August of James 3 Years, Sydney 5 Years
From BilingualWiki
Contents |
August 5, 1007
I'm disappointed because the portuguese preschool Gloria and I were starting doesn't look like it's a go. Just not enough students. Parents of monoligual students called me and were so concerned their kids would be confused if later they learned Spanish in school. Frustrating. Here's the link to the ad we had. Perhaps next year it'll work out.
August 6, 2007
James was picking out a book for bedtime. Sydney had already picked out one from the library she'd checked out. It was in Spanish and English. When I first read it to her in the library, I kept having to stop and explain what words meant (and my Spanish is elementary so I was using the English to help me). At one point she asked me to just translate it to Portuguese because she wasn't understanding.
Anyway so James chose a dual language book Portuguese-English, one that Stephen had obviously read in English to him. he said, "Este e' em ingles eeeee portugues! Ingles eeeee Portuguese!" (This one's in English ANNNNDDDD Portugusee. English ANNNNDDD Portuguese)
The book Sydney'd chosen went really well. I attribute that to her having heard the English version from her father. This could help people teaching a language that the child isn't comfortable in. Buy dual language books. Let the child hear it once in English. Then at another time, read it to them in the second language. They'll already feel in the know about the gist of the story and will be ok with the few words they don't know.
August 23, 2007
Sydney had her kindergarten orientation last night. I was pleased to hear so many different language being spoken to children so that shouldn't be a problem. I asked Sydney if she minded my volunteering in her classroom and she was happy about that. I said, "I'll just speak Portuguese to you" She looked at me nonchalently like, "of course."
Getting her to speak Portuguse around James isn't so hard as to get him to respond in Portuguese. Sometimes she even says to him, "em portugues!". I only insist on it when it's just the 3 of us, like in the car.
Some bloody spammer keeps adding ridiculous things like drug names and French perfumes to my wiki. Drives me crazy!
Also, Sydney was getting sloppy about using the word I'd fed her in Portuguse. Usually after I gave her a word she'd just said in English, she'd repeat it. She's stopped doing that. So I've been insisting on it, told her it was like a game. So far so good.
Sept 10, 2007
Sydney took a long pause when speaking (English) to my mom. Then she answered and said, "I took awhile to say because I was thinking of the different ways I could say it."
The babysitter, Stela, and I spoke on the phone for nearly an hour. She thinks Sydney is exceptionally intelligent and that kindergarten is holding her back. She says she's noticed that Sydney has gone backwards in her learning since starting kindergarten. I've actually wondered if it's too easy for her, but she's happy and not acting up in class (sometimes a sign of bordom I'm told). Stella said I should tutor her at home, maybe send her to Chinese school on Saturdays. There's just no way. I want to spend time with her. Sure Chinese is great-- really really useful and might get her "ahead" later in life. But there's only so much time and some of it I want to be unstructured. I think life is tutoring.
