Bilingualism made easy! (Teacher Mike)

 

I have been teaching at Walton for over half a year now. I have been happy and excited by the progress I have witnessed in the daily English of my four year olds. The all day English program puts a real emphasis on “English Only” during class time, play time, meal times - and even in the bathroom! It is amazing to see children that have never heard English before start to ask questions, laugh and talk with each other within weeks of joining the class.

在華頓教學半年，我很驚訝看到我四歲孩子的學習進展。全日美語班營造一個「全美語」環境，不論是在課堂、下課、用餐時間，甚至洗手間 … 我覺得很驚奇，之前從沒接觸過英文的孩子，竟可以在半年內開始用英文對答、開玩笑、彼此聊天互動 …

 

By starting English learning at an early age, I feel that bilingualism comes much more easily. I was told by a parent that her daughter has been dreaming in English. This can only make English learning later in life a far simpler and less stressful experience. With an emphasis on fun and hands-on activities in the classroom, the children can forget that they are in a classroom at all. They are encouraged to stand and answer, read aloud and show and tell. This builds their confidence and allows a huge amount of self expression.

我想在幼兒時期接觸英文對培養雙語能力有很大幫助，有家長分享孩子居然晚上用英文說夢話，對英文如此直接的反應相信會讓之後英文的學習變得較自然沒壓力。藉由好玩、動手做的活動，孩子很容易忘記自己置身課堂中，我們鼓勵他們站起來表達自己，上台朗讀，分享心愛的玩具或趣事 (show and tell) ，藉此增強他們的自信與表達能力。

 

At Walton, we have great class discipline and management due to an English and a Chinese teacher that help each other at all times, but the free talk and problem solving activities the school promotes mean we aren’t making “little robots”. With field trips too, the children get to apply their new English skill in real life situations, including riding the MRT and going down to the local supermarket to buy groceries.

在華頓我們很強調孩子的課堂學習習慣及秩序，中外師彼此密切配合，學校鼓勵的對話及教學活動讓孩子不變成小小學習機器，每學期戶外教學（坐捷運、到超市購物 … ）讓孩子更能將英文活用在生活中。

 

We have monthly meetings to highlight our individual strengths and to see how we can learn from our fellow teachers. These have provided great new ideas, inspiration and support, and allow us the opportunity to improve consistently in our chosen profession. The teachers are always willing to help each other. They also take the time to pop into different classrooms to meet the kids they may not know, and to make the children feel comfortable around a variety of teaching styles.

每月定期的會議中我們會觀摩優秀的教學錄影，從彼此的經驗中學習，這些會議讓我們產生更多的想法、靈感、和支持，並讓我們有機會不斷在教學上精進。老師們都很樂意幫這彼此，且會不定期進入別班認識其他小朋友，讓孩子對不同的外國人熟悉不害怕。

 

My personal teaching style involves humor, a little craziness and fun! But I also ensure that the children are consistent, follow the teacher and pronounce their words or sentences clearly, before we make each other laugh. I have been taught by my fellow teachers showing a clear sense of right from wrong and boundaries in the classroom will make the children feel as safe and secure whilst in school as they do at home. I believe that if the children genuinely love coming to school and class, then learning will be the easiest part of all because they will associate it directly with fun times and happiness.

我的教學方式融合了幽默與有趣，但我對於某些原則很堅持，要求孩子在玩中學的同 時聽老師講話要專心、發音要確實 … 因為較有經驗的同事一開始就分享，要讓孩子對於對錯有很明白的判斷沒有例外，會讓孩子反而產生對環境的安全感。我相信如果孩子真心喜愛上學和學習，學習就會變成最簡單的事，因為學習本來就是隨著有趣的學習時光和快樂而來的。

 

Mike 2009/3