Parents' Reading Corner
Different articles and other interesting information on how children learn and education. Please take the time to read the articles or watch the videos. You may highlight the articles and translate them into your home language.
Make a Decision If you use more than one heritage language in your household (for example, in our family, our two children are exposed to two heritage languages at home: French from the father and Chinese from the mother in addition to English in the community because we reside in the New York area[1]), the first thing that you may want to contemplate before you begin to teach your children to read and write your heritage language(s) is to make a decision on how many writing systems you plan to teach them and the sequence.
There are no rules with regard to how many writing systems a child can learn at once. Human learning capacity is highly adaptable. In general, children certainly have the capacity to learn more than one writing system. However, practically you may want to mull over several factors that will affect your children’s multiliteracy progress: For example, your own literacy competence, your availability, your support, and your children’s developmental characteristics.[2]
I have observed parents teaching their children successfully in two writing systems in the home environment and I have also witnessed parents failing in teaching one writing system. The ultimate measure to influence your decision is your children’s reaction and progress, which can clearly tell you how many writing systems are suitable for them to learn in their particular situation.
There are also no fixed rules on whether you can teach your children different writing systems simultaneously or consecutively. Depending on your specific situation, you can either choose to expose them to more than one writing system simultaneously or one at a time. Similarly, there are no rules on whether heritage literacy should be introduced simultaneously with the school (mainstream) language, before or after it. However, if you choose to introduce your heritage literacy simultaneously with the school literacy (i.e., when your children begin schooling in their mainstream language), be aware that the support that the school environment provides will be much stronger. As a result, your children will tend to make faster progress in their school literacy than in their heritage literacy, and they may feel discouraged and less motivated in learning their heritage literacy and you in teaching it.
Children's Digital Library
Aims to make the best in children's literature from around the world available free on the web. It includes nearly 5,000 books in over 50 languages in a child-friendly format for reading online. Search books by language, award winning titles, and more. (International Children's Digital Library, National Science Foundation)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2187
ArtBabble.org
Is an online community that features videos about art and artists. It includes a range of videos from the National Gallery of Art -- interviews with artists, explorations of works (six videos on Vermeer's "Woman Holding a Balance"), and quirky, fun pieces. (ArtBabble.org, National Gallery of Art)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2182
School Attendance: A Key to Success
This article suggests some things parents can do to help their children make the most of each school day and ensure their children don't fall behind when a school absence necessary. The article is available in English and Spanish.\http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/28842
If you are looking for a list of good books for your child, go to http://www.readingrockets.org/books/buyingguide/2010
Reading Rockets recommends the best books of the year. Take a look at the list with your child to find one title that you will both enjoy!
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/34471
Two books about raising bilingual children that you might want to read:
One Child, Two Languages by Patton Tabors - the gift of raising a bilingual child.
Many Languages, One Classroom by Karen Nemeth - ideas for teachers and parents to teach English language learners
How Kindergarten has changed and the new demands placed on children. Please click on the link to get the full article from the Harvard Education Letter. http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/479#home
Recess is an important part of a child's school life. This article explains how recess is beneficial to children. Please click on the link to get the full article from The Indianapolis Star.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20101017/LOCAL18/10170375/1013/NEWS04/Child-s-play-is-a-vital-part-of-kindergarten-education
Being bilingual is one of the most important legacies you will give your child. Keeping your home language is essential in today's world and defines part of who you are. Please take some time to watch the documentary film, Speaking in Tongues about the lives of four bilingual children. Here is summary of the film: An African-American boy from public housing learns to read, write, and speak Mandarin. A Mexican-American boy, whose parents are not literate in any language, develops professional-level Spanish while mastering English. A Chinese-American girl regains her grandparents’ mother tongue—a language her parents lost through assimilation. A Caucasian teen travels to Beijing to stay with a Mandarin speaking host family.
