Scaffolding - scaf·fold·ing (noun)

Recently I've been thinking about the idea of scaffolding especially now that the little one has reached 80 Chinese characters and soon to reach 100 in a couple of more months. Hopefully by mid year another 50 to 100. The question arises, how do you keep the interest level going, and balance that with English when the cognitive ability is jumping in leaps and bounds?

The idea of scaffolding is an instructional strategy that involves supporting novice learners by limiting the complexities of the context and gradually removing those limits as learners gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to cope with full complexity of the context (Young, 1993)

How do you support character learning and reinforce self reading, finding simple books!  Do they exist? Yes, but they are hard to find.  Recently however through much research I've discovered Chinese Readers.  The idea is they are designed to reinforce learning from the class room and in our case the "home". And they are based on theme's and learning levels, so it's easy to focus at one level and then move to the next as the vocabulary increases. Additionally the text is large and simple and is targeted towards success for the reader and this is how scaffolding begins!

A couple of good sources are, by the way they are located in Singapore and HK:

Scroll Readers and Primary Mandarin
Review of Chinese Readers

Living Math Giveaway at Confessions of a Homeschooler

Confessions of a Homeschooler is giving away (2) books on Living Math.

What is Living Math?

Living Math is simply introducing math to your students using real-life situations. It is typically hands-on, fun, and can include anything from board games, cooking, logic games, and more! 

Creating Bilingual Opportunities

I was recently asked how does one support bilingualism in the home especially when we do not speak the language.  Firstly I would suggest you consider the goals or what your desire is for proficiency and research what resources you have available to you to support those goals.

At the onset of learning language I believe initial exposure is most important and trying to make it as fun and natural as possible.  This becomes the stepping stone to acquiring further interest in expanding their vocabulary to finally establishing the spoken language.  Children learn the easiest in a variety of ways and senses, but mostly through the ear, in my mind, is the first entry or path into the brain and establishment of language.

Other ways you can enhance this is by using DVD's to expose them to Mandarin.  A number of these are available in the library for free.  

Little Pim
Baby Learns Chinese

In addition find sources that can do the speaking for you such as audio books or online sites.

Better Chinese
Taoshu

Books that provide tips:

Bilingual Edge
7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child
Raising a Bilingual Child


Besides going to an immersion program, another method to increasing the amount of exposure you provide them from weekly lessons is to perhaps enlist the help of nanny, baby sitter or tutor for private lessons.  Depending on your financial situation one of the 3 might work.  Another options is perhaps finding college or high-school student whom speaks Mandarin or your target language to help babysit and expose your child to language all at once.  You should always consult with those you are considering to work with and ensure that your personal desires can be met.

Finally with the iPhone and iPad ever so popular here are a great number of apps and podcasts available some free of charge others for a small nominal fee that reinforce more reading both in English and Mandarin.

Learn Chinese Books
AppleTreeApp
5QChannel
Learn Chinese|ChineseClass101 Podcast

Please see my previous blog on Foundations for other info.

Tiger Mother

It's Monday March 7th and I'm reading the Tiger Mother book.  I'm reading chapter 8 where Lulu goes for a school interview and is asked to count instead of going 1, 2, 3, 4 she goes some bizarre rebellious way like 11, 6, 10....four!  Well tonight K and I are studying her Chinese characters and towards the middle she starts this rebellious thing while reading, reminds me strangely of this chapter.

Mommy:  Let's try to read this last sentence.

K:  Ok there are two poop's (laughs)

Mommy:  I see yes, well let's try it again, who has two poops?

K:  Two people have two poops! (more giggling)

Mommy:  ok...you only have this last sentence to finish.  Do you want to Skype or not?!

K:  okay (dragged)... 有兩個人來我的家 two people are coming to my house. ...(then she decides she wants to read more)

I can see what the future lays ahead of me.  Be headstrong against her and lose or just have fun and goof off that's what will attract her the most and somehow sneak in the learning.  Right now it's all about the poop and farts.