ISF IMS KCIS & CIS

[gilleshk]

It *is* realistic to expect kids to become fluent in multiple languages at the same time. As an example, I can point to my 3 kids, thousands of kids in HongKong and I can also point to the whole nations.
China : Almost everyone I have met knows 2 languages. Mandarin and Local language.
India : Hindi, Provincial language, English
Philipines: Tagalog, English, Local language
Holland : Dutch, English, German + one more
Austria : English, German + one more
(and many many more)

If you have a normal child with average intelligence, there is absolutely no reason at all they could not be fully bi or trilingual by the time they are 10 years old, given the opportunity and direction.

HC

While I don't disagree that many kids/adults become functionally bilingual or multilingual by being exposed to a language, I don't see many people who are what I would call fully bilingual or multilingual. This requires a talent for languages and a lot more effort than most people are willing or able to put forth.

I agree that most children being exposed to multiple languages for a few years become reasonably functional in it but I don't think a 10 year old child has even begun to master one language, let alone several.

[HowardCoombs]

While I don't disagree that many kids/adults become functionally bilingual or multilingual by being exposed to a language, I don't see many people who are what I would call fully bilingual or multilingual.

I think you are now splitting hairs :-)

My 10 year old can Speak/Read/Write Cantonese just like a Cantonese 10 year old from a Cantonese family.
At the same time she can do the same with Mandarin and English.

I call her trilingual, fairly equivalent to a similar aged child who has been brought up in a unilingual environment.

I don't think a 10 year old child has even begun to master one language, let alone several.

Ok, I wont call her fully but will call her functional - but the point is the same. In the same time as others have learned one laguage, she has learned 3 to a reasonably equivalent level.
She is a normal child with average intelligency, no different than Dutch, German, Austrian and other many other multi-lingual teaching nationalities kids.

The kids are capable. If given the opportunity and challenged, they will get there. What I have found is that its usually parents who are worried that their kids wont be able to do it...

HC

[mum2one]

From my own experience, a person can be completely fluent in more than one language. I became bilingual in much the same way as Howard's kids (via total immersion) and I have no recollection of struggling. However, my second language (English) is now my dominant language, while my first langauge is better than functional. And I do not have any special talent for languages.

I find it amazing how quickly kids can pick up languages and I feel that there is a great window of opportunity to teach them while they are young. After a certain age it seems too difficult to reach a native proficiency level - the accent of the dominant language prevails.

My husband and I are fluent in two different languages + English, so it would be a crying shame not to pass them onto our child. But the trick I think is to make it fun and do what the child enjoys, and the learning will follow. Also, support the language with as much outside exposure to clear native speakers as possible (courses/clubs/activities) as Howard suggests. This may correct pronunciation/grammar issues that one often hears, for example, when listening to a Chinese parent speaking broken/terrible English to their child.

For us, the problem with the local Cantonese Kindy, was the manner in which our son was taught and of course the teacher could not adapt to one child's needs in a full class of 25 Cantonese speakers. Yet this same child is having no trouble picking up German just through playing with his dad!

Howard, I certainly salute your efforts. You are raising multi-lingual international kids!

I just wish the HK education department would make Cantonese more accessible to everyone rather than promoting a segregated society.
My only hope now is for a bilingual (mandarin) International school... shame, because our chid could have been more assimilated in HK.

[swikky]

Our kids go to Canadian International School in Aberdeen. Very good Mandarin training, including writing in traditional Chinese. Consider that.

[penguinsix]

Our kids go to Canadian International School in Aberdeen. Very good Mandarin training, including writing in traditional Chinese. Consider that.

Are there any schools that teach simplified characters instead of traditional or do the schools mix it up and teach both.

[Mamamia 1]

Yes, all ESF school steach simplifies but it is taught as a second language. They get one hour a few times a week? Not sure. Even if they teach Mandarin one hour each day it would not be enough to become fluent in the language.

The ones that teach simplified Chinese and teach it to a very high standrad is perhaps Singapore International. Don't know of others.