兩個孫兒在加拿大出生，如今已達青少年之齡，中文仍說得一塌糊塗，遑論閱讀和書寫能力。移民前何曾考慮過這些問題，今天要徹底補救也難以入手。最直接了當是送他們到週末之中文班學習，成績卻非常有限，結果還是中途而廢。
無論小孩子學習什麼東西，都要提起他們的興趣，學中文也是一樣。每次送孫兒上學，看見他那一臉無奈之表情，便知事倍功半，最後落得過全功盡廢。
孩子無心學中文的原因是：在日常生活中使用的都是英文，能否說中文半點也不妨礙與人溝通；中文學校所使用之教材既過時也乏味，課文與加拿大實地生活脫節，使學童不容易投入。從事教育和有心提倡中文的人士，對此有檢討的必要。
聞說粵語和國語歌曲在近年流行起來，要唱這些歌便必須學懂中文歌詞。學中文因此成了一種時尚，推動了學習的興趣。
加拿大和中國及香港之間往來頻密，年輕人和國人接觸的機會大增；奧運和世博舉辦後也引起一股往中國旅遊之熱潮，提高了華裔青少年甚至一些老外學習中文的興趣。中國經濟蓬勃發展，吸引了不少移民回流，並帶同一些甘願冒險的華裔子弟前往。到中國發展，中文能力成為不可或缺之條件。孔子學院一間連接一間在西方國家成立，滿足了這方面的需求。
中央電視台(CCTV)有多個頻道在西方國家推廣，無遠弗屆。廣播內容豐富，素質高，吸引了成千上萬之中外觀眾。除此之外，中文媒體如報章、雜誌、電台、電視、電影、文藝節目，多得不可勝數。這些媒介和活動有助於推廣中國文化。說中文將會成為一股熱流。
黄啓樟 2012/3/22於Fort Myers
http://www.davidkcwong.blogspot.com/
2012/4/12 加拿大商報
David:
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to induce ethnic Chinese children born overseas to learn Mandarin whose native language is not Chinese. Take my grandchildren as examples. One of them took Spanish as his second language until he graduated college and began to look for opportunities in China. Then he began to know the importance of knowing the language and is now taking private lessons on Mandarin. He is now 23. But another is farsighted and took up Mandarin as his second language while in college. He speaks the language perfectly and fluently and is now working in Shenzhen couching Chinese students to enroll in American universities. The best way to convince your grandchildren to learn Chinese is to have them spend some time in China when they are old enough to think. Take one of mine as an example. He said in awe while there: “Wow, China is so prosperous! Its freeway reminds me of those back in the US!”
Aloha, Joe
My hilary may be taking a study trip in China when she is older.
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