孫輩們在學習中文，您可以怎樣幫忙呢？ 

Your Grandchildren are Learning Chinese, 

and Here is How You Can Help

尊敬的少兒華文書園學生的祖父母、外祖父母們：

Dear grandparents of CCBG students:

孫輩們會和您們通電話、視頻聊天、見面。每週一次、每個月一次、或者每年一次。不管頻率如何，時時刻刻彌足珍貴。

You and your grandchildren may speak on the phone, Facetime, and visit each other. Whether it's once a week, once a month or once a year, each moment is precious.

屆時，您們一般會詢問孫輩的中文學習，您的关注就是對他們的鼓勵和促進。那如何最大限度地讓孩子們感受到您們的鼓勵和激勵呢？

While together, you may ask your grandchildren about their Chinese studies. You bringing up the topic shows your care about this matter and is motivating for them. Then, how to maximize your positive influences?

根據過去多年的觀察和對兒童心理學的了解，我在此提幾點建議：

Based on my years of observations and knowledge in child psychology, I make a few suggestions here.

（您們當中的一些，已經保持和孫輩說中文、甚至協助他們做中文家庭作業，那這些建議中的某些你們可以略過。

Some of your have been speaking Chinese with your grandchildren, and even help with their Chinese homework. In that case, some of these tips you may skip.)

1. 對孩子在上中文課的事實表示認可和肯定。也可以后续问几个问题。

Express your approval of the fact that your grandchildren are taking Chinese classes.

不太有效的问题：

Less effective questions:

例子a1：“妳喜歡中文課嗎？”

原因：如果孩子說 “我不喜歡，可是我家長非要讓我去”，妳就不好接下文了。如果妳試圖解釋學習中文的好處，就陷入了孩子利用這個話題來激起家庭情緒動盪的圈子。

Example a1: "Do you like your Chinese class?"

Reason: If a child says "I don't like it, but my parents make me go." Then, it's hard for you to follow up. If you try to explain why it's important to learn Chinese, then, you may get into the "trap" of some children using this topic to stir up emotions of family members.

例子a2：“在中文課上，妳學到了什麼？”

原因：孩子可能聳聳肩膀，說什麼也沒學到。那你也不好接下文了。

Example a2: "What have you learned in your Chinese class?"

Reason: You may see her/him shrug her/his shoulders and say that nothing has been learned. Then, you may have a hard time following up.

有效的问题：

Effective questions:

例子b1: “聽說你在上中文課，我很高興。”

原因：認可、表達孩子的行動給自己的感受，就足以。哪怕這次再也不提學中文的事情，這句話也起到了“一兩撥千金”的作用。

Example b1: "I heard that you're taking Chinese classes. I'm so pleased."

Reason: Acknowledging and expressing how a child's action make you feel is a powerful statement.

例子b2: "你的中文老師是男的還是女的？”

原因：提出這樣答案非常明顯、單一的問題，讓孩子不可迴避地去回答你的問題，完成一個 ”一問一答“ 的有效交流程序。

Example b2: "Is your Chinese teacher male or female?"

Reason: Simple questions with straightforward answers don't give children the chance of being silent. Thus, you are more likely to complete one round of Q & A, an effective communication pattern (in contrast to getting no answer to questions).

例子b3: “在中文課上，妳學到了什麼動物的名字？”

原因：這也是一個答案明顯、單一的問題。

Example b3: "In your Chinese class, what animal names have you learned to say?"

Reason: This is also a question with straightforward answers.

2. 有關中文學習，除了中文課以外，談論時也找一個具體的切入點，避免泛泛。

About Chinese learning, beyond our Chinese class, finding very specific topics to chat about is also effective. Below are a few examples.

例子 c1：中文姓名。

具體作法：如果孩子有中文名字，就用中文名字稱呼孩子。如果她/他沒有反應，就介紹說這是她/他的中文姓名。如果孩子已經聽懂，就詢問是否會寫。如果不會，提筆寫給孩子看，再讓孩子模仿寫。如果孩子已經會寫，可以介紹別的家庭成員或者朋友的中文姓氏。

Example c1: Chinese name

Specific method: If your grandchild has a Chinese name, address him/her in this name. If she/he doesn't respond, tell her/him what it is. If she/he can already respond to it, then, ask if she/he can write it. If not, you can show her/him. If she/he can already write it, you can talk about other Chinese last names such as those of friends and relatives.

