3rd Language for Your Child

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:01:45 GMT

Ichigokun — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:01:45 GMT

verykiasu2010:
Malay language studies is compulsory in HCI ? Quite popular in RI too

Recently met some angmo's who speak mandarin like we do .... wah, tough competition hor

Malay is also compulsory in CHS once every week have one lesson.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:59:43 GMT

Ichigokun — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:59:43 GMT

HyperKiasu:
for a language inclined kid, when is the best time to start a 3rd language? at what age?

will the kid easily forget the 3rd language if he/she starts to learn it at a very young age (say 5 or 6 yr old) as his/her family knows nothing abt the 3rd lang?

:?

Maybe nine to twelve years old?

I started picking up Japanese when I was nine, bit by bit. Then when I was twelve, I started picking up Korean.

I would consider myself more language inclined because I HATE math and science. Math and science is super boring to me.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:46:18 GMT

HyperKiasu — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:46:18 GMT

for a language inclined kid, when is the best time to start a 3rd language? at what age?

will the kid easily forget the 3rd language if he/she starts to learn it at a very young age (say 5 or 6 yr old) as his/her family knows nothing abt the 3rd lang?

:?

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:13:25 GMT

Imami — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:13:25 GMT

Ichigokun:
Ichigokun:

In English, you have to know 24 letters.

In Korean, you have to know 26 symbols.

So Korean is slightly harder than English, but easier to learn compared to all the other foreign languages other than English.
Wait. ENGLISH HAS 26 LETTERS TOO. LOL I FAIL AT MATH XD

So yea, Korean and English is exactly the same.

:rotflmao: I was reading this at 3am and I thought to myself,\" si meh....? The alphabets is made up of 24 letters ah... Oh, I think I shd sleep, how many letters also can't remember...

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:12:38 GMT

Ichigokun — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:12:38 GMT

Ichigokun:
On my own accord, without my parents, I'm interested in learning Japanese and Korean.

I learnt quite a lot already ^_^

I would suggest Korean as a third language. Many of you would think its hard, but it's actually very easy.

Every Korean symbol stands for one letter. Just piece them out and you can form words, like English!

Example, ah in Korean is 아. O in Korean is 어/오. Ae in Korean is 애. Eh in Korean is 에.

In English, you have to know 24 letters.

In Korean, you have to know 26 symbols.

So Korean is slightly harder than English, but easier to learn compared to all the other foreign languages other than English.

Wait. ENGLISH HAS 26 LETTERS TOO. LOL I FAIL AT MATH XD

So yea, Korean and English is exactly the same.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:09:15 GMT

Ichigokun — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:09:15 GMT

On my own accord, without my parents, I’m interested in learning Japanese and Korean.

I learnt quite a lot already ^_^

I would suggest Korean as a third language. Many of you would think its hard, but it’s actually very easy.

Every Korean symbol stands for one letter. Just piece them out and you can form words, like English!

Example, ah in Korean is 아. O in Korean is 어/오. Ae in Korean is 애. Eh in Korean is 에.

In English, you have to know 24 letters.

In Korean, you have to know 26 symbols.

So Korean is slightly harder than English, but easier to learn compared to all the other foreign languages other than English.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:18:12 GMT

Imami — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:18:12 GMT

I agree with Mongz - that Spanish seems easy to pick up.

My child picks up spanish from his cc teacher, a filippino who happens to speak Spanish, within 3 months from joining the cc. His grasp on Spanish was evident when one day, a spanish tourist asked me the direction to a supermarket in orchard. I couldn’t understand him but figured that he was speaking one of the european languages. I was about to "tell him sorry I don’t know what you talking" when my child told me,"mummy, he asking where market is…" I was stunned. I asked my child how did he know and he replied,"he speaking spanish". Not quite sure if I shd believe my 3yo. As there was a supermarket nearby, I gestured the man to follow me. When he saw the supermarket, he was very happy and said something to my child and me. My child responded accordingly so I guessed my child did indeed understand Spanish.

