What do you think about second language?
By Zhizho
@Zhizho (1350)
Indonesia
June 2, 2009 7:14am CST
I know that English language is internasional language.But,There is no body in my family or my environment that use english in daily comunication.We communicating in national language.I expect that my children will be able to communicate in English as second language.When the right time to teach our children or when they set to learn?please your opinion.Thanks.
4 people like this
19 responses
@becooldevansh (99)
• India
2 Jun 09
i only know two language first Hindi our national language...and English our International Language..........
@Zhizho (1350)
• Indonesia
2 Jun 09
That's good, friend.When you started to learn English? are your family use english in daily communicating?.Honestly,I can speaking english just a little bit.I did not like learn English when I was student.Too difficult to me.You know,my English so bad.Ha..ha...How about you?
1 person likes this
@zhdy89 (301)
• China
2 Jun 09
My son almost did not open his mouth to speak until exposure to English in the half and two-year-old,and allow more people around to guide him.Very occasionally one of my friends from University of Foreign Studies,English editor of a child learning CD,the first player,the child did not react too much,do not even have a look,but do not let me turn off.The next day he began to turn on this CD,it was soon found that his students see the letters,showing a great interest in a foreign language.Now,the child study foreign language faster than the children of the same age.I just want him to listen more to see the animation soundtrack.However,let me have a headache,my son's mother tongue compared exclusion, he does not like to learn mother-tongue,contrary to the foreign languages,not just English,German,French and Korean,he is learning fast.
@Archie0 (5652)
•
2 Jun 09
I can understand your feeling.But I have to say that English is really very important in recent years for many reasons,the powerful of the USA and the British,the populaiton of the speakers,the so deep influence of that language,the tolerance and the allowance of English for instance.It is the truth that China and Japan and the other many countries are developing so fast and their ranks are getting higher and higher,not higher than the USA and Brithsh though.In my opinion,the present situation will last for another period of time.But the day that Chinese and Spanish etc.will outrun English is around the corner.
@glesil_00 (1142)
• Philippines
2 Jun 09
Teaching children of english as second language, for me it start when they learn to speak. As soon as the child can speak, it is right time to teach english so that as the child grows, english will be the second language. As in here in the Phils. tha t tagalog is the national language and english too, but it is optional if you teach the child english early.
Sometimes the child learn the language thru home and school.
2 people like this
@marguicha (222967)
• Chile
2 Jun 09
It´s very easy to learn another language when you are a child. The best way, of course is to be exposed as much as posible to that other language in childhood. What is interesting too is that the third language comes easier then andthe fourth in better.
My native language is Spanish but I am fairly proficient in English and wouldnd be hungry in Italy, France or Portugal. I cna read in those other languages butit´s difficult for me to talk.
@Sourin (11)
• Canada
2 Jun 09
In this day and age learning English is of extreme importance in order to have any global relevance as, like you said, English is the international language. Learning English by oneself, using the internet, books, CD or the like can certainly be done.
But from my experience, nothing beat actually going to an English-speaking country and being "forced" to speak it on a daily basis and speak it well, lest I face embarrassment!
My parents started me off from a very young age by listening to some English nursery rhymes. The English words encountered, will become part of your children's vocabulary and will stick with them throughout life facilitating the interest in learning and comprehending the language.
2 people like this
@derlilaStern (1756)
• United States
2 Jun 09
I think the best way to teach a child 2 languages is to make sure they are exposed to both as early as possible! Young children learn very, very fast. They can pick up on languages much better than adults can!
As a child, they also learn how to pronounce the words and sounds properly. As you get older, it is harder and harder to train yourself to be able to say and hear those sounds.
I dont have children yet, but I plan on making sure they know 2 languages from the time they are born. English (because it is the international language, and I live in the US) and German (because I can speak it and I have German friends).
@meiyeec511 (405)
• Malaysia
3 Jun 09
In my case, I spoke English in my previous company since my boss was a foreigner.
But I still speaking mandarin or cantonese with friends or at home.
During University studied time, I learnt Japanese. But seldom use it, so now forgot about it now.
Actually to let your kids to know more languages, talk with yours kids in different languages in different time.
I believe it would help.
1 person likes this
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
2 Jun 09
Research has shown that children can learn two or three languages from birth. If you want your children to have English as a second language then go for it. I only speak English and admire people who know more than one language.
It is important that if you are teaching them two languages at once that you also read to them so they can read in both languages. Where I am it is most common for students to enter school and only know Spanish. The difficulty arises in that they are very young and so they cannot read or write their first language and the schools rewuire them to learn English (I'm in the US). These students have a difficult time academically becuase they never learn their first language enough to be literate in it and then they have to learn a second language and it is harder on them. Becuase of this I would suggest that you talk to your kids in both languages and help them as much as you can to be able to read and write in both languages.
You have a good grasp of written English, you can share that with your children. Second languages are cool.
