Be careful Quebec!
I was in a class last Thursday and someone came up with the fact of teaching English since first grade elementary. To my surprise, there were a lot (when I say a lot I mean at least 20 students out of 60, but 20 of us did not give any vote, so it was about a third of the class) who were against it! There were some people who even said that English should not be taught but after third grade... WOW!
It looks like I won't have a job teaching English in Quebec... lol
Seriously, I believe this is a very delicate topic, I could not believe the reasons why people is against the "enseignement de l'anglais" they say that children will get confuse having English and French classes, that they are not mature enough to learn a second language...
As a teacher, I know that we do not start teaching a language with grammar structures or complex language features so I personally do not believe that students would get confused with the two languages but I heard that it is what the new studies show... (mmm... What studies? Who said that?)
What do you think? Are you in pro or against? I really find it very interesting!
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3 commentaires:
Hey Daniella! I can imagine that this is a very controversial in Quebec. I couldn't agree less with those who say it is confusing for young children to learn a second language. I am currently an au pair for two grils who speak swiss german at home, high german in school and english with me. There are times we don't understand each other but for the most part they are doing really well. The younger you start, the better it is for a child. People underestimate the intelligence of children.
I hope you are doing well my dear and I hope all that snow isn't getting you too down!!
Love Maria
Hey, Daniella, we put two of our girls in school at Quebec (in Beauport à l'école de la Farandole) and they started teaching english in 1st grade there. They taught basic colors, numbers, etc. They also taught "Skinny-marink-a-dinky-dink" the song to the girls as well. I think it is important for Quebec to teach their children at a young age the little bit of english because most of the world speaks english and only 1/4 speaks french. I think it enables them to get ahead in the business world as well as in their personal lives. The french speaker thinks so differently than the english speaker that it may even enable them to learn how to think along a broader level when they learn another language young. Also, the english they teach at Quebec (my girls were in 1st and 2nd grade, but in the same english class - obviously they got A's) :) was only 1 hour each week or every two weeks, so it isn't a lot anyway. Kind of equivalent with watching two Dora the Explorer episodes! :) Well, maybe a bit better. :) Anyway, those are my two cents worth from a mother who immersed her children in French at the ages of 7,5,2,1 and newborn. :)
Barb Hedges
Hey Dany!
I have to agree with Maria. The younger you start learning a language, the better you know it and the easier it is to learn it. Kids are so clever and learn languages so fast, they don't even realize that they speak different languages.
I understand Quebec's position here. However, I think that it is a bit exegerated. Is it English that people do not want their kids to learn or any foreign language? I think that knowing both official languages of the country where you live shows a person's culture. I do not see how it can harm a child. In addition to that, I think that speaking different languages is one of the best tools a person can possess nowadays. I think its a great gift a parent can give his/her child and the child will later appreciate it.
As for you, my dear, if there is going to be no job as an English teacher, you can still teach Spanish in Quebec ;)Viva foreign languages!!!
Svetlana
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