Bilingual Family
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Bilingual Family
Hi - we operate a strict one language, one parent set up at home which works amazingly well. It does mean though that due to this, opportunities to hear and use vocab and communicate in the English language are substantially less compared with an all 'English' set up.
Does such a background without necessarily high school records scores, offer up a good case for appeal and perhaps also explain why indeed the school records may not be as strong as a child whose parents are English language natives ?
Scores were 117 and 120 respectively in 1st and 2nd papers.
Appreciative of your advice in this matter
Br,
Chilternz
Does such a background without necessarily high school records scores, offer up a good case for appeal and perhaps also explain why indeed the school records may not be as strong as a child whose parents are English language natives ?
Scores were 117 and 120 respectively in 1st and 2nd papers.
Appreciative of your advice in this matter
Br,
Chilternz
Dear Chilternz
I heard from an expert somewhere that a child coming from abroad (with non-English speaking parents) needs three years before attempting the 11+.
If your child has always lived in this country, attends an English-speaking school, has English-speaking friends, watches English television and films, reads English books or magazines, then I don't think it would be a strong argument.
However, with two such good scores, and a gap of only one mark to explain, I do think that these are sufficient extenuating circumstances.
I think it would be more difficult to establish convincingly that your child's academic record has also been affected.
I heard from an expert somewhere that a child coming from abroad (with non-English speaking parents) needs three years before attempting the 11+.
If your child has always lived in this country, attends an English-speaking school, has English-speaking friends, watches English television and films, reads English books or magazines, then I don't think it would be a strong argument.
However, with two such good scores, and a gap of only one mark to explain, I do think that these are sufficient extenuating circumstances.
I think it would be more difficult to establish convincingly that your child's academic record has also been affected.
Etienne
Bilingual Family
Etienne hi & thank you.
Thereby lieth some of the issues ; dvd, videos,TV( foreign language by satellite), books and magazines are equally split between the two languages, right down to the OS of the home PCs being in the foreign language only.
Saturday school generates home work in the 'other' language additionally together with drills again in the foreign language from Kumon.
Friends also are from similar backgrounds or exclusively entirely native English speakers or entirely native 'foreign language' speakers.
Getting across the nature of the efforts and demands required to raise a family bilingually can hopefully be appreciated by a panel and go some way to explaining why the depth in both languages is relatively superficial vs an 'all English' background.
Thank you once again - Chilternz
Thereby lieth some of the issues ; dvd, videos,TV( foreign language by satellite), books and magazines are equally split between the two languages, right down to the OS of the home PCs being in the foreign language only.
Saturday school generates home work in the 'other' language additionally together with drills again in the foreign language from Kumon.
Friends also are from similar backgrounds or exclusively entirely native English speakers or entirely native 'foreign language' speakers.
Getting across the nature of the efforts and demands required to raise a family bilingually can hopefully be appreciated by a panel and go some way to explaining why the depth in both languages is relatively superficial vs an 'all English' background.
Thank you once again - Chilternz
Hello, Chilternz
I’m also raising my children bilingually, using “one parent one language” method which worked very well for us. They might have found first couple of years in English only school hard as I never have spoken to my children in English. However, once they’ve learnt to read, their English quickly caught up and then out perform other English only children which amazed me.
According to the report like below, bilingual children have a lot of advantage, academically, socially and linguistically.
http://www.ecolebilingue.org/01_present ... tu_en.aspx
May ask why you think your child would be able to cope in a demanding Grammar School regime if you think your child’s ability of English superficial?
In my daughters Grammar School, the majority of girls now are bilingual Asian and the number is growing.
So I don’t think it’s easy to convince an appeal panel concerning the negative affects of having two languages at home.
I’m sorry if it sounds a bit harsh to you, I hope all the best for your child.
Sakura
I’m also raising my children bilingually, using “one parent one language” method which worked very well for us. They might have found first couple of years in English only school hard as I never have spoken to my children in English. However, once they’ve learnt to read, their English quickly caught up and then out perform other English only children which amazed me.
According to the report like below, bilingual children have a lot of advantage, academically, socially and linguistically.
http://www.ecolebilingue.org/01_present ... tu_en.aspx
May ask why you think your child would be able to cope in a demanding Grammar School regime if you think your child’s ability of English superficial?
In my daughters Grammar School, the majority of girls now are bilingual Asian and the number is growing.
So I don’t think it’s easy to convince an appeal panel concerning the negative affects of having two languages at home.
I’m sorry if it sounds a bit harsh to you, I hope all the best for your child.
Sakura
Bilingual Family
Sakura hi,
Just to clear up a few misunderstandings perhaps ??
1. The reference to 'superficial' was with regards to having a 'relatively superficial' understanding of two languages and not a superficial understanding of just English.
2. Neither am I saying that Bilingual children are disadvantaged.
3. Nor am I portraying blingualism as being a negative
I am purely wondering whether a child who uses both languages at home necessarily will have the same opportunity to become articulate to the same extent, a child would who converses in day in day out in English and additionally whose exposure may only be to English language based media ??
I thank you for your comments and your best wishes for our child.
Kind regards,
C
Just to clear up a few misunderstandings perhaps ??
1. The reference to 'superficial' was with regards to having a 'relatively superficial' understanding of two languages and not a superficial understanding of just English.
2. Neither am I saying that Bilingual children are disadvantaged.
3. Nor am I portraying blingualism as being a negative
I am purely wondering whether a child who uses both languages at home necessarily will have the same opportunity to become articulate to the same extent, a child would who converses in day in day out in English and additionally whose exposure may only be to English language based media ??
I thank you for your comments and your best wishes for our child.
Kind regards,
C
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jah
Language issue does not just relate to bilingual families, but also to British families where the family speaks a dialect (eg Yam Yam in the Black Country).
If good English is not spoken at home, this will impact on academic schoolwork in some way; as will the standard of books available at home. However, I don't believe that it requires both parents to be speaking English; just that the one who does, should speak good English. (By good English, I mean the fluent speech of someone with the extended vocabulary of a reasonably well-educated person; clear English not filled with slang and jargon). The sophisticated use of English is in decline; the fact that is is difficult to find school leavers, and even graduates, who can write clear English is to be deplored.
I think that it is excellent that you are maintaining both languages (I hope that doesn't sound patronising, I don't mean to be), and this will possibly be of more use to your children in the long run than a grammar school education.
Good Luck with your appeal.
If good English is not spoken at home, this will impact on academic schoolwork in some way; as will the standard of books available at home. However, I don't believe that it requires both parents to be speaking English; just that the one who does, should speak good English. (By good English, I mean the fluent speech of someone with the extended vocabulary of a reasonably well-educated person; clear English not filled with slang and jargon). The sophisticated use of English is in decline; the fact that is is difficult to find school leavers, and even graduates, who can write clear English is to be deplored.
I think that it is excellent that you are maintaining both languages (I hope that doesn't sound patronising, I don't mean to be), and this will possibly be of more use to your children in the long run than a grammar school education.
Good Luck with your appeal.
Bilingual Family
Jah - Thank you for your support. You are right, longer term, we are hoping that the facility of the languages will serve our children for a lifetime and open up many opportunities.
Br
C
Br
C
