Moria Flaig
Literacy
Actually I disagreed that children learn to read and write before six. I am from an exam-oriented education system and I hate excessive academic learning. I encouraged my son to "read" books at the beginning of his life but I didn't expect that he would learn reading at a very early age. I wanted to give him a stressless and happy childhood. I wish he would acquire academic skills unconsciously like he acquired three languages without any effort and force.
Unfortunately it is impossible to become literate by listening unconsciously. In our case, triliteracy requires more efforts and drills. Consequently, he should become literate at least in one language and then he would have time to learn Chinese after he enrolls at school.
I vehemently changed my previous attitude. Especially after my husband has decided to leave America, I wish that my son would keep speaking English and developing his English skill after we move back to Germany. Little children have infant amnesia. I didn't want that my effort to raise a trilingual child becomes in vain. We need to prevent the infant amnesia and garden his English world.
I don't think, both of us are able to speak English in a natural way. I made some thoughts about how to create an English speaking environment in Germany, e.g. being involved in an American society or church. At last it seems that the only efficient and useful method to maintain his English is literacy. Children who have once learned reading, won't forget the reading skill and are able to use this skill for absorbing knowledge.
Unfortunately it is impossible to become literate by listening unconsciously. In our case, triliteracy requires more efforts and drills. Consequently, he should become literate at least in one language and then he would have time to learn Chinese after he enrolls at school.
I vehemently changed my previous attitude. Especially after my husband has decided to leave America, I wish that my son would keep speaking English and developing his English skill after we move back to Germany. Little children have infant amnesia. I didn't want that my effort to raise a trilingual child becomes in vain. We need to prevent the infant amnesia and garden his English world.
I don't think, both of us are able to speak English in a natural way. I made some thoughts about how to create an English speaking environment in Germany, e.g. being involved in an American society or church. At last it seems that the only efficient and useful method to maintain his English is literacy. Children who have once learned reading, won't forget the reading skill and are able to use this skill for absorbing knowledge.
On the other hand I was hesitating because he was four and too young for becoming an efficient reader. I felt depressed and helpless. Finally, I found some research about the method of phonics and a series of ebooks teaching phonics from the internet. Besides, I read some papers to inform how to schedule reading and writing in three different languages for a trilingual child.
Most researchers suggest one-year-one-language strategy. Triliteracy should be different than a simultaneous exposure of listening to three languages. To avoid confusing phonological rules in different languages, triliteracy should be successive and not simultaneous. Actually on average a monolingual child needs two years to become an independent reader. My son has three to learn. According to the American curriculum most children become fluent readers in second grade.
Besides, literacy in Chinese takes an extremely longer time than an alphabetic language. In other words, I am supposed to spend six years at least, for drilling him in writing and reading. I don't want to spend six years to make him reading in three languages. Facing these facts, I need an effective schedule and a realistic aim for us.
My decision is based on three facts: Firstly, it is probably not meaningful for him to learn Chinese characters before six, because his writing and drawing skill are far behind his peers. Secondly, the most important reason to drill him in English reading at first is the facile access to the English materials. German and Chinese books are not available right now. Thirdly, English and German are relative languages. Once he has learned to read English, it would be very easy to learn German subsequently. The result shows that he is able to read German a little by himself without any teaching and training, after he has learned to read English. I have spared a lot of time.
Most researchers suggest one-year-one-language strategy. Triliteracy should be different than a simultaneous exposure of listening to three languages. To avoid confusing phonological rules in different languages, triliteracy should be successive and not simultaneous. Actually on average a monolingual child needs two years to become an independent reader. My son has three to learn. According to the American curriculum most children become fluent readers in second grade.
Besides, literacy in Chinese takes an extremely longer time than an alphabetic language. In other words, I am supposed to spend six years at least, for drilling him in writing and reading. I don't want to spend six years to make him reading in three languages. Facing these facts, I need an effective schedule and a realistic aim for us.
My decision is based on three facts: Firstly, it is probably not meaningful for him to learn Chinese characters before six, because his writing and drawing skill are far behind his peers. Secondly, the most important reason to drill him in English reading at first is the facile access to the English materials. German and Chinese books are not available right now. Thirdly, English and German are relative languages. Once he has learned to read English, it would be very easy to learn German subsequently. The result shows that he is able to read German a little by himself without any teaching and training, after he has learned to read English. I have spared a lot of time.
We started the whole program immediately after the final game of World Cup. Germany won World Cup and a highlight is the beginning of a depression. I needed something more challenging than it.
The beginning required a lot of regulation and routine which I didn't think before. Indeed, it was extremely difficult to push him forward. We both were frustrated. I had almost given up. In the next month the VPK program began and the school changed his motivation totally. The learning has been accelerated faster and faster.
At school he experienced that all children are learning writing and reading. This weird idea of reading didn't come from his mother. He gained confidence and experienced a lot of success at learning. Right now his class is still learning the 26 letters while he is already able to read beginner books without difficulty, in a length of ca. 400-500 words. Sometimes, he is able to finish a book in a length of ca. 1600 words. Although he needs still my help and force, he can decode most monosyllable and bisyllable words by himself.
I made it a rule to read a book everyday. Sometimes he has more fun to read more books. I know, it will take a while before he becomes an independent reader. However, this four months' tension and effort was really worth it. I know, to become a proficient English reader he needs to read English continually. It is a long-term procedure. I didn't finish the job and just began it.
The beginning required a lot of regulation and routine which I didn't think before. Indeed, it was extremely difficult to push him forward. We both were frustrated. I had almost given up. In the next month the VPK program began and the school changed his motivation totally. The learning has been accelerated faster and faster.
At school he experienced that all children are learning writing and reading. This weird idea of reading didn't come from his mother. He gained confidence and experienced a lot of success at learning. Right now his class is still learning the 26 letters while he is already able to read beginner books without difficulty, in a length of ca. 400-500 words. Sometimes, he is able to finish a book in a length of ca. 1600 words. Although he needs still my help and force, he can decode most monosyllable and bisyllable words by himself.
I made it a rule to read a book everyday. Sometimes he has more fun to read more books. I know, it will take a while before he becomes an independent reader. However, this four months' tension and effort was really worth it. I know, to become a proficient English reader he needs to read English continually. It is a long-term procedure. I didn't finish the job and just began it.