I’d like to discuss language development in children and how kids can easily learn a second, third – even fourth language.
我想谈谈儿童语言发展，以及他们如何轻松地学习第二、第三甚至第四门语言。
Now children are absolutely amazing; they arelimited only by what we can present to them in a systematic manner. In fact, if we could systematically present 20 languages to them, they would learn 20 languages – because the brain is unlimited in its capacity. And while that would be a very rare extreme, still there are many situations in which children have to deal with three or four languages at once.
现在的小朋友真的很了不起；只要是我们以系统化方式呈现的内容，他们都能够吸收。事实上，如果我们以系统化方式呈现20种语言，他们就会学到20种语言－因为大脑容量是无限的。虽然这种情况很极端，但仍然有很多情况下，小朋友必须同时掌握三四种语言。
So in order to ensure that your child has the best possible chance of learning these languages, there are several crucial elements to have in mind. And the first one is that it is never, ever too early to start.
因此，为了确保您的孩子获得最佳机会学习这些语言，有几个关键点要牢记在心。首先就是，什么时候开始都不嫌早。
⭐⭐The Earlier the Better
⭐⭐越早越好
I’m absolutely horrified when I hear parents say,“But why speak to him, if he can’t speak back yet?”
听到家长说“可是为什么要对他说呢，他又不能回答？”，我真的很震惊。
Well, he’s never going to speak if you don’t speak to him first! Children won’t learn to speak through osmosis, or out of the air. It’s not mysticism; it’s pure, practical science. Input equals output, And you must speak to your child if you want him or her to develop their language skills.
如果你不跟对他说，他是永远不会开口的！小朋友不会通过潜移默化或对着空气学会说话。这并非神秘主义，而是纯科学。有多少输入，就会有多少输出，如果您想培养小朋友的语言技能，就必须和他／她说话。
There is actually a great deal of research tosupport this. In fact, we know today that children actually start learning language in the womb.
很多研究都可以为此提供佐证。事实上，我们如今知道，小朋友在妈妈肚子里的时候就已经开始学习语言了。
Now, the next question I hear a lot is: “How should I speak to my child?”
我还经常听到这个问题：“我应该如何跟孩子说话呢？”
Motherese and Language Plus One
妈妈语和语言加一
Happily, you probably already know the answer to this question – for two amazing language-related phenomena happen to a newmother upon the birth of her child.
令人欣喜的是，您可能已经知道了这个问题的答案，因为在孩子出生后，新手妈妈身上就会发生两个和语言有关的惊人现象。
The first phenomenon is that she suddenly developsthe miraculous ability to speak ‘Motherese.’ This language has several elements:It is slightly slower than normal speech, and it has a higher pitch anddifferent intonation. Certain words are emphasized and vocabulary issimplified. It’s all automatic and instinctive and helps the child to learn.It’s actually not limited to mothers: Fathers,siblings and grandparents also find themselves speaking this new language naturally and with ease.
第一个现象是，她突然就精通了说“妈妈语”的神奇能力。这门语言有几个特征：语速较慢，音频高，语调多样化。强调某些表述，简化词汇。这一切都是自动和本能反应，有助于孩子学习。当然，这并不仅仅局限于母亲：父亲、兄弟姐妹和祖父母也发现自己可以自然、轻松地说这门新语言。
The second phenomenon is that parents have theinstinctive knowledge that in order to develop their child’s languageabilities, they must present her with what she understands plus one level above. If you speak to children using only words and concepts they understand,they won’t progress. So “Language Plus One” is an instinctive and crucial partof language learning. And finally, we come to:
第二个现象是，父母有一种为了开发孩子的语言能力而具有的本能的知识，即必须向孩子展示比孩子所理解的更深一层的内容。如果只用孩子能理解的单词和概念与他们交流，他们就不会进步。因此，“语言加一”是语言学习的本能和关键部分。最后一个是：
Read, Read, Read
读，读，读
Just go out and fill your home with books – there is a wealth of fantastic material you can read to young children and it is one of the best ways for them to pick up the language.
只需出去多买些书回来，可以给孩子读很多奇妙的材料，这是孩子学习语言的最好方法之一。
And don’t worry about what they do or don’tunderstand. Knowledge is gained gradually, and what they can’t grasp the firstweek, they will the next. This will develop their linguistic understanding,their patience for longer texts, and other capacities as well.
别担心他们能够懂多少。获得知识是个循序渐进的过程，他们第一周不能掌握的知识，第二周就会掌握。这将开发出孩子的语言理解能力、对较长文本的耐心以及其他能力。
Again, it’s best to start as early as possible,because you want their reading comprehension to remain synchronized with theircognitive skills, otherwise, the material for their age will be too advanced,and the material they are able to read will be too childish for them.
同样，最好尽早开始，因为需要让孩子的阅读理解能力与其认知技能保持同步，否则，这些材料相对孩子的年龄来说会太高级，孩子能够阅读的材料对孩子来说又会太幼稚。
⭐⭐⭐Conclusion
⭐⭐⭐结论
Children need syxingxstematic exposure to a language –mother tongue or foreign – if they are to develop the ability to understand andspeak it.
需要让孩子系统化接触一门语言，即母语或外语，才能培养孩子对于语言的理解和说话能力。
So if you want your child to learn English, try tostart at birth, or at least during the first year. If you’ve missed thatinitial window, then try to start during the first two years; the earlier thebetter. Put your child in a fun, nurturing, diverse environment that will helpthem to learn the language in a natural, systematic way.
所以，如果想让孩子学习英语，则应尝试从孩子出生时就开始，最低限度在一岁时应该开始。如果错过以上最佳时间，则试着在孩子两岁前开始，越早越好。给孩子一种有趣的、有教养的、多样的环境，帮助孩子以一种自然的、系统化的方式学习语言。
And – super important – if they are learningEnglish with the Helen Doron methodology, don’t just leave it to the school andteacher. Do whatever you can to support it at home. If your English is goodenough, read to them. And when they are at home and hear you speak wordsthey’ve already learned in class, this will strengthen their skills to no end.
而且，特别重要的是，如果让孩子采用海伦多兰方法学习英语，请勿只是交给学校和老师。您需要在家中尽最大努力帮助孩子学习。如果您精通英语，可以多读读给孩子听。当孩子在家听到您说出他们在课堂上已经学过的单词时，就会极大增强他们的技能。
Next post, we’ll further explore some componentscrucial to children’s language development – including the parent-childconnection.
下一期我们将进一步探讨对儿童语言发展至关重要的一些内容，包括亲子关系。
来海伦多兰激发和培养孩子创造力，感受零添加英语课堂！海伦多兰英语不止是英语这么简单！
海伦多兰
www.helendoron.com.cn
