1楼PUPPET
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发表于 2006-8-23 13:58
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Too young for English?
中午在SHANGHAI DAILY网站上看到这篇文章,说是学前儿童参加英语考试,Star Test应该是指星级考试吧,现在最小的有4岁的孩子都加入考试大军了,令人感叹.
Too young for English?
Rachel Yan
2006-08-23
EXAM organizers are no longer surprised to see a preschool child sitting an English exam, as a growing number of little kids are taking an English qualification test originally designed for older students.
While most parents place high expectations on their child, foreign language education experts are concerned that learning English at an early age may harm a child's future development.
During the Children English Star Test this week, the average age of first-level test takers was reported at 5 or 6 years old. The test was originally designed for pupils aged 8 or above, according to the Shanghai Foreign Language Testing Service, the test's organizer.
A registration official surnamed Li with the testing service said the youngest test taker was only 4.
Children taking the Star Test will be required to illustrate a picture or fulfill a communication task. Candidates that pass the test are given a certificate issued by the testing service.
Jennifer Feng, a young mother, said that the increasingly important role of English pushes parents to send their children to English classes as soon as possible. "Competition is so fierce, no one can afford to see his or her child lag behind."
Some key primary schools use the Star Test as admission criteria. That also motivates a large number of kindergarten children to take the test.
Chai Mingjiong, professor of Shanghai International Studies University, said: "Many children haven't mastered their mother tongue. Forcing them to take up a foreign language will only cast a shadow on their future study."
从我个人来讲我是不赞成孩子这么早就去参加考试的,孩子要为备考花去这么多宝贵的时间和精力,如果作为GAME也就罢了.但文章中也提到,家长也是形势所逼,证书也是好学校的敲门砖,不得已而为之吧.不知道大家看了有何感想.
[ 本帖最后由 PUPPET 于 2006-8-23 13:59 编辑 ].
