Chinese story book by Jap authors. Their stories and illustrations are more attractive and I like them because there is no hanyu pingyin to distract the child from learning the characters. My kids enjoy them and would ask me to read to them again and again. Although they are classified as picture books, the characters are beyond Kinder level and quite wordy too.

Been shopping at dangdang and gotten loads - many translated from european, japanese and even korean. the quality of reads are sooooo much better than the ones we can find locally, plus the prices are soooo cheap compared with locally published ones (sorry, but I have to think of my wallet first).

I bought from dang dang too but some words are really too 'chim' for me. What do u do when u cant read the words? Dictionary?[/quote]I specially bought a dictionary when I started to read translated books from Jap authors. I find overseas books standard higher. Or maybe Singapore Mandarin standard too low?????