Sorry. I've been busy recently with many things and haven't had a chance to post anything on the blog.
One thing I wanted to share with everyone was an experience I had last month. ALC Press is developing a new type of seminar targeting the fathers of young children. It's called, appropriately, the "Papa Seminar."
It is intended for fathers who are interested in helping their children learn English. I was very happy to have been asked to participate as one of the speakers in this program.
Essentially, I wanted to convey the message that learning a foreign language at a young age, especially before puberty, gives the child a big advantage. Children learn languages very quickly, naturally, with minimal effort. Acquiring a foreign language like English at a young age allows the person to possess an invaluable skill for success in the increasingly diverse, global environment we live in during the 21st century.
However, at the same time, language learning does not take place in a cultural vacuum. There are certain assumptions and values that are reflected in the language. My very strong recommendation to the Papas in attendance was to help their children develop objectivity about what it means to be Japanese. Once children have this objectivity about their own identities, then they can accept English (or any other foreign language) as an "overlay" that does not threaten the original OS (i.e., Japanese).
I hope that this type of seminar will continue to be held in the future. I certainly enjoyed working with the men who attended this seminar and I hope that they could benefit from what we discussed there.
Robert
One thing I wanted to share with everyone was an experience I had last month. ALC Press is developing a new type of seminar targeting the fathers of young children. It's called, appropriately, the "Papa Seminar."
It is intended for fathers who are interested in helping their children learn English. I was very happy to have been asked to participate as one of the speakers in this program.Essentially, I wanted to convey the message that learning a foreign language at a young age, especially before puberty, gives the child a big advantage. Children learn languages very quickly, naturally, with minimal effort. Acquiring a foreign language like English at a young age allows the person to possess an invaluable skill for success in the increasingly diverse, global environment we live in during the 21st century.
However, at the same time, language learning does not take place in a cultural vacuum. There are certain assumptions and values that are reflected in the language. My very strong recommendation to the Papas in attendance was to help their children develop objectivity about what it means to be Japanese. Once children have this objectivity about their own identities, then they can accept English (or any other foreign language) as an "overlay" that does not threaten the original OS (i.e., Japanese).
I hope that this type of seminar will continue to be held in the future. I certainly enjoyed working with the men who attended this seminar and I hope that they could benefit from what we discussed there.
Robert