But I don’t agree that it is useful to know Malay only if you want to have anything to do in the political scene. With my half pail water Malay, I find malay sellers/service providers being much nicer to me. E.g when I engage shalom for moving furniture, I tot they put in better effort when I started speaking Malay to them.

Similar things happened when my hubby and I had our honeymoon in Paris. Almost all the service providers from hotel staff to waiters were cold to me. They ignored my requests for water refill or my efforts trying to order something from the counter. On the other hand, my hubby who made the effort to speak a little French, was attended to promptly and politely. This was despite the fact that it was obvious that we were companions. I could not help but to feel that being able to converse in someone’s language can make you both instant friends.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:46:24 GMT

mongz — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:46:24 GMT

I think Malay will be good if your child is to be a future politician because then he/she can address the crowd in Malay. My understanding is that the Malay used in Malaysia and Indonesia is slightly different and depending on the accents, may not be easily understood as well.

Anyway, I will let my children learn Spanish if there is a chance. The reason is because there are so many countries that uses Spanish and I think it’s not a very difficult language to learn. The Spanish speakers can also pick up Portuguese very easily and although not many countries use Portuguese, Brazil, one of the biggest countries uses it. The only downside is that because there are so few Spanish and Portuguese speakers in Singapore, if they were to ever go to the Latin America countries to work, it will be very difficult for them to come back Singapore anymore. Just like some of my colleagues there.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:03:15 GMT

Imami — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:03:15 GMT

concern2:

A few thoughts came to my mind:
1) The non-chinese are recognizing the importance of Chinese language and are getting their kids to learn the language as a second language in school.

2) What about their own mother-tongue? Certainly there would be a compromise since primary schools do not give you options of having 2 mother-tongues?

3)Perhaps the term \"mother tongue\" should be changed? Anyway, since when has it been that schools started calling 2nd language \"Mother tongues?\" Perhaps before, 2nd language makes the language sound less important, but why hasn't it been given their real names (e.g. English, Chinese, Tamil, Malay) instead of 2nd language/ mother tongue?

I notice how many of my Chinese friends from Indonesia and Malaysia are trilingual - they are equally comfortable with English, mandarin and malay/berhasa. I believe it is becos, they are not the majority and the environment is dominant in Malay. It makes perfect sense that these Chinese friends pick up Malay/ berhasa.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:09:58 GMT

Nebbermind — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:09:58 GMT

I’ll let my kid decide what he wants to learn.

If I were to insist and if they donch like it, it’ll become a chore and a painful joruney, especially when it is optional.

Sometimes it’s easier to pick up linguist skill when one is older, and perhaps they see some need in it. I won’t push too hard for 3rd language especially if the kid is just average academically and not very gifted in languages.

juz my 2cents

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:10:12 GMT

concern2 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:10:12 GMT

Imami:
For me, being able to converse in the more languages the better. My parents speak fluent Malay, too bad, I only managed to pick up 10% from them. But even with this 10%, I think I have benefitted.

Due to sg's geographical location, I wish my child would pick up Malay too but he seems more apt at picking up French and Spanish better. Ok la, whatever - my bottom line is pick up the more, the better.

Imami, now that you've brought this topic up again, I have noticed many non-chinese taking Mandarin as Mother tongue in schools now.

A few thoughts came to my mind:
1) The non-chinese are recognizing the importance of Chinese language and are getting their kids to learn the language as a second language in school.

2) What about their own mother-tongue? Certainly there would be a compromise since primary schools do not give you options of having 2 mother-tongues? ( :rotflmao: sounds funny)

3)Perhaps the term \"mother tongue\" should be changed? Anyway, since when has it been that schools started calling 2nd language \"Mother tongues?\" Perhaps before, 2nd language makes the language sound less important, but why hasn't it been given their real names (e.g. English, Chinese, Tamil, Malay) instead of 2nd language/ mother tongue?

