The Best Way to Increase Vocabulary in English (日本語訳）

語彙を増やす一番よい方法




お子さんの英語の語彙を増やす一番良い方法は、読むことを通して学ぶ方法です。
研究によると、子供の第一言語の語彙力は読書量に直接かかわっていることが常に示されています。(King and Mackey, p. 104)　同じことが、第二言語にも言えます。お子さんに英語で読み聞かせをしてあげれば、お子さんたちの語彙は増えていきます。英語があなたの第一言語であるかどうかは関係ありません。お母さんがもっと子供向けの本を読むことで、英語の知識もどんどん増えていこことを実感するでしょう。確かに大変かもしれませんが、あなたにとっても、あなたのお子さんにとっても、十分がんばってみる価値があるのではないでしょうか。

私はこのことを自分自信の経験から述べています。主人と私は私たちの子供たちをトライリンガル（三ヶ国を話せる人）に育てているからです。私たち自身は両方とも英語のネイティブスピーカーですが、私は息子たちに私の第二言語であるスペイン語で話し、主人はドイツ語で話します。最初は大変でしたが、私は、子供たちに第二言語を話す能力を身につけさせてあげることは、私たちが与えてあげられる素晴らしい贈り物だと思っています。読書（読み聞かせ）は私の息子だけでなく、私の語彙力も上げてくれました。

エリック・カールの本は特に人気の高い本です。絵と繰り返しの多い彼の絵本は、世代を超えて子供たちに大人気です。そして、赤ちゃんから小学3年生までの幅広い子供たちにとって魅力のある本です。お子さんと一緒に本を読んでみてください。絵について英語で話してみましょう。そして、もう一度読みましょう。子供たちは同じ本を何度も読みたがります。そして、これが子供たち自身が自分で読む力を身につけるのに一番良い方法なのです。私は"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See"を私の2才の息子に何度も読んであげました。ある日彼は本を持って、私がやるように、まだ赤ちゃんの弟に読んであげているのです。2才の息子はまだ自分では読めませんが、本を暗記してしまっていたのです。私は彼がどれほどよくストーリーを分かっているか驚きましたし、彼が本を読むことが大好きだということにわくわくしました。読み聞かせをしてあげたことが彼にとって大きな利益になっていた、ということが証明されたのです。

お子さんの語彙力を伸ばすのに、読み聞かせをお勧めします。そして、エリックカールの絵本からスタートしてください。彼の本は私たちのTESOP TIPSのストアから購入いただけます。私たちあなたのお子さんの年齢と興味にあった本を定期的に更新していきます。また、お子さんの英語力をさらに伸ばすための英語の本の使い方も引き続き扱っていきます。

一緒に読むことで、あなたと、あなたのお子さんの語彙を増やしましょう。そして英語でその本について話すことで、あなたの英語もより流暢に、そして英語で話すことが楽になっていくことに気づくでしょう。


*"The Bilingual Edge" by Kendall King and Alison Mackey

The Best Way to Increase Vocabulary in English

The best way to increase your child’s English vocabulary is through reading. Research has consistently demonstrated that a child’s vocabulary in their first language is directly related to the amount that they are read too. (King and Mackey, p. 104) The same holds true for a child’s second language as well. The more you read to your child in English, the better their vocabularies will be.
It does not matter that English is not your first language. You will find that the more you read children’s books, your knowledge of the English language will significantly increase. I understand that this can be challenging, but the benefits to both you and your child are well worth the effort.

I am speaking from experience on this topic as my husband and I are raising our children to be trilingual. We are both native English speakers, yet I speak to our sons in Spanish, and he speaks to them in German, our second languages. Originally this was a major challenge for me, but I feel that one of the best gifts that you can give your children is the ability to speak a second language. Reading has dramatically increased not only the vocabulary of my son, but mine as well.
Start by reading simple books together with your child.