例子 c2：詩歌

在我們學校，學生多多少少學習一些古詩、近現代詩歌，大多數學生會朗誦，有的學生會背誦。“聽說你會讀（背）《詠鵝》。讀（背）給我們聽一聽？如果孩子害羞，可以找人少的、不正式的場合，比如散步、停車、購物時候的零星時間。

Example c2: Poems

In our program, students more or less learn some ancient and modern poems. Most students can read some poems aloud fluently, some students can recite. "I heard you can read(or: recite) Ode to the Geese. Can I hear it?" If she/he is too shy to do that, you may bring up your request while in private such as when you're walking, parking, and shopping together.

例子 c3：朗讀小故事：我們各個級別的學生（一級早期除外），都會聽、讀各種中文小故事。如果是見面，你就拿著課本找到一篇小故事，指著圖片讓孩子講一講這個故事 （如果孩子只是在學習聽說），或者讀一讀這個故事（如果孩子也在學習閱讀）。之後，你們根據故事內容問幾個問題。如果是线上見面，你們可以獲取故事的影印件使用。

Example c3: Read aloud short stories: Students in all our levels (except early Level 1) can listen/understand and/or read/understand many short stories. If you're seeing each other in person, pick up the book with the stories. Turn to a page with a story. If he/she can listen and understand, you can ask her/him to tell you what the story is about in English. If he/she can also read it, you can ask her/him to read it. If you're talking online, you may get an e-copy to use.

以上的作法，都避開了開放式的聊天，因為語言能力、孩子性格、話題興趣等原因，開放式的聊天是孩子們最不好把握的溝通方式。

All the methods above help you avoid open-ended chatting about Chinese learning. Because children's Chinese skills, personality and interests vary a lot, open-ended questions are less effective to get the communication going.

3. 堅持和家人說中文、直接和孩子說中文，普通話和方言都好。

作法和原因：不要因為孩子不用中文回答就放棄。任何空中”瀰漫“的中文，不管是誰和誰在說、不管孩子看起來是否在聽，孩子的大腦一定會有吸收。這種學習方法，已經被科學證明有效，名稱為 ”無意識“學習。

Speak, as much as possible, Mandarin or any Chinese dialect, directly to your grandchildren, or with other family members.

Method and reason: Please don't give up just because your grandchild seems not to understand it or doesn't reply in Chinese. Any Chinese heard, regardless whether it's directly addressed to a child or not, or whether the child seems to be paying attention or not, is processed by the brain and leaves an impression. Learning does occurs in such a situation, and it is scientifically proven, with a technical name "incidental learning".

4. 多拉孩子參與家庭事務，比如烹飪、園藝、購物等。

原因：在做這些事情的時候，你們的目標是 ”把事情做完“，而不是 ”中文學習”，此時你說的中文，孩子更容易 “忍受”和 “吸收”。

Get children to pitch in with household chores, such as cooking, gardening, shopping and so on.

Reason: While doing these activities, because your goal is to "complete the task", not to "learn Chinese", any Chinese you say at the mean time is more readily absorbed (or tolerated).

5. 多在孩子面前聊家史。

原因和作法：和你們、你們的祖先建立一個深度連結，是你們孫輩中文學習的主要動力。（雖然這個動力是他們自己目前可能還沒有意識到的。）你們這一代，經歷了近代中國、全球華人生群體最劇烈的生態變化。無論你家的來歷如何，普通百姓還是皇親國戚，你個人的、你的父輩祖輩的經歷，一點一滴，都是你們家庭的寶貴財富。孫輩還小的時候（約小學階段），分享生活小细节，比如你小時候吃的、用的、玩的、聽的故事等等。孫輩大一些的時候（約中學階段），對於跨時間、地域的事件的理解力增強，分享和社會、國家歷史有關的家庭經歷的時機就成熟了。開放式、探究式的分享，更能讓孩子把家庭歷史的了解當成錘鍊批判性思維的良機。

Talk about family history in front of (or to) children.

Reasons and methods: To connect, deeply, to you and your ancestors is the main motivation for your grandchildren to learn Chinese (although many are not aware of it yet). Your and your parents' generation lived through the most dramatic social changes in China and the overseas Chinese communities. Whether you're from a family of commoners or significant positions, every bit of your past is your family treasure. When children are elementary school age, sharing concrete things from the past, such as what you ate, used, played with as a child/youth can be very interesting. When children are above elementary school age, they then are ready to hear the societal aspects of your family history. An exploratory and open-minded tone in such chats creates opportunity to stimulate the growth of critical thinking skills, a highly desired type of skills by children's schools and future jobs.

你們生活在全球的五湖四海。不管身在何處，我們天涯若比鄰！

You live all over the world. No matter where you are, we feel you're right next to us.

賈老師

少兒華文書園校長/老師

Gisela Jia

CCBG director/teacher