Please click on the link to get more information about the film, watch a clip and learn how you can obtain a DVD.
http://speakingintonguesfilm.info/about/other-video/
Make a Decision If you use more than one heritage language in your household (for example, in our family, our two children are exposed to two heritage languages at home: French from the father and Chinese from the mother in addition to English in the community because we reside in the New York area[1]), the first thing that you may want to contemplate before you begin to teach your children to read and write your heritage language(s) is to make a decision on how many writing systems you plan to teach them and the sequence.
There are no rules with regard to how many writing systems a child can learn at once. Human learning capacity is highly adaptable. In general, children certainly have the capacity to learn more than one writing system. However, practically you may want to mull over several factors that will affect your children’s multiliteracy progress: For example, your own literacy competence, your availability, your support, and your children’s developmental characteristics.[2]
I have observed parents teaching their children successfully in two writing systems in the home environment and I have also witnessed parents failing in teaching one writing system. The ultimate measure to influence your decision is your children’s reaction and progress, which can clearly tell you how many writing systems are suitable for them to learn in their particular situation.
There are also no fixed rules on whether you can teach your children different writing systems simultaneously or consecutively. Depending on your specific situation, you can either choose to expose them to more than one writing system simultaneously or one at a time. Similarly, there are no rules on whether heritage literacy should be introduced simultaneously with the school (mainstream) language, before or after it. However, if you choose to introduce your heritage literacy simultaneously with the school literacy (i.e., when your children begin schooling in their mainstream language), be aware that the support that the school environment provides will be much stronger. As a result, your children will tend to make faster progress in their school literacy than in their heritage literacy, and they may feel discouraged and less motivated in learning their heritage literacy and you in teaching it.
Children's Digital Library
Aims to make the best in children's literature from around the world available free on the web. It includes nearly 5,000 books in over 50 languages in a child-friendly format for reading online. Search books by language, award winning titles, and more. (International Children's Digital Library, National Science Foundation)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2187
ArtBabble.org
Is an online community that features videos about art and artists. It includes a range of videos from the National Gallery of Art -- interviews with artists, explorations of works (six videos on Vermeer's "Woman Holding a Balance"), and quirky, fun pieces. (ArtBabble.org, National Gallery of Art)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2182
School Attendance: A Key to Success
This article suggests some things parents can do to help their children make the most of each school day and ensure their children don't fall behind when a school absence necessary. The article is available in English and Spanish.\http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/28842
If you are looking for a list of good books for your child, go to http://www.readingrockets.org/books/buyingguide/2010
Reading Rockets recommends the best books of the year. Take a look at the list with your child to find one title that you will both enjoy!
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/34471
Two books about raising bilingual children that you might want to read:
One Child, Two Languages by Patton Tabors - the gift of raising a bilingual child.
Many Languages, One Classroom by Karen Nemeth - ideas for teachers and parents to teach English language learners
How Kindergarten has changed and the new demands placed on children. Please click on the link to get the full article from the Harvard Education Letter. http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/479#home
Recess is an important part of a child's school life. This article explains how recess is beneficial to children. Please click on the link to get the full article from The Indianapolis Star.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20101017/LOCAL18/10170375/1013/NEWS04/Child-s-play-is-a-vital-part-of-kindergarten-education
Being bilingual is one of the most important legacies you will give your child. Keeping your home language is essential in today's world and defines part of who you are. Please take some time to watch the documentary film, Speaking in Tongues about the lives of four bilingual children. Here is summary of the film: An African-American boy from public housing learns to read, write, and speak Mandarin. A Mexican-American boy, whose parents are not literate in any language, develops professional-level Spanish while mastering English. A Chinese-American girl regains her grandparents’ mother tongue—a language her parents lost through assimilation. A Caucasian teen travels to Beijing to stay with a Mandarin speaking host family.
Please click on the link to get more information about the film, watch a clip and learn how you can obtain a DVD.
http://speakingintonguesfilm.info/about/other-video/