Books by Eric Carle are especially popular. The drawings and the repetition in the stories have proven to be a hit with children for generations, and they appeal to all ages from babies through third grade. Read the books together, talk about the pictures in English, and then read the books again. Children love to be read books repeatedly, and this is one of the ways in which they learn to read themselves. I have read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See" to my two-year-old son many times. One day I found that he was holding the book up and "reading" to his baby brother the same way that I do. He is too young to read himself, but had memorized the book. I was amazed at how well he knew the story and thrilled to see how much he loved reading. It was proof to me that reading to him has been of great benefit.

To increase your child’s vocabulary, I recommed reading, and start with books by Eric Carle. These can be purchased through our TESOL Tips store. We will be updating the store on a regular basis where you will be sure to find books that are age appropriate and of interest to your child. I will also continue to address different ways and methods that you can use books in English to further develop your child’s skills.

Through reading together, both you and your child will improve your vocabulary. By talking about the books in English you will find that your fluency and comfort with using English will develop too.

*"The Bilingual Edge" by Kendall King and Alison Mackey

Activities for teaching babies and toddlers （日本語訳）

「わ～!わ～!わ～!」私たちに聞こえてくるのは赤ちゃんの泣き声だけかもしれませんが、最近の研究によると、実は赤ちゃんのまわりで話されている言語が、赤ちゃんの泣き方に影響していることが発見されています。ドイツ、Wuerzburg大学 のKathleen Wermke は母語の「極めて早い段階での」影響を示す研究を行いました。どんなに幼い赤ちゃんでも言語を聞き、学んでいるのです。子供に第二言語を導入するのに早すぎるということはまったくなさそうです。


赤ちゃんに言語を導入するのに最適な方法のひとつは、何世代にもわたって伝えられてきたものが多いナーサリーライムを使用する方法です。“Patty-cake”は赤ちゃんならみんな大好きな人気の手遊びです。詞も手の動きもシンプルで、生まれたばかりの赤ちゃんや幼児でもできます。親ごさんや先生が赤ちゃんの手をとり、ライム（韻）に合わせて手を叩きます。

詞は以下のようになっています

Patty-cake patty-cake, baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can;
Pat it and prick it and mark it with B,
Put it in the oven for baby and me.

詞は簡単なように感じますが、赤ちゃんはpatty-cakeの手遊びがとにかく大好きです。子供たちは英語を聞いているだけでなく、赤ちゃんと大人との間にかなりの交流があります。研究によると、言語発達を促す一番の方法は人との交流を通してだそうです。



指遊びも赤ちゃんが聞いたり見たりするのに人気があり、指遊びは赤ちゃんたにアクティビティや歌を覚えるチャンスを与えてくれます。次に上げる歌と手の動きは簡単ですが、とても楽しく遊べます。この伝統的な歌はFrere Jacques (Are You Sleeping)の曲に合わせて歌います。

Where is Thumbkin?
(両手を身体のうしろに隠して)
Where is thumbkin?
Where is thumbkin?
Here I am
(右手の親指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
Here I am.
(左手の親指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
How are you this morning?
Very well, thank you.
Run away.
(右手を身体の後ろにかくす。)
Run away.
(左手を身体の後ろにかくす。)

Where is pointer?
Where is pointer?
Here I am
(右手の人差指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
Here I am.
(左手の人差指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away
(右手を身体の後ろにかくす。)
Run away.
(左手を身体の後ろにかくす。)

Where is tall man?
Where is tall man?
Here I am
(右手の中指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
Here I am.
(左手の中指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away
(右手を身体の後ろにかくす。)
Run away.
(左手を身体の後ろにかくす。)

Where is ring man?
Where is ring man?
Here I am
(右手の薬指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
Here I am.
(左手の薬指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away
(右手を身体の後ろにかくす。)
Run away.
(左手を身体の後ろにかくす。)

