四五快读 Methods

[MissAshley]

Hi there,


I bought 四五快读 and I can barely finish the first book with my kid (4yr old) :oops: , I flash and read the cards and explain the how to use the words in a sentence.

How do you use the series? Perhaps can share a few tips and I can learn :?:

[tamarind]

MissAshley:

Hi there,


I bought 四五快读 and I can barely finish the first book with my kid (4yr old) :oops: , I flash and read the cards and explain the how to use the words in a sentence.

How do you use the series? Perhaps can share a few tips and I can learn :?:

Hi MissAshley,
You need to read the first 30 pages of book 1 to learn how to use these books effectively.

In this page, the author describes many games that we can use to teach our kids :
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_w1nyHWTEh94/SzQMC_8ItKI/AAAAAAAABak/2mDzyPBKXos/s1600-h/b3.JPG

The author also explains how we can keep our kids interested in learning.

A very important part is how to repeat the words so that kids don't forget them :
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_w1nyHWTEh94/SzQMM0_2kGI/AAAAAAAABas/fiu6YIcA5gk/s1600-h/b2.JPG

My boy enjoyed the games and he completed 6 books by end of last year. Now at P1, he is reading Chinese chapter books. My older girl completed these books within the first few months of the year when she was in P1. She told me that she did not need to play games, so I just let her read since she could focus very well and remember the words very well. She can read long novels by the end of P1.

For young kids below the age of 6, parents should use games to teach, and also explain each word by using real objects, or act out the meaning, otherwise kids will not understand what they are reading.

[tamarind]

For those parents who need help with the first 30 pages of book 1, I wonder if anyone can help to translate these pages to English ? If anyone can volunteer to do so, I will write to the author to request for her permission to have all 30 pages of instructions posted in English in the internet.


I am not able to do so because I am too busy with work nowadays

[MissAshley]

That is a fabulous idea!!

[laughingcat]

Thanks Tamarind for getting the author to do the translation but I personally do not think that doing translation will do much for parents if we rely too much on translation.


My view is as a parent who wish to seriously teach chinese language to their children, you should not rely too much on translation. In that way you are not cultivating the proper way of learning languages. What sort of values are we teaching our children then especially if our race is Chinese? This is so true in page 6 of 四五快读 quotes "现实中，我们的教育在倒退。原因在哪里？"

Also if one uses translation, the meaning is somewhat lost.

So my advise to parents whose chinese is not strong, try getting a good dictionary be it in the form of book or using the apps from the smartphone.

That is what I have been doing every night before bed time. I have re-read 四五快读 book 1 for 3 times already. I only fully understood it for the 2nd time and re-read the 3rd time to ingrained to my head on the teaching method.

That is my 3-cents advise lah.

[tamarind]

Hi laughingcat,

I totally agree with you that the English version may not fully capture all the meaning. You are definitely doing the right thing, and you are setting a very good example for other parents

Actually I don't mean asking the author to translate, she is a professor in China, I don't think her English is good. I mean to ask if any other parent who is good in both English and Chinese want to translate. I was thinking it may be helpful to those parents who are poor in Chinese

[MissAshley]

laughingcat:

Thanks Tamarind for getting the author to do the translation but I personally do not think that doing translation will do much for parents if we rely too much on translation.


My view is as a parent who wish to seriously teach chinese language to their children, you should not rely too much on translation. In that way you are not cultivating the proper way of learning languages. What sort of values are we teaching our children then especially if our race is Chinese? This is so true in page 6 of 四五快读 quotes \"现实中，我们的教育在倒退。原因在哪里？\"

Also if one uses translation, the meaning is somewhat lost.

So my advise to parents whose chinese is not strong, try getting a good dictionary be it in the form of book or using the apps from the smartphone.

That is what I have been doing every night before bed time. I have re-read 四五快读 book 1 for 3 times already. I only fully understood it for the 2nd time and re-read the 3rd time to ingrained to my head on the teaching method.

That is my 3-cents advise lah.

