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Parents make their children learn english before their time, good or not?
Dec 20, 2007 01:46
  • YVONNE
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Nowadays, there is a craze for learning Englsh. Many parents force therir d kids to learn English at a very early age. They want their children to become more competitive in their future schooling and work. Some kids are forced to learn English at 3-4 year old. However, parents' belief is: it's a severely competitive society, one more skill counts much more..and English is a must or necessity to be qualified to get in good school........for kids' future, their parents must take action before they have to do. What are your ideas? Parents make their children learn english before their time, good or not?
Dec 20, 2007 03:48
#1  
  • JABAROOTOO
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There's nothing wrong with learning a second language whether it be English or any other, from an early age. It is a shame that it seems to be such a necessity to 'get ahead' in the world.

Studies show that learning is much easier at an early age and phonics (that is the sounds that form the words) will most likely be easier for children to grasp and sound correctly at an earlier age.

Some would argue that children get confused and mix the languages. While this is true to some extent and for some time, they eventually sort it out.

This is the beauty of being a child. A child is learning or should be learning so many things in these very young and formative years but all this learning should all be fun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or at least most of it should be. Of course there will be accidents and disappointments in a child's learning experiences, that's how we learn.

Learning English may or may not give them the advantages that parents are looking for. So much depends on the child's personality, drive and desires and they grow up
Dec 21, 2007 15:00
#2  
Although I have a great admiration for the Chinese language and its potential, as a native English speaker I believe that English is a wonderful, precise and very expressive language, the mastery of which is valuable in science, arts, and politics.

I think it is a good thing that Chinese children should be encouraged to learn English by their parents from a young age, and believe that it will equip them well for the future.

I only wish that I had received the opportunity to learn Chinese at a much earlier age, so that it would not prove so difficult now! :-)
Dec 25, 2007 13:50
#3  
  • MOONDOLLARS
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I agree with both the previous statements. It's not a bad thing to learn one, two, or even three languages from a young age. In fact, learning languages at an earlier age speeds up the language-learning process.

Many non-native speakers who first start learning English think that if they use bigger and more complicated words, they are speaking English well. Actually, the simpler and more precise the words, the easier to understand hence accomplishes your goal to communicate.

- moondollars
http://community.faithvine.com/blogs/moondollars
Dec 25, 2007 21:35
#4  
  • APAULT
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I have no problem with young children learning English from an early age for they are quite capable of doing it. But I have a big problem with the number of hours children in China are required to study. Not only is it counterproductive as they spend half of their day at school yawning and clearly are not taking in very much, but there is more to education than book learning supposedly useful subjects. I find that many uni students cannot cook, have no knowledge of the world or life, have no knowledge of the outdoors and have little ability to discuss anything, quite simply because of the narrow view approach to education. KIDS NEED TO PLAY TOO. All the best learning comes from play - imitating adults and real life situations, play in the classroom rather than rote learning, and creative play to broaden the mind, to experiment.
Dec 26, 2007 03:31
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  • JABAROOTOO
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Good comments Paul
and I heartily agree with you about the number of hours children are required to spend at school with very little physical activity which is far more stimulating and necessary than many other 'subjects'.

A child is supposed to enjoy his/her childhood and it should include a healthy dose of play and quality parent play and fun time.
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