Where is pinkie?
Where is pinkie?
Here I am
(右手の小指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
Here I am.
(左手の小指を上下に動かしながら身体の前に持ってくる)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away
(右手を身体の後ろにかくす。)
Run away.
(左手を身体の後ろにかくす。)

歌と指遊びは赤ちゃんに英語を導入する素晴らしい方法です。言語学習を楽しくすることで、私たちは赤ちゃんや生徒たちが英語を第二言語として身につけることを助けることができるのです。

Activities for teaching babies and toddlers

    

     Wa! Wa! Wa!  We may only be hearing the cry of a baby, but new research has found that baby's cry is actually influenced by the language spoken in the environment in which they live.  Kathleen Wermke of the University of Wuerzburg in Germany, conducted research which showed an "extremely early" impact of native language.  Even young babies are listening to language and learning.  It seems that it is never to early to introduce a second language to a child. 
     One of the best ways to introduce language to babies is through nursery rhymes, many of which have been around for generations.  Patty-cake is a popular hand game that all babies seem to love.  Both the lyrics and the hand motions are simple, and this game can be played with newborns and toddlers.  The parent or teacher holds the babies hands and claps in rhythm to the rhyme.  The lyrics go:

Patty-cake patty-cake, baker's man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Pat it and prick it and mark it with B,

Put it in the oven for baby and me.

     While the lyrics seem simple, babies just love to play patty-cake.  Not only is the child hearing English, but there is quite a bit of interaction between baby and adult.  Research has shown that the best way to foster language development is through human interaction.

     Finger plays are also popular for babies to listen to and watch, and they provide toddlers with an activity and song to learn.  The lyrics and hand motions of the following song are simple to learn and yet fun to do.  This traditional song can be sung to the tune of Frere Jacques (Are You Sleeping)--

Where is Thumbkin?

(Hide your hands behind your back)

Where is thumbkin?

Where is thumbkin?

Here I am

(Bring right hand to front,

with thumb flexing-up and down)

Here I am.

(Bring left hand to front, with thumb flexing-up and down)
How are you this morning?

Very well, thank you.

Run away.

(Hide right hand behind back)

Run away.

(Hide left hand behind back)

Where is pointer?
Where is pointer?

Here I am

(Bring right hand to front, with index finger flexing-up and down)

Here I am.

(Bring left hand to front, with index finger flexing-up and down)

How are you this morning?

Very well, I thank you.

Run away

(Hide right hand behind back)

Run away.

(Hide left hand behind back)

Where is tall man?

Where is tall man?

Here I am

(Bring right hand to front, with third finger flexing-up and down)

Here I am.

(Bring left hand to front, with third finger flexing-up and down)

How are you this morning?

Very well, I thank you. 

Run away

(Hide right hand behind back)

Run away. (Hide left hand behind back)

Where is ring man?

Where is ring man?

Here I am

(Bring right hand to front,

with fourth finger flexing-up and down)

Here I am.

(Bring left hand to front, with fourth finger flexing-up and down)

How are you this morning?

Very well, I thank you.

Run away

(Hide right hand behind back)

Run away.

(Hide left hand behind back)

Where is pinkie?

Where is pinkie?

Here I am

(Bring right hand to front,

with pinkie finger flexing-up and down)

Here I am.

(Bring left hand to front, with pinkie finger flexing-up and down)

How are you this morning?

Very well, I thank you.

Run away

(Hide right hand behind back)

Run away.

(Hide left hand behind back)

     Songs and finger plays are a great way to introduce babies and toddlers to English.  By making language learning fun, through games and music, we can help our children and students in their acquisiton of English as a second language.

 
Resource:  "Does Your Baby Cry in French or German?"  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5A43TA20091105

Welcome to TESOL Tips

TESOL tips is a new blog that will be presenting ideas for the teaching and learning of English.  Parents, teachers and students will find useful ideas and activities that can be used either in the home or in the classroom.  All posts will appear in English and Japanese.  We look forward to helping you, your children, or your students acquire English as a Second Language.