對話校長｜紐約國際學校校長談留學和雙語教育（中英雙語）

Shelley Borrow Jackson:

紐約國際學校校長（2015年至今）

原Bement School校長（任職16年）

國際閱讀協(xié)會的專欄作家

中央公園教育委員會會員

原新英格蘭獨立學校聯(lián)盟董事

原美國初級寄宿學校聯(lián)盟主席

問: When is the best time for children to study in the US, in boarding school or with their family, respectively? If the goal is for children to be truly bilingual, not only able to use the language, but has deep understanding of the culture, think in the second language and make true good friends?

什么時候是孩子來美國上學的最佳時期，針對寄宿學校和走讀學校分別來說？ 如果我們的目標是讓孩子真正的中英雙語自如切換，英語對他們來說不僅僅是一種交流工具，并且對美國的文化有深刻的理解，可以用英語來思考，并且交到真正的好朋友？

答：Obviously, the earlier the better when it comes to language acquisition.

With that in mind, a child who moves to the US before he or she is emotionally ready to do so will have far greater concerns than not being bilingual.

There are many schools-- particularly junior boarding schools-- who will take students in middle school

or late elementary years, provide them with ELL support, and have them ready to attend strong secondary schools.

從語言學習來說，當然是越早越好。但是，如果孩子還沒做好精神上的準備就來到美國，會帶來比缺乏雙語能力更大的問題。

有許多學校--尤其是初級寄宿學校--會招收初中或小學高年級的學生，并且提供ELL英語語言學習指導(dǎo)，為他們升入好的中學做準備。

問：What did you do to help children from another country to acknowledge, address and adjust culture difference? What the most effective method? What is IANY doing in this regard?

你是怎么幫助來自另一個國家的孩子認識，解決和調(diào)整文化差異的？什么是最有效的方法？ 紐約國際學校在這方面做了哪些努力？

The schools who do this best make sure that the student can still find China within the new culture.

This should include Chinese teachers and other Chinese students and their parents.

They should see Chinese art on exhibit in the school, should find books with Chinese characters and settings in the library, and should have opportunities to eat familiar food.

Traditional Chinese holidays should be recognized.

It's very important for adults in the new school to model their own enthusiasm, respect, and interest in Chinese culture.

IANY is careful to do these things at all times.

答：在這方面做得最好的學校一定確保了學生能夠在新的文化中找到“中國”。

這包括：來自中國的老師，其他中國學生，及其學生的父母。

他們應(yīng)該能夠在學校看到中國的藝術(shù)作品；能夠在圖書館里找到中文書籍和相關(guān)的布置；并且能夠有機會吃他們熟悉的食物。

中國的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日應(yīng)該在學校得到承認。

新學校的成年人也要有對中

國文化的熱情，尊重和興趣，這非常重要。

紐約國際學校在任何時候都很注意這些事情。

問：How to get children interested in reading (English) books when it is hard for them?

如何讓孩子對閱讀（英文）書感興趣？

答：Choosing very engaging texts is critical.

They should be visually appealing, have characters that the children can relate to, and have plots or story lines which are compelling.

When at home, it is very important that children are reading books which are easy for them to read independently rather than at what we call an "instructional level.

"? Easy books are where children really cement their fluency; it's where they take note of grammar structures (like capital letters and punctuation), learn to make their reading sound fluid and expressive, and where they take risks in phrasing, tone, speed, etc.

Leave the more challenging and instructional reading to the teachers and in the classroom.

This is actually the same advice we give all children who are learning to read in English as well.