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:00:19 GMT

Imami — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:00:19 GMT

For me, being able to converse in the more languages the better. My parents speak fluent Malay, too bad, I only managed to pick up 10% from them. But even with this 10%, I think I have benefitted.

Due to sg’s geographical location, I wish my child would pick up Malay too but he seems more apt at picking up French and Spanish better. Ok la, whatever - my bottom line is pick up the more, the better.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:56:08 GMT

Imami — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:56:08 GMT

wormy:
Japanese. So that he can translate food labels for me.

:rotflmao:

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:29:11 GMT

concern2 — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:29:11 GMT

verykiasu2010:
Malay language studies is compulsory in HCI ? Quite popular in RI too

Recently met some angmo's who speak mandarin like we do .... wah, tough competition hor

Ya - that's why must keep our mother tongue - the dialects :rotflmao:
Looks like now, the more languages you know, the better.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:11:19 GMT

verykiasu2010 — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:11:19 GMT

Malay language studies is compulsory in HCI ? Quite popular in RI too

Recently met some angmo’s who speak mandarin like we do … wah, tough competition hor

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:38:46 GMT

jtoh — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:38:46 GMT

MOE has started a initiative to let students learn conversational Malay in schools. All students will undergo the course. I think it was started in 2008.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 02:30:01 GMT

kittybank — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 02:30:01 GMT

Japanese. So that he can translate food labels for me.

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 02:00:36 GMT

concern2 — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 02:00:36 GMT

Oppsgal:

Reason why want to learn Malay? If we are \"asked\" to go to neighbor countries to survive for old age, we can at least manage to communicate.

If compare to Malaysia schools, they learnt more languages (malay, chinese and english), so school fees are cheaper? :rotflmao:

:rotflmao:

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:17:24 GMT

Oppsgal — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:17:24 GMT

I am interested in letting my kid learn Malay. But ask the childcare teacher, teacher said no such language teach in school. :roll:

So if young cannot expose the the trilingual language, then how to have a good foundation?

Reason why want to learn Malay? If we are \"asked\" to go to neighbor countries to survive for old age, we can at least manage to communicate.

If compare to Malaysia schools, they learnt more languages (malay, chinese and english), so school fees are cheaper? :rotflmao:

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:44:50 GMT

UncleLim — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:44:50 GMT

And we in Singapore will get to use Malay and speak it on a daily basis simply because there are people to speak the language with.

I took French as a 3rd language from Sec 1 and it has all gone to waste. Who in the world is going to speak French with me in my daily life?

Anyway, I think if a child can manage English, Mandarin and Malay, he or she will find interacting easy with most of our Asian neighbours.

This brings to mind an encounter with an American colleague who was travelling with me to the different offices around Asia. He communicated with me in English, heard me speak Mandarin in Taiwan and then Cantonese in HK. To him who spoke only English, that was bewildering! So maybe that is the Singaporean advantage?

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:15:09 GMT

concern2 — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:15:09 GMT

Yes, UncleLim! DS likes to ask me how to say this and that in Malay, because he wants to know what his malay friends talk about. He also doesn’t understand why his Malay friends’ can take Chinese and why he can’t take Malay language…

I understand that in most primary school nowadays, they do let the kids learn a 3rd language in P3. Is this correct? If so, how long are they given a chance to pursue the language - is that a one or two terms kind of thing?

LKY recommends Malay as 3rd language (is it yesterday?) , but I think some parents may stand to differ…

Reply to 3rd Language for Your Child on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:08:41 GMT

UncleLim — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:08:41 GMT

Malay would be the most practical. For many years I wondered why the government has not encouraged us to pick the language up despite us having to interact with Malaysians and Indonesians, our nearest neighbours. Would that not have improved racial harmony even more ? But better late than never. In any case many of us have picked Malay up in NS or reservist training and use a smattering of terms at the food centre. So I would let all my kids learn Malay.