Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watdcsu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!watdcsu!herbie From: herbie@watdcsu.UUCP (Herb Chong, Computing Services) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Teaching children to be bilingual Message-ID: <568@watdcsu.UUCP> Date: Sun, 28-Oct-84 14:46:23 EST Article-I.D.: watdcsu.568 Posted: Sun Oct 28 14:46:23 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 29-Oct-84 02:16:02 EST References: <1505@ucla-cs.UUCP>, <7100006@iuvax.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 23 Some schools in Canada offer the option of learning in either official language. In Calgary, where my little brother goes to school, he had the choice of going to a school that was French-only. My parents decided against it (though I can't imagine why). I know that I only spoke Cantonese until I started Grade 1, but I picked up English quickly. A third language is easier in high school than a second, so I had no real problem picking up enough French to get by. It's been years since I've had to use it, so I can ony read enough to get by, but I think with a few months in Quebec, I could be fluent. Is it my imagination, or is in only in English speaking countries where they don't bother to teach any other language throughout the education system? My impression of Europe is that at least 80% of the people there can make themselves understood in English, whereas most who call English their mother-tongue couldn't do the same in any other language if their life depended upon it. Herb... I'm user-friendly -- I don't byte, I nybble.... UUCP: {decvax|utzoo|ihnp4|allegra|clyde}!watmath!watdcsu!herbie CSNET: herbie%watdcsu@waterloo.csnet ARPA: herbie%watdcsu%waterloo.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa BITNET: herbie at watdcs,herbie at watdcsu