選擇特別有吸引力的書至關(guān)重要。

這些書應(yīng)該在視覺上對孩子有吸引力，有孩子可以聯(lián)系起來的角色，并且具有引人入勝的故事情節(jié)。

在家時，最重要的是讓孩子們閱讀易于獨立閱讀的書籍，而不是所謂的“教科書”。

易讀的書籍能讓孩子們正真鞏固英語的流利程度；注意到語法結(jié)構(gòu)（如大寫字母和標點符號）；學會更加流暢和富于表現(xiàn)力的朗讀方式；以及樂于在措辭、語調(diào)、語速方面進行“冒險”嘗試。

把更具挑戰(zhàn)性和教學性的閱讀材料留給老師在教室里進行。

這實際上也是我們給所有學習英語的孩子們的建議。

問：What are the common mistakes you see parents make when raising bilingual children? What's your suggestion to avoid making them?

你們看到父母在撫養(yǎng)雙語兒童時常犯的錯誤是什么？你有什么建議嗎？

答：Don't second guess your decision to raise a bilingual child!? If it's your family's language, stay true to it, and never let a school tell you that you should stop using it at home.

If you've sent your child to a bilingual program and you don't speak that language, you can find many cultural activities in New York which can continue weekend opportunities for your child to use the target language.

If you have any concerns about the child's ability to use the language outside of school, be sure to talk with your child's teachers.

They can guide you to ways to extend the language beyond the school day if it is advisable.

不要懷疑撫養(yǎng)雙語兒童這個決定！如果這是你們家庭的母語，當然要堅持，并且永遠不要讓學校告訴你，你們應(yīng)該在家里停止使用母語。

如果您已經(jīng)讓孩子參加雙語項目，但您不會說第二語言，您可以帶孩子參加一些文化活動。

周末的時候，紐約有許多這樣的活動，孩子們可以在活動中繼續(xù)使用第二語言。

如果您對于孩子在校外使用第二語言有任何的擔憂，請務(wù)必和老師溝通。

老師們會盡可能的給出怎么在校外培養(yǎng)孩子雙語能力的建議。

問：You have worked at both boarding schools and now day schools.

What types of children will thrive in boarding schools and what type of children do better in day schools?

您曾經(jīng)在寄宿學校工作，現(xiàn)在又在走讀學校工作。

什么類型的孩子會在寄宿學校中茁壯成長，什么類型的孩子在日校學習更好呢？

答：The answer to this question really lies within each family and their readiness to allow a child to join a boarding community.

The characteristics most boarding schools look for in their student body lie more in the social realm than the academic.

They want students who are eager to make friends and to be a good friend.

They want students who care about joining in community activities; a student who wants to study all weekend is typically not happy and not taking full advantage of boarding school life.

Students should have proven that they're excited to try new activities and who accept that they are not yet "fully cooked."

答：這就“因人而異”了，每個家庭的情況都不盡相同，比如是否做好了讓孩子進入寄宿學校的準備。

大多數(shù)寄宿學校更看重學生的社交能力而不是學業(yè)。

他們希望學生們樂于交朋友，并且能成為互相的好朋友；希望學生們積極參加社區(qū)活動。

如果一個學生更想把整個周末的時間都用在學習上，那他在寄宿學校通常不會開心，也無法充分利用寄宿學校的資源。

適合寄宿學校的學生應(yīng)該已經(jīng)表現(xiàn)出對嘗試新活動有濃厚的興趣，并且認同自己還沒有“完全煮熟”（有可塑性）。

問：Anything else you would like to share with Chinese parents?

您還有什么想與中國父母分享的嗎？

答：I would only reiterate how important it is to look for the ways in which a school demonstrates genuine affection and respect for Chinese culture.

Too many American schools are filling their ranks with Chinese students as revenue, rather than as cherished members of a school community.

我只想重申，尋找一所真正熱愛和尊重中國文化的學校是多么的重要。

太多的美國學校以中國學生為收入來源，而不是他們學校社區(qū)中重要的一員。

問：What are the grades you are currently accepting applications???The International Academy is accepting students for Pre-Nursery (age two) through Grade 3.

The school will add a grade each year until it reaches Grade 8.

您學校目前接受申請的年級有哪些？

答：紐約國際學校正在接受2歲到三年級的學生。

學校將每年增加一個年級，直到八年級。