英语辩论赛材料提供

Early Childhood is the Best Time to Learn English
幼儿时期是学习美语的最佳时机

Early childhood is the best time to learn a language. By the age of four, children are making up stories and expressing their opinions. By the age of six children are getting better motor control over writing utensils and have started to 'write.' They also have the natural, open, free time available to play and explore in an unstructured but productive way. A young child's play-time is essential learning time- why not give them the best 'toys' possible? 幼儿时期是学习美语的最佳时机。根据幼教专家的研究： 四岁的孩子已经可以自创出一些故事并且懂得如何表达一己之意见。当孩子六岁的时候? A他们对书写工具的操作能力也更臻成熟了。因而激起孩子练习「写字」的欲望， 孩子也因此而开始练习「写字」。孩子在自然、开放的环境下可以随心所欲地去探索与学习， 并从游戏的过程中，建立起最有效率的学习方式。幼儿的游戏时间也就是孩子的学习时间， 玩具则是很重要的学习工具。因此，何不为孩子选择最适合并且最能激起孩子学习潜能的优良玩具呢？

Not only is a child ready in terms of their physical development- their brains are very capable as well. Research shows a child can be exposed to several languages at once without any detriment or confusion. Unfortunately, studies of the development of the human brain also show that after the age of six, a child's ability to learn a new language appears to decline rapidly. 常言道：「学 无止尽」这句话在幼儿的身上更是得到百分之百的印证。 因为即使是刚出世的新生儿无论是在体能上或是大脑的功能都已经有绝对的学习能力。 研究报告指出：幼儿可以同时学习数种不同的语言而不会有所混淆。然而， 人类大脑功能发展的研究也指出：孩童的语言学习能力在六岁以后将会快速地降低、减弱。

It is important to take advantage of this 'window of opportunity.' During this time children have a great chance to learn another language. Parents and educators can offer experience and exposure that children need during this time to acquire language skills. Why wait until our children are much older before we begin to teach our children English? A great opportunity may be lost. 因此， 我们应该把握这段学习语言的「黄金时期」。从零岁到六岁这段时期， 孩子可以很轻易地学会数种语言而不需经过刻意的苦读。 家长与教育学者可以利用个人的经验为孩子营造出一个最佳的语言学习环境。善用这段「黄金时期」， 不要让这个美好的学习岁月留白，让孩子在自然的环境下学会外语。 我们应该好好地把握这个「黄金时期」不要让它轻易地从我们的手中流逝。

Children don't have to 'study' English; children acquire English naturally 孩子是天生的语言家；孩子不需要刻意地去「学习」 美语。

Adults approach language learning in a systematic orderly way. The memorization of verb conjugations ('to be,' 'is,' 'am,' 'are') is a typically systematic and adult-like approach to learning English. Adults study language as grammatical forms and patterns. Even older children can systematize categories of words and functions of words. This is considered formal 'learning.' 成人学习语言的方 式乃是采循序渐进的学习系统。例如：动词变化( "to be" " is," "am," "are")的背诵就是成人学习美语的典型步骤。成人学 习美语的方式就好像是文法和词句范例般的生硬不自然。 但是，即使是年纪较大的孩子在学习美语时， 仍旧采取词汇分级系统与字汇功能与用法的方式来学习而非强记的背诵方法。 这也是就是所谓的正统「学习」法。

Young children, on the other hand, are natural language acquirers. Young children do not need to approach language 'acquisition' in this way. Children can infer meaning from context and absorb language directly through experience. What parents and educators need to do is allow the children to explore with their own natural curiosity. The most important factor in a child's language acquisition process is exposure: the amount of exposure and quality of exposure to English.
每个孩子都是天生的语言学习家。 因为他们不需要利用这种非自然的方式来学习语言。 孩子可以从词意中直接学习并且藉由学习的经验与机会印证来学习语言。 家长和语言教育学者只要让孩子秉持著对学习的好奇心与求知的欲望让孩子自由自在地在知识的领域中心探索学习。 而孩子对知识的好奇心与探索的欲望乃是语言学习的主要动力之一。 美语的学习成就也因环境的优异与否而有所差异。由此可知， 唯有良好的语言学习环境才能激出孩子的学习潜能，并且将其语言的学习能力发挥地淋漓尽致。

How the ZP program works ZP focuses on increasing the opportunities for exposure to English. To do this, ZP optimizes the quality of experience and promotes a child's involvement. ZP incites the natural curiosity and intelligence of every young child. It does this through its teaching approach, age appropriate content, activities, and a rewards system. ZP产品主要是为孩子提供一个良好的 学习环境，让孩子浸淫在美语的世界中。 ZP不仅给孩子一个极大的学习空间与学习经验并且鼓励孩子身体力行， 亲身去体验这个特殊而自然的学习方式。除此之外，ZP更以自然的学习方式激发出孩子与生俱来的学习欲望与智慧。 ZP还采了用了自然教授法和年龄分级的文教内容以及游戏与鼓励的奖励方式来激发孩子学习语言的潜能与兴趣。

Playtime is learning time. Songs, stories, DIY, games, and activities provide English content kids can relate to by having fun. • A wide range of learning tools and materials are provided for the varied family and child needs. • 'Just enough' Chinese to make the materials understandable and useful. • Appropriate challenges to stretch a child's ability while not frustrating him or her. Bringing the child over the bridge of what he or she knows to what they don't know. • Encouragement and Rewards promote further exploration and involvement- this is not a high pressured or competitive system. For children to enjoy learning, early success is very important. l 从游戏中学习：ZP藉著歌唱、故事、亲身参与制造的DIY游戏和好玩的游戏来传递美语的体材与内容， 让孩子可以轻松自然地从游戏中学会道地的美语。 l 丰富的学习体材与辅助工具：所有的学习内容与辅助工具都是经 过专家设计，适合每个家庭与孩子的需求。 l 「适量」的中文：「适量」的中文让孩子可以轻易地了解产品的内容， 进而把这套产品的功能发挥至极。 l适度的挑战：藉由适度的挑战来激发孩子的学习潜能，孩子也不会因为难度而丧失 学习的兴趣。 孩子也可以从这些挑战争为已知与未知之间搭起学习的桥梁，让孩子可以更轻松地跨越学习的障碍。 l 鼓励与奖励： 适时的鼓励与奖励更能激出孩子的学习潜能与亲身参与的欲望。 鼓励与奖励本身并不是一个高压力与高竞争的系统， 它主要是希望让孩子从鼓励与奖励中享受学习的乐趣和品尝成功的喜悦。

The ZP program ZP产品 The Zippy program works through a variety of media, Videos, Books and even CD-ROMs. Most importantly, children belong to a club and this keep them involved and keeps on giving them new material to learn with- every month! ZP除了含括各种不同的视听产物如：录影带，书籍，CD和光碟外， 孩子也将成为我们的专属会员并且享有会员专属的权益。除此之外， 孩子每个月还会收到新的学习题材与内容， 孩子可以从这些丰富的体材与内容轻松地学一口道地的美语。