Thread: Teaching my daughters English

Hey Bruno, have you seen "the terminal" with Tom Hanks, in it his character teaches himself English by reading books side by side (one English, one his native language), at least that is how I remember it.
The best time to teach somebody something is when they want to learn it.

Originally Posted by UKRob

...in England and the rest of Great Britain, foreign languages are well down on the list of school subjects. I think a lot of that has to do with the historical power of the USA...

Perhaps, we should consider just how long it will be before Spanglish predominates.

You got tht right compadre. I keep telling 'em the plan is loco, totalmente transparente. But why start at WWII? Speaking of the world language domination plot, when the english-speaking English got to the new world I think they were already speaking spanish here - and dutch (Vlaamse), dare I say flemish? It is beautifully circular. Thank you, Bruno-ancestors, for doing the right thing with New Amsterdam for Queen Elizabeth as formalized in 1674.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I'm just curious. How has the union stifled learning so as to cause the students to fall so far behind?

The AFT determines what they will allow their teachers to teach and sublimating those that want to teach. It has created a "society" of poor quality by requiring that bad teachers be allowed to keep teaching. Had I the financial ability to do so I would have either home schooled or sent my children to private schools.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

The best time to teach somebody something is when they want to learn it.

Or when they are young. There is much truth to the saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Originally Posted by 32t

Or when they are young. There is much truth to the saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

I was probably more referring to children, that is part of the montessori philosophy as I understand it, when a child shows an interest in a subject then that is the best time to start the teaching.

Originally Posted by edhewitt

I was probably more referring to children, that is part of the montessori philosophy as I understand it, when a child shows an interest in a subject then that is the best time to start the teaching.

Another saying is "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink". You can not and will not teach a child that has no desire to learn a subject regardless. That is why a good teacher is one who can excite children to a subject, they learn and comprehend much better then. A parent that can do that doubly so.

My oldest daughter wanted to learn French; I told her she needed to learn Spanish. She studied Spanish and learned nothing.

I believe the line comes from a phrase lifted from Kipling: "What does he of English know, who only English knows"

Learning another language, even just at the "1000 word" level changes you for the better.

I tought myself basic Bahasa Indonesia three decades after I left college (University) - it's easier for the young in part because they don't fear making a mistake. And once you learn how to say "I'm sorry but I don't speak (Bahasa, French, Italian etc.) very well" the universal response seems to be "its ok, my English is not that good" - and a smile. (Except Paris, my friends from Quebec City have told me they are mocked ("are you trying to speak French?") in Paris)

It's like travel, it changes you, for the better.

Originally Posted by guitstik

The AFT determines what they will allow their teachers to teach and sublimating those that want to teach. It has created a "society" of poor quality by requiring that bad teachers be allowed to keep teaching. Had I the financial ability to do so I would have either home schooled or sent my children to private schools.

There is no district in the country where the AFT determines the curriculum. That comes from the state. The union protecting the bad is another straw dog issue. it's the union's responsibility to protect it's members and it's management's responsibility to make sure teachers teach. If management refuses to do their job it sounds to me like the school admins need the firing. The union is doing their job well. if a teacher does not teach , like any civil servant you build a case against them and then you axe them. Most states have done away with tenure protections and even where it still remains you can still get rid of them for gross incompetence.

One of the problems with learning a second language in the US is that if you don't use it, your proficiency will deteriorate quickly. While any learning is good exercise for the brain, languages are less useful here than in Belgium, which is a small country with many countries nearby speaking different languages. So not only is it practical, the language skills will likely be used regularly, keeping them sharp.