Dragon Kindergarten English First Grade (Tape)

Author: Fan Wenfang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Let children learn English effortlessly and joyfully through listening, speaking, singing, and moving! This book is based on the functionalist theory of child language acquisition by Halliday, one of the most influential linguists in the world today—a British functionalist linguist. It also incorporates the strengths of other language teaching theories (including theories of first and second language teaching) and research findings from the field of child psycholinguistics, aiming to explore methods suitable for Chinese children learning a foreign language. The book adopts the advantages of communicative teaching, placing the language being taught in relevant contexts rather than teaching words or sentence patterns in isolation. This allows children to learn English in real-life language environments or simulated scenarios, enabling them to recognize words from pictures and apply them in real-life situations. The book draws inspiration from the "Total Physical Response" (TPR) method developed by the renowned American psychologist James Asher, selecting action-oriented language to make it easier for children to respond with physical actions. This approach not only helps children better understand the language they are learning but also aligns with their active nature. However, research in child psycholinguistics has shown that children are not passive recipients of language but active thinkers who want to express their thoughts. Children aged 3 and above (or even earlier) are not only active but also love to talk. Speaking is one of the most important activities for children who have developed the ability to communicate. not only promotes the development of children's thinking and cognitive abilities but also accelerates the rapid development of their language itself. Therefore, this book advocates both physical responses and language use, encouraging children to learn English through hands-on, verbal, and mental activities.