Teach English in Liutuan Zhen - Weifang Shi

First. living in Taiwan. I must say the parents need to stop comparing their kids to others. The cram school mentality only really works on kids that are self motivated to learn. Too often the students are being forced to attend these English lessons as means of the parents living vicariously through their children or by using it as means of a daycare with learning So, the first thing parents should be doing is helping create a natural learning English environment. If the parents speak English well themselves, they can make the home environment an English only environment. This is what we do with our young children as they are learning Chinese at school by day and no formal English education. So they pick up and learn from using the language at home and from watching English shows, etc. The parents should then find out what their child's individual interests are and find English material in that field. Home learning, parents can teach and express material to them that they otherwise may not have considered a learning experience since it isn't being forced on them by a teacher nor graded. But if you can find information about a sport they love, a book about that sport with some informative information layed out in a good read. A parent can read the book with their child and have discussions about the book. This is just one of many ways a parent get encourage their child to read, watch or listen to English through outlets that interest their children. Another great way for parents to teach their kids is to help open their eyes to the world. Without leaving their home country, they may not fully understand the importance of English. By travel to countries where English is a first language or even a 2nd language it shows the student the importance of English as a global language and how it helps them to travel, see the world and broaden their horizons that can really motivate them to learn on their own rather than a forced learning environment. When they see how English is an international language that allows them freedom to travel without a tour guide or assistance it can really motivate them for a future that excites them. Finally, I feel the best way parents can help their child is to send them to a good summer program. And by summer program I do not mean a group study to a classroom setting. I feel that they should be attending a summer camp that allows them full immersion into an environment which allows them as an outsider to be forced to use English to fit in. This forced experience is difficult but does motivate the student to make mistakes and learn to express themselves in a way natural speakers can understand them. An overnight summer camp is a great example as it is both fun and exciting and also gets them 24 hours among locals their age and leads to life long friendships. All of these samples of course are examples of parents who have the income ability to do these more expensive experiences. If a family has a lower income, they have other ways to help their child. With the use of internet today they can promote and encourage their child to watch western movies or shows that they would enjoy and watch it with English Subtitles. The same can be done for songs. Parents play a bigger role in a child's development of a new language more so than teachers because it is only with the parents support can a child shine. Parents need to be attentive to their child's interests and then find a connection to that passion that leads to language acquisition. Then they need to support and encourage their child through financial and emotional support. My children are young and still developing but I know I will provide an outlet for my child to learn in a safe and fun environment. One of those plans will be overnight christian Camps in America. As well as sports camps with English immersion.