Role of Parents FM3 3 8/12/2014 Role of Parents Facilitator to - - PDF document

8/12/2014 1

Making Reading the Power to Learn Mandarin

Dr Aw Guat Poh

Asst Prof, National Institute of Education guatpoh.aw@nie.edu.sg

Reading and Children

Children read for meaning Reading  Generates curiosity and imagination  Prepares the child for print materials and

future literacy skills

 Encourages language and cognitive

development

8/12/2014 2 Family Reading

 Promotes affectionate time between

parents and child

 Shares the pleasure of reading  Provides opportunities of communication

between parents and child

I HATE CHINESE!!!

Second Language Learning

Challenges faced by L2 Learners

 Affective Filter Motivation, self-confidence vs. effective learning  Acquisition-Learning + Monitor

Acquiring and learning a language; monitoring one’s learning

 Input + Natural Order Language environment for inputs; Understanding the form of a language

(Krasten's hypotheses)

8/12/2014 3 Second Language Reading

 Procedures for L2 Reading

Input (Reading) Decode (Switch) Encode (Comprehend) Output (To Express)

L2 L2→L1 L1→ L2 L2

L2: Second Language L1: First Language

What can I do ?

Parents, YOU are important!

Role of Parents FM3

Mentor

8/12/2014 4 Role of Parents

 Facilitator

 to select suitable books  to read the book first to identify challenging

vocabulary;

 to identify main language points;

 Motivator To alleviate affective filter:

 To motivate  To provide encouragement (lots!)  To help to boost child’s self-confidence

Role of Parents

(Krasten's hypotheses) Motivator

Role of Parents

 Monitor

 To monitor the reading process and provide guidance

when necessary

8/12/2014 5 Role of Parents

 Mentor

 Be a reader yourself to set good example  To inculcate the good habit of reading  To be able to discuss questions raised during reading

• r post reading

Mentor

Factors to consider when choosing children’s books

Age Group Gender Individual Interest Language

Choose books to suit age groups

 5 year-olds: 《小象阿福》

respond to physical and psychological characteristics; perceives themselves as heroes, believes that physical strength is the ultimate truth.

 10 year-olds:《点》

respond to honesty, responsibility and justice; focus on “good boy/girl” role models.

(Liu Lan: Master Classes of Leadership)

8/12/2014 6 Characteristics of Male readers

 Visual spatial Books with illustrations  Technology E-books, reading online

http://www.qbaobei.com/html/story/tstory /index.htm

 Facts and information books about

history, science and technology.《求助 犬》

 Competitiveness read along with

siblings

Individual Interest

 Tap on readers’ prior knowledge and life

experience

 Animals-related stories  Problems-solving stories  Funny stories《谁在我的头上嗯嗯》  Avoid stories with direct moral ethics

message《鳄鱼怕怕》

Language

 Comprehensible  Repetitive sentence structures (Lower)  Continuous content  Suitable font size for different age groups  Sufficient illustrations

8/12/2014 7 Guidelines for choosing the right books

 Interesting, humorous, imaginative  Prior knowledge/experience  Authentic materials— content and

language—local settings 怕什么

 Good illustrations 第

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HOW to read ?

Reading Process

 Pre-reading

 Tools: Dictionary, a selection of suitable

books for child to choose from

 Preparation: Parents to read the book first

for challenging vocabulary; identify the main language points; discuss some aspects of the book first before reading

 Mentality: Unconditional reading (read only

for interest); the same book could be read again and again

8/12/2014 8 Reading Process

 Pre-reading

 Parents’ company: to alleviate affective filter,

(to help to boost self-confidence for young children), to explain contents of the book when necessary, to get child to explain/elaborate.

Reading Process

 Post-reading

 Activities/games: related to the story (need not be

language-based), re-write, Q & A, pyramid game etc.

 Repetitive reading: reading the same book

• ver and over again. (Lower)

 Presentation: drama, finger puppets, voice-

recording (Lower)

 Sharing and Discussion: feelings about the

protagonists/story (Upper)

Reading Process

 Post-reading

 Librarys/bookshops: frequent visits to library

and bookshops to inculcate long-term reading habits.

 Examples:

1) 友谊企业有限公司 (Friendship Bookstore) (Bras Basah Complex, #03-07/11 ) 2) Popular Bookshop 3) Kinokuniya Bookshop (391b Orchard Road

#13-06 Ngee Ann City Tower B)

8/12/2014 9 Reading Process

 During reading

 Cultivate 3 Good Reading Habits:

LOOK THINK ASK

To infer from given illustrations; to deduce from the forms of Chinese characters; to infer from the rest of the paragraph. Think about the words that you have learnt or you have heard. To ask a someone or to “ask” a dictionary.

Guidelines for family reading

Take your time Read for entertainment Read for quality Allow games and fun

Yes!

Rush through Lecturing/ Punishment Read for quantity Solemn reading

No!

Conclusion: Key points for Lower Primary Reading

 Select picture books with good text and

illustrations

 Read with them  Parents can read aloud to children and vary

reading styles (read straight from text; talk about the illustrations; tell the story with no reading)

 Challenge children’s imagination with

questions and guide them to infer from illustrations or use guided questions

 Read their favourite books over and over

again.

8/12/2014 10 Thank you

abaolaoshi@gmail.com