推薦序
一本有愛的英語學習書
張裕昌 副總經理/世紀奧美公關顧問公司
不斷在國外旅行,以及喜好看電影及影集的我,深切了解到一件事,就是學習語言如果不能奠基在一個從「興趣與實用」出發的先決條件上,那麼這樣的學習是很淺薄且容易忘記的。道理很簡單,因為學了不知道該怎麼用,或用在哪裡。因此小時候,我不管如何被體罰或責罵,我始終不知道學習這26 個字母的用意到底是為什麼。
之前在我服務的公司(師德文教),我常常看到許多孩子們,為了拿到一紙檢定證書,而不斷的反覆背誦,當時我心裡的疑問是,到底這些因考試而強記下來的片段資料,會在記憶當中留存多久呢?有些學生甚至會因為考試成績不佳而接受程度不一的責難,這樣的學習結果會是好的嗎?
所以當我看到妹妹這本書的初稿時,我深深覺得,一本有愛的EFL/ESL 學習書,對並非英語母語的台灣小朋友來說有多重要。原因無他,這本書不是只讓孩子們記憶一些他可有可無的東西,而是在親子互動的過程當中,讓孩子產生對語言學習的興趣。更重要的是,這本書如果沒有父母親充滿愛心與耐心與孩子一起閱讀,孩子不會從這些愛心與耐心當中了解學習第二語言的樂趣。
因此,我誠摯的推薦這本書給每位父母親,如果您們真的希望孩子們學好第二外語,那麼,在他們學習的初始,您們充滿愛心與耐心的參與是絕對必須的,而當他們從一開始就培養好學習語言的興趣與樂趣之後,未來,就放手讓他們在語言的國度中悠遊自得吧!
Exploring this Amazing World
National Geographic Learning
Michael Joseph Cahill
Senior Regional Director
The world is an amazing place, filled with exciting and inspiring people, places, and stories: stories that have the power to engage and motivate learners, and stories that have the power to transform lives. Learning is an emotional and a social process. Your role in your child’s attitudes and beliefs towards learning cannot be overstated.
Preparing children for this amazing and ever-changing world can be a parent’s and an educator’s biggest challenge. An expert who shares that challenge and can offer useful practical advice is invaluable. For parents and educators especially interested in preparing a child to thrive in an ever more connected and competitive world, I can think of no greater expert than Daphne Liu, your guide to 「親子閱讀趣 – 悅讀真有趣」.
With over twenty years of experience in language learning, teaching, research and material development, Ms. Liu is uniquely prepared to assist parents interested in developing a child’s love of language, stories, culture, and learning.
With children of her own, Ms. Liu understands that motivating a child to learn pays a dividend that goes beyond a score, a test, or even subject knowledge. Through the activities and guidance suggested in「親子閱讀趣 – 悅讀真有趣」, Ms. Liu supports parents with the inspiration and the tools to tap into a child’s sense of adventure and exploration.
Why is this important?
Language learning has changed and evolved over the past twenty to thirty years. Driven by changes in the workplace, and as reflected in the most recent national curricula, today’s language learning is focused on communicative competence. First introduced in 1966 the concept of language competence was introduced in reaction to perceived inadequacies in the distinction between language knowledge and language performance. The four components of communicative competence can be broken down as follows: linguistic competence, the knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, syntax; sociolinguistic competence, knowing when and with whom to use language appropriately; discourse competence, the ability to comprehend and create a variety of text types, both spoken and written; and strategic competence, the ability to overcome gaps in
communication.
While none of these competences are new, the need to actively address each of them more holistically has taken on increasing importance with the greater focus on the so-called soft skills, otherwise known as 21st century skills, higher order thinking skills, or sometimes simply as core student competencies. In the International Baccalaureate© or IB curriculum, this is reflected in the Learner Profile. This profile includes characteristics of learners as knowledgeable, communicative, principled, and reflective. In the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning these are reflected in the Deep Learning Competencies: collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, citizenship, character, and communication. In the United States, the world readiness standards for learning languages describes these as the five “C” goal areas, communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities.
Our children will need to compete on a world stage. And, as recent focus around the world on STEM and STEAM education points to, the ability to speak a foreign language has become a foundational skill like mathematics or science or technology. A must have. In working with some of the world’s most reputable developers of language learning materials, it has been my experience to observe, explore, and respond to these challenges. Most recently, at National Geographic Learning, it has been my strong belief the learning should be exciting, inspiring, and transformative. We believe that an engaged and motivated learner will be a successful one, and we design our learning materials with a highly interactive storytelling approach which is a great way to invoke these
connections.
If you are interested in engaging and motivating children, then I strongly recommend Ms. Liu and「親子閱讀趣 – 悅讀真有趣」as your guide. May you and your child’s learning journey be equally exciting, inspiring, and transformative!
作者序
親子閱讀趣 – 用愛種下閱讀的種子
出這本書有兩個很重要的想法,一個是推廣親子閱讀的重要性,另一個則是鼓勵英文親子閱讀的落實性。曾從事英語教學及編輯工作過的我,看著許多學生在補英文的過程中浮浮沉沉;而家長們很努力地從小就讓孩子接觸英文學習,但在國小或國中後看不到這長期學習下來應有的成效。原因為何呢?關鍵在於「英語閱讀」。
若要英文學得好,英文閱讀不能少。但因環境的關係,大家都會寄望在補習班的學習,殊不知與孩子一起共讀英文故事,累積的成果才是驚人的。而閱讀習慣的養成更非一朝一夕可得,這是需要堅持一段漫長歲月,才能看到美麗果實的長期投資。親子閱讀的過程,不僅是為了要提升孩子的閱讀能力,更重要的是在這短短的時間裡,它給了彼此美好的互動,在閱讀中,孩子能感受到父母親滿滿的付出及愛。
曾經, 我父親在忙碌的外調出差工作之餘,一到家的第一件事就是拿出新買的書,在我的床邊唸故事給我聽,而這成為我日後回憶父親最美最美的畫面。現在,我也將這份愛的閱讀種子,種在我兩個孩子的心中。希望這個種子能帶給他們在面對未來各種挑戰時,能有解決事情或抒發情緒的能力。寫書對我來說曾經是遙不可及的想法,因深知出書過程的不易,但在佳曄姊的鼓勵下,寫了人生的第一本書,除了希望能推廣親子閱讀的重要性外,更希望能讓想奠定孩子英語閱讀習慣的爸媽們一些方向。透過這本書,我想要把父親曾努力在我心中種下的閱讀種子,繼續散播出去。謝謝父親用床邊閱
讀時間陪伴我成長,感謝母親用滿滿的愛照顧我和弟弟。
在孩子們心中用愛種下閱讀的種子,
總有一天,會讓孩子開出美麗又豐富的人生花朵!