很久以前我们有封给家长的信就是讨论这个问题的。
Many of my students can converse well in their native language. However, do they really understand the principles of communication; the reasons behind the structure of their own language as well as others? From my own experience, I’ve found that most do not. They speak intuitively without any thought of the reasons or possibilities. So, it is no wonder that they struggle with a foreign language like English. It is sort of like trying to swim without understanding the properties of water and buoyancy.
The first thing the students need to learn is that there are many ways of expressing thoughts and ideas. They are used to expressing themselves “the Chinese way,” but other ways are certainly possible. Too few students have even begun to realize this when they enter a foreign language classroom. I think it’s important for parents to sit down and explain this point specifically to their children. If you’ve already done it, try it again. Reinforcement is necessary. Don’t expect your child to fully understand based on words alone. Parental advice and counsel can only do so much. The truth is that real understanding comes from experience, but the words we receive from our teachers and elders can open our eyes to learning more fully. Repeating your counsel will help ensure that they recognize certain things when the experience arrives. Otherwise, they may be too distracted to fully pay attention.
I constantly remind my students not to speak Chinese in the classroom. They don’t understand the reason for that, but it is really for their own good. Based on my personal experience and advice I have received from other professionals, this is the best way. When they see a picture or action performed, they automatically think of the Chinese word they have associated with that noun or verb. But, if they are thinking of the association they have already formed in their brains, they are not forming new connections with the utmost efficiency. This is why I also don’t use or recommend the use of translations. When you are learning a new language, the best method is to build connections in your brain without interference. This allows a ‘clearer picture’ to be associated with the language you are learning.
Learning with translation is like trying to watch a movie while your friend is talking to you. The distraction can cause you to miss out on important aspects of the storyline. You may even forget key aspects of the plot because you weren’t paying close attention. Your interest in the movie will probably not be that high because you didn’t fully experience it.
You can also liken translation to static on a radio. You won’t be able to appreciate a good song for what it is if there is a lot of static. So, translation is definitely a hindrance in the classroom.
To say that you cannot learn a new language without translation is ludicrous. We all learn our native language without translation, so it is entirely unnecessary. We only need to go back to the basics in order to learn a new language. The problem is that most of us forget what the basics really are and we often carry with us the habits we have learned from our native language. After all, those habits serve us well when communicating in our native land. But those same habits probably won’t serve you well with a foreign language, so the difficult task of recognizing our habits and replacing them with new ones must be undertaken if we are to excel with a new language. The best way to do all this is to find a good teacher and practice on a regular basis.
这是那封信的开始，我一直没有翻译出来，和和。虽然大家会看得费劲，但还是又贴上来。。。
[ 本帖最后由 watermelon 于 2007-7-22 22:38 编辑 ].
