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4 comment(s)

Parents: take the initiative!

To The Editor:

I think it's time for people to stop fussing about the early French immersion program and start looking outside the box.

I agree that the school system is the primary institute of learning. But has anyone ever thought about alternatives?

The best time to start teaching your child both French and English is when they first start developing language in the first place -- from the moment they are born.

For those children whose parents are either both English, or both French, perhaps they can find day care in the other language.

As well, much emphasis has been put on the fact that New Brunswick is a bilingual province. If you want your child to be able to speak both why not ask friends and family to help out? Public Health also offers many programs to help parents accomplish the goal of getting their children to speak both.

The school system is not the only place to learn language. This is New Brunswick, both languages are all around you.

Instead of depending on the school system, take the initiative of finding ways to teach your children what you would like them to learn.

My own son is not quite two years old and despite my knowing both languages, he chooses to speak English. So I took the time to attend a few sessions at Public Health to acquire a few tips on how to help him learn French.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not confusing to young children to learn two languages at once. If our brains were wired to learn only one language, we would all be unilingual.

And I learned this by attending sessions at Public Health.

Children will learn what you expose them to. Language is a matter of choice, if you want your children to be English, that's your choice. Likewise for French.

Please do not blame the government. This is your opportunity to show your children how interested you are in their development.

Plenty of resources are available to you, the library, audio CD's or cassettes, radio, TV programs, even the Internet! Like previously mentioned, you can also ask family and friends to help.

Life is about learning and children learn languages better in their earlier years. So instead of blaming the government, take the opportunity to find ways for your children to learn from their environment outside of school.

You, as a parent, are a teacher and provider as well. Teach your children what you know and provide ways for them to learn what you can't teach.

Children learn more from their parents than anyone else.

Take the initiative!

E. Jamieson,

Moncton

Bilingualism thwarted

To The Editor:

The following letter was sent to provincial Ombudsman Bernard Richard:

I fully support Early French Immersion and am angered by the current New Brunswick government's interference in education. In fact, I would be in favour of introducing French in kindergarten. I currently have a child in Grade 1, who will benefit from the grandfathering system.

But my three-year-old will be brought up in a different system. I think the French Immersion program needs improvement, not erasure, and the sooner this is done the better.

Just to say, finally, that I felt that one big benefit of coming to New Brunswick was the fact that there was a French Immersion program valued by the province and this was one of the reasons I have stayed here. To realize how arbitrary this program is based on the current provincial government angers me and makes my decision for staying feel thwarted and as a parent and concerned citizen for bilingualism, unempowered.

This is not the way for New Brunswick to go.

Why not pride itself on its bilingual policies including education?

Anne Koval,

Associate Professor in Art History,

Department of Fine Arts,

Mount Allison University,

Sackville

(Via e-mail)

Where has Murphy been?

To The Editor:

I would like to ask a couple of questions to Brian F.P. Murphy, MP for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe in reference to his column in the March 18 edition of the Times & Transcript.

Question One: Mr. Murphy, if the Conservative Party of Canada has stolen all your programs, why did you not introduce and pass them in the House of Commons during the 13 years your party was in power? Do you not think you had enough time to do so?

Question Two: If you have so much pride in what you and your party are doing in Ottawa then please tell me why you are not voting on bills that come up in the House of Commons from time to time?

I shouldn't have to remind you that you were elected and sent to Ottawa to represent the people of your riding. Therefore, show them you are their representative by voting one way or another on all the bills that come up in the House.

Your hands must be getting very sore from sitting on them.

Quit hiding behind the curtains during the votes. This must be a new tactic of the Liberal Party because my member, Mr. Dominic LeBlanc of Beauséjour riding, is doing the same thing as you Mr. Murphy.

Just what are you and your party afraid of and what do you stand for?

It boggles my mind that you think the Liberals could do better than the Conservatives on Afghanistan or any other subject when you and your Party are "missing in action" in the House of Commons.

Burton Fearon,

Bass River

(Via e-mail)