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Posts: 226

Shifu

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Q: Teaching a 2 year old?

So I just got propositioned by a Chinese teacher friend of mine to go and 'teach' her 2 year old daughter.

I gave her an evasive reply, but I think I'm just going to refuse. Is there really any point doing 2/3 hours of English with a 2 year old? Aren't they still pissing themselves at that age?

I was really taken aback when she asked me...

12 years 2 weeks ago in  Teaching & Learning - China

 
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Posts: 316

Shifu

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haha ! come on man you do not have to waste time on that, she is trying to figure out her mother language right now if you start teaching english i hope she does not get confused. this could lead to different state of mind. those you can play ABCD with her on toys......  chinese are very much crazy

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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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I'd say no.

I have a class of three-year-and-a-half year olds, and they're hard enough work, even with an extremely competent Chinese co-teacher in the room. There is some merit to having kids taught from a young age: their accents are less set and their little brains are quite receptive to picking up new speech.

That said, two years old is way too young. Maybe tell your friend that you think she wouldn't benefit from any classes just yet, but that in another year and a bit, then you can talk again and see if the girl is ready.

If you do teach a very young one, don't do 2-3 hour classes. Half hour on (language games), 15 minutes off (playtime) is the way to go.

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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
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Tell her that the 2 year old will benefit 0% from you, me or any other native speaker. If she wants the kid to learn English, tell her that a Chinese speaker is the answer at this stage.

If she persists, hit her with 300rmb per hour.

MissA:

For a private students a reasonably bilingual teacher could manage okay from about age 4 onwards, I think.

12 years 2 weeks ago
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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
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Like Miss A said, even 3 year olds are trouble. I "taught" 4-6 year olds, although there were a few 3 year olds. One didn't participate, the other one was rolling around on the floor most of the time, unable to concentrate. All you can really do is teach them a few words with pictures, then play games. A 2 year old is barely learning Chinese, and as you said, it's a really horrible idea. Keep refusing as politely as possible.

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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
Posts: 461

Shifu

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I go twice a week with my 2-years-old kid to attend dancing and playing lessons taught in English for 1 hour. I can frankly tell you that at that age, there only interest is more to play that to listen to what adults do and say.

If you were to teach to a 2-years-old child, you should probably focus your effort to play with him rather than just expecting him to sit with you and listen to you. Try to paint for 10 minutes with the child and you teach him the colors and the shapes. Then after 10 min, move to play with his favorite toys in English (building a bridge or a tunnel for his car, or building a house for her barby), explaining and repeating the actions you're doing. You can also practice food-related words by presenting fruits to eat, then each time you repeat the name of the fruit. Then sing some song and dance with him/her to keep the child interested.

A child won't be able to concentrate his mind for a long time on one thing, except if he's having fun with it. Mine can play and follow the class for 20 min, but then get bored and prefer to go looking for other activities of his interest (climbing fences, hiding, etc)

Chinese have little knowledge of pedagogy and child's development. There main interest is to show that their child can attend this and that lesson or have this or that ability from very young. Western parents tend to emphasize more on the child's development through creativity, fun and experience.

But honestly, if you don't have experience with kids, then don't assume this task. You may get bored and the child too.

MissA:

"Chinese have little knowledge of pedagogy and child's development." Agreed, unfortunately. Although I do manage to squish a reasonable number of English words (no language) into my three-year-old heads, I think that is not the true benefit of the classes for the kids. The true benefits are the socialisation with the other kids, and the motor-development work, and general cognitive skills that they gain while being forced to DO stuff, while AWAY from the grandparents for a time.

12 years 2 weeks ago
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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
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tell your friend that the best way to teach a 2 year old is by making them watch childrens videos

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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1008

Shifu

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Zootown, it it's only one two year old, it's not that bad. Play and sing in English even if they are just listening to you. It's what I did with my son, now he speaks English and Chinese without any difference of it being two languages. Only thing though, if you look Asian, he speaks Chinese, if you look Western he speaks English

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12 years 2 weeks ago
 
Posts: 443

Shifu

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REFUSE! Unless you want to just babysit!

 

What you could do is offer a reasonable price for you and another foreign friend to come along and just talk in earshot (in English) for an hour at a time.

 

Direct teaching is pointless at this age, the odd word or two is ok but they are gonna be super bored sitting there trying to learn.

 

Anyways, you and your friend should talk in English, explain that this will enable the child to unconsciously become aware of English sounds and words and will develop a more neutral English tone when they are able to consciously learn. Charge around 200/hr and split it with your buddy!

derek:

Yup...I agree 100%. I wouldn't touch this situation at all.

11 years 17 weeks ago
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11 years 17 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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2 years old also study??

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11 years 17 weeks ago
 
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