Here’s what I thought today about teaching English to my own children. I just wrote emotionally about it in Japanese in the above blog entry. Now I’ll write about it again in English. It won’t be the exact translation from the original writing.
Today, I got really really upset when my kids and I were having our ENGLISH TIME before my kids go to sleep. My 10 year old son was still taking the bath, so my 7 year old daughter and I started alone. (I let my youngest, 3-year-old daughter do whatever she wants in the same room.)
Since last month, we have been reading thin learn-to-read kind of picture books at bed time. They come with audio CD. So, I let my children first listen to the audio repeatedly, and then let them read the book by themselves. Today, my 7 year old daughter was having trouble with reading a book.
I have made check sheets for each of my older two kids where I can keep track of their progress. I’ve made a list of 96 learn-to-read books where I can record the date when children read the book up to ten times. I also write a mark on the day when my children read the book perfectly by themselves.
My daughter was having difficulty reading a book last night. So, tonight, we read the same book. I played the audio CD spoken by native speakers first. However, my daughter said she wants to read herself first. I said to her, “You should listen first.” She kind of reluctantly listened to the audio. Then she started reading. First two pages were great but after that she started to failing to read some words.....
She got upset and frustrated every time she didn’t know the correct sound. The worst is when I corrected her mistakes. She even insisted that she did not say that way and did say correctly, and shouted, “Don’t read that! I was thinking!” when I helped her with the right sound. I guess I waited for a plenty time and allowed her enough time to think......
I told her that she should listen the audio more before started reading until she feels confident and comfortable about the book. (Though we have read the books many times when she was younger...) I also said to her, "You don't have to guess with your limited knowledge, you will be able to read it after you listened to the audio and read along with it many times."
She ignored me and rolled over on futon. Now it’s my turn to get really upset and started yelling............ something I really shouldn’t have......
I can quit teaching you English now unless you stop that attitude!!!!
sigh.
Then I started the same reading task with my son, which proceeded with much more ease. But I was feeling upset because of my daughter. I spent shorter time with my son and turned off the light and said, “GOOD NIGHT!!!” Leaving the room, I said, “If any of you do not want me to teach English to you, I am ready to quit anytime!"
Now I really think I shouldn’t have said that while I know that I never quit teaching them English.... :(
I also know that they are eager to learn to speak English.
But sometimes I just can’t tolerate my children’s bad attitude. (Such as... talking back in a wrong way, like, saying they didn’t say that when I pointed out and made correction of their mistakes, do not follow my really reasonable advise, say “I know” when they don’t really know..... etc)
I just wonder what I am doing...... They should be able to learn English by themselves when they grow up and feel motivated. Maybe I don’t have to do this, draining my energy every day.....?
However, this is about a bad day. We have many many good days, too.
And I do believe that it is better to start learning a language when you are young. (Of course you have to keep learning...... children can learn fast but also can forget fast.)
I myself deeply love language learning.... so I want to give them what I have learn from it. I really want to give them English ability as an advantage in their future.
So.... having written above, I really really should stop getting angry at every misbehavior of my children. Maybe it’s not just a misbehavior... it’s a sign or clue to give me opportunites to improve our way of learning the language.
About my daughter today, using progress sheet showing if she succeeded or failed. It works for her big brother but it doesn’t for her. I should change the way for her and just give a mark or sticker when she read or listen to CD.... just let her absorb herself to the language and praise what she’s doing.....
Sometimes (or many times...) it can be really frustrating to teach my own children English, which is not my mother tongue when we live in Japan where you can live with no problem without speaking English. But still, I want them to learn English..... I wanna teach them English. I wanna learn English with them.
I should stop complaining and start trying new way of teaching. Think flexibly about what’s good for each child.
Teaching itself really is leaning............