I don't think she meant the author to do the translation but rather for permission to post a detailed translated copy.

If the parent can't fully read and understand providing with translation will help the child in question then why not? We are basically here to help the kids learn.

It's kudos to the mum who cannot fully understand mandarin to help her child, why should we fault her for her efforts instead of helping?

[fristrom]

(Page 1)


1) Reading is something one must master in the modern society

Reading is a tool. People read everyday: newspaper, magazine, stock, web browsing, subtitles, document, report, contract, everything is done through reading.
If the reading ability is low, the person will face a lot of problem in learning and in everyday life. Examples: one may misunderstand what was said; one may have difficulty expressing himself; cannot understand a complicated movie; cannot understand the instruction menu for electrical appliances etc. A lot of people find learning a new topic and master new technology difficult. When learning English, if the foundation for Chinese is weak, translation would be difficult to understand. All these arise because one does not read enough, accumulate enough and hence not understand well.
The accumulation of all knowledge comes from book. Many great people, sociologist, philosopher, writer, scientist, inventor etc., they record and pass on their knowledge in words, leading to advancement in humanity. Therefore, if you want to your child to success academically, please teach them how to read early. Reading is the beginning of the road to success.

2) What does it mean for a child to read widely and fast

1. Reading is an important tool to success

It is very tiring to be a child now. Apart from homework form kindergarten and school, parents arrange for many enrichment classes. It is common for kids to complain that they have no time to play and read…
In the academic arena, suddenly parents find that their kids is not as good as the others… can’t get all the answers correct; the composition does not read well, and occasionally, wrote about the wrong topic; the translation from English does not read well either. Because composition is difficult, parent will go out to buy “guides to composition”, “how to write composition” for the kid, hoping for overnight miracle. Maybe one should interview kids who can write well, where do they pick up the vocabulary, the sentence structure and descriptive phrases? Where do they gain their knowledge? The answer is almost inevitably: reading… read widely and fast.

[MissAshley]

frismom!! Thanks!

[fristrom]

(Page 2)


When competing in the academic arena, parents may found that even the kids try hard, they are not effective; even when the knowledge is mastered, and they are still not getting high marks:
One characteristics of our examination system is the competition in speed: the answer has to be fast and accurate. For those with low reading ability, reading and understanding the question is going to be slower than others. As they progress, the examination question requires the integration and application of knowledge from many areas. For those who are weak with reading, because of lack of training in thinking, integration, they will have difficulty understanding the question. One will start to regret about not starting to read early, read widely and read fast.
A lot of parent envy those with kids that can speak confidently in public. When they were ask questions, they could express clearly what they think with detailed analysis and logic. Where do they learn these skills: it is all from reading, reading widely and reading fast.

2. Those who read widely from young age will excel

From reading simple fairy tale and stories, kids slowly master and accumulate vocabularies and sentence structures, understanding how languages are being expressed and unconsciously master the correct way of speaking, and grammatical rules. When they use the language, they will naturally use the vocabulary and sentence structures from the book, and be able to express themselves clearly. Moreover, they learn from book the logical relation between event, and sequences of events. Therefore, when they speak, their thinking will naturally and clearly follows the progress of event. From the listener’s point of view, the description of the event will be clear. Therefore, reading can elevate the ability to express and think logically.
If a child can express himself like this, he will receive complement from those around him, thus, he will be confident and happy.
For those who read little, they thinking are immature, simple, incoherent, and will not be able to express themselves clearly. I have met a lot of upper primary, secondary school student, who cannot describe an event in comprehensibly. When the teachers ask simple questions, the students do not understand. Even some of those with masters and PhD also have problem in expressing themselves clearly.
In conclusion, reading effectively trains a kid in vocabulary, sentence structure grammar, and logic thinking. It also build kid ability in expression, confidence and hence happiness. This all comes from reading, accumulated from reading widely. In other words, how effectively the training to read is will determine the future of the child. Therefore, remind your child to read, read widely and fast.