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View Full Version : LeapPad learning system for learning english as a second language. Good idea?


Joao Barros
October 30th 03, 09:03 PM
I have been wondering if the LeapPadŽ Learning System
(http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findproduct?ageGroupID=ages_infant&id=leappadfirst)
is suitable for a non-english speaking 6 years old kid to learn
english as a second language. I would really like to see some opinions
about it.
Suggestions for alternative devices for this same purpose are also
welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Joao

Byron Canfield
October 31st 03, 04:33 AM
"Joao Barros" > wrote in message
om...
> I have been wondering if the LeapPadŽ Learning System
>
(http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findproduct?ageGroupID=ages_infant&id=leappadfir
st)
> is suitable for a non-english speaking 6 years old kid to learn
> english as a second language. I would really like to see some opinions
> about it.
> Suggestions for alternative devices for this same purpose are also
> welcome.
>
Not a device, per se, but Headsprout Early Reading, an on-line web-delivered
reading program, is being used by a many home users and schools for ESL
children: http://www.headsprout.com

Another point of note, no other program that purports to teach reading will
provide the guarantee provided by Headsprout (see:
http://www.headsprout.com/FAQs/#r4 ) -- note, not just "satisfaction" but
"amazement" is guaranteed. :)

"Your Amazement Guaranteed
Buy Headsprout and give it a real try and we guarantee you will be amazed.
Take as long as you want to complete the program, but you'll know right away
that it works. If you're not amazed at the progress you see within just 30
days, just send us an email within that time to receive a complete refund.
No hassles having to return anything - you keep the Headsprout Booklets and
Progress Map. There's no risk in purchasing Headsprout."


--
"There are 10 kinds of people in the world:
those who understand binary numbers and those who don't."
-----------------------------
Byron "Barn" Canfield

Donna Metler
October 31st 03, 01:56 PM
"Byron Canfield" > wrote in message
news:ackob.47931$mZ5.290851@attbi_s54...
> "Joao Barros" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I have been wondering if the LeapPadŽ Learning System
> >
>
(http://www.leapfrog.com/do/findproduct?ageGroupID=ages_infant&id=leappadfir
> st)
> > is suitable for a non-english speaking 6 years old kid to learn
> > english as a second language. I would really like to see some opinions
> > about it.
> > Suggestions for alternative devices for this same purpose are also
> > welcome.

>
Leapfrog now has some bilingual English/Spanish materials, and while they're
designed to help English speaking kids learn Spanish, it may help the other
way.

When I taught ESL, we used a scaffolding technique in reading, where we
would take isolated words which were key vocabulary and act them out, chant
them, dance them, and similar. Nouns which could be acted out or pointed to
(preferably a physical object, but a picture if needed), Action verbs, some
adjectives.

Then, we put the same words in sentences, and would act, sing, dance, and
chant the sentences.

Finally, this progressed to stories, where the children already had the key
vocabulary. This made it easier to teach other words in context.

Spanish-speaking children often do well learning reading phonetically, and
in our experience, teaching reading while teaching spoken language, if the
child is old enough to be beginning reading already, can be more effective
than just teaching spoken language, because as the child begins to decode
words, he puts the words with ones he's heard in context, and builds the
spoken vocabulary.

The biggest, and most important thing is to immerse the child in English.
Label everything. Watch Sesame Street and similar shows WITH your child, and
use it to help teach vocabulary. In general, young children learn pretty
quickly, and the faster you build the vocabulary, the more successful the
child will be.



>
> --
> "There are 10 kinds of people in the world:
> those who understand binary numbers and those who don't."
> -----------------------------
> Byron "Barn" Canfield
>