1 person likes this
@Zhizho (1350)
• Indonesia
2 Jun 09
Thanks for your share,friend.Yes,early age that right time to learn English.Honestly,My English so bad but my husband have good English.But,he in office long day.So,he has no enough time to teach or communicate with our children.I join this link,because I think that I can learning by doing.What do you thing about language confused?have you heard it?Many of the people have that problem.Because their children can not speak in their mother tongue with good.
1 person likes this
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
2 Jun 09
Code switching, when someone speaks both languages at the same time without realizing it, is very common for second language learners. It is actually a nautral process in learning another language because the brain will use the right word in another language if it does not know the word in the language it is trying to speak.
There are some who claim that it does confuse children. I am sure that it could be difficult, but only if the person they were trying to speak to was not patient in listening.
I am actually about to finish my schooling on how to teach English as a second language. There are many strategies you can use to better your understanding of the language and the best on is what you are doing right now: reading the language and interacting with it. The mistakes that I notice in your writing are not enough to make it difficult to understand you, you will improve so quickly you will amaze yourself.
Start with the basics with your kids, numbers, the alphabet, and colors. Along with the basic greetings like Hello and good bye. You will do fine speaking to them and teaching them that way.
Your right, many children loose their first language to English and that not only is sad but it also makes them, in most cases, illiterate in both languages, do not let them abandon their first language, it really is very important.
Have a great day and message me anytime.
1 person likes this
@agv0419 (3022)
• Philippines
3 Jun 09
I think the best age to teach English to your children is as early as 3 yrs. old but it is never too late. Here in the Philippines English is a our second major language. Now a days many parents teach there children to speak English at a young age so they don't experience difficulty in speaking it. English is the international language and we widely use English here. I myself I had a difficulty speaking and writing it. We don't use English at home that's why I'm still not fluent in English. You can teach yourself when you read a lot and watch English movier or sitcoms it is a great help.
1 person likes this
@zzyw87 (1254)
• Philippines
3 Jun 09
I absolutely think that we all need to learn at least two languages. One is whatever our native language is and the other is English, an international language. We must not limit ourselves to just our native language because sometimes other people from other countries may not understand what we are saying. It is important to learn English because it is spoken and understood by almost everyone. For example, I currently am fluent in three languages. But I am currently learning another fourth language just because I want to. Learning does not stop as we get older. :)
@fishkingback (430)
• China
2 Jun 09
Well,in my opinion,childhood is the best time to learn a second language,and of course , you can even make it the first language of your children,as long as you comunicate with them in English all the time and isn't this a great english environment for your children?Indeed,we have to adimt ,English now is really the international language,learning english well is very necessary nowadays.i think you are very thoughtful to let your children learn this language.Wish you and your children a big success.
2 people like this
@angel3940 (8)
• China
3 Jun 09
I think you can learning a seond language is good.
Learn more languages,more knowledge,for human progress,and its growth are very favorable.Encourage more people to learn a second language.Even more language.
@truptidandekar (86)
• India
3 Jun 09
Yes i agree with you that in our family also we mostly speak in marathi my mother tounge and some time in hindi ,we use english only for official matters or in professsional life
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
3 Jun 09
My children started using this language since the time when they first started to talk. It came naturally cos the nanny whom I employed to look after them can only speak English and from there they pick up this language. It is always good to start from young as it is easier for them to grasp the language well.
1 person likes this
@tonyllenium (6252)
• Italy
3 Jun 09
i think learn a second langaueg is useful fo people to be better in their communication see that nowadays is not as spread as in the past that people all the life speak and communicate just with others who speaks theri mother-tongue or live in the same country!!
as regards children in my opinion it depends..some children have good mind and attitude to speak in different languages other few!!In general i think if a child used to hear also a different language which it usual to speak at home it will be easy for him/her learn because he/she hear and it was an habit when they are young to hear different sounds .words,vocabolary and so on..
@juiceboxfashion (59)
• United States
3 Jun 09
the younger a child is, the easier it is for them to learn multiple languages at once. young children are capable of learning 3 or 4 languages at once.
1 person likes this
@macel19 (202)
• Philippines
3 Jun 09
It is really important that from young as they are they will be introduce to the second language.It is an easy task but it is rewarding ecperienced am sure.I agree the a chiclds brain especially at the age of two can process faster all the information he or she comes with contact. Kids can easily deal with two languages at the same time. There ability to speak and read will be faster when they are about to enter pre-school. Since there are kids of course it is necessary that we will teach them the basic words first like sounds and basic greetings and it would take a long period of time as what happened with my nieces. The problem of teaching kids with the second langauge is the continuity process considering that some of the members of the family are not used to speak in the seond language and the environment of the kid as well, there friends and the people sorround them.Because in learning a language it's important that they will be immersed to those people who can speak the language as well so that they can interact using the second language.
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