Nuwe skool in SA - engels of afrikaans?

[Erik]

Wow, I go away for one day and all racism hell breaks loose? We're worse than the government, the next thing, we'll be blaming it on Verwoerd?

Honestly people a little understanding on both sides are needed. Please always remember that text doesn't convey the same as a face to face discussion. The rule of thumb should always be: "If something can be taken up in two ways and one way is hurtful, the other way is meant"

Personal attacks is just not on!

Living in peace and harmony is not always possible with people with varying opinions, but can we at least try to be a little tolerant and play the ball not the person.

[Gl!tter~Sm!tter]

Not only that...Drilling such negativity into a new member who came here for help is shameful, I'm embarrassed. High school kids carry on like this, adults shouldn't.

Nonetheless, not upholding either English or Afrikaans because I belong to both, you have to think with your head when it comes to deciding what's best regarding your children's education, not only with your heart. I chose the way that will make their adult lives easier. No one can really tell her what to do, in the end she will know.

DONE

[ST1]

Beste Vinnie

Ek is 'n spraaktaalterapeut en uit 'n professionele oogpunt moet ek sê: Afrikaans. Iemand anders het genoem van die navorsing wat bewys dat onderrig in jou moedertaal die beste is, veral in die grondslagfase. Dit is verseker so. Hoe beter die eerste taal vasgelê is, hoe makliker en hoe beter presteer kinders in hulle tweede taal, selfs op akademiese gebied.

Ons het vriende en familie wat 'n paar jaar terug reeds geëmigreer het terwyl hulle kinders reeds in onderskeidelik graad 2 en 3 was en beide het binne enkele maande suksesvol die aanpassing gemaak en is tans van die sterkste leerders in hulle klasse. Die onderwysers en selfs die hele onderwyssisteeem in Oz is volgens die mense wat ons ken eintlik baie goed gerat om kinders wat nou in hulle tweede taal leer te help.

Laastens sou ek jou aanmoedig om met van die skole in Pretoria te praat. Daar is van die skole wat vir Engels Tweede Taal die Engels Eerste Taal kurrikulum volg. (Ek dink Laerskool Lynnwood is so 'n skool). Verder is die getalle in klasse in die stad nogal van belang. By die Afrikaanse skole is dit dikwels makliker om getalle te beperk omdat die aanvraag vir plek in Afrikaanse skole baie minder is as die Engelse skole. Ouers wat in die Townships woon raak toenemend gefrustreerd met die swak onderrig in die skole daar en almal wat dit kan bekostig skryf hul kinders by die vorige model C skole in. Met bekostig verwys ek spesifiek na die vervoerkostes, want ouers is nie verplig om skoolgeld te betaal nie. Mens val ook in die voedingsarea van 'n skool as jy in die omgewing werk al woon jy nie daar nie.

Baie sterkte met julle groot besluite en julle planne vir oorsee.!

[RAD]

Dear Vennie

Just my two cents worth. Whatever you decide also keep in mind that here in oz ther are some schools that have ESL classes. That means kids that have English as a Second Language. There are lots are speakers of foreign languages in Oz and the gov does their best to assist. There are dedicated ESL teachers and classes at some schools. This may be worth your while to investigate this further

[Nev]

The future of your kids will be in an English speaking country, they will need to learn and fit in in the English language

No matter how easily they learn at a young age by sending them to a English school you will be making it easier for them when they arrive here, they will have enough problems trying to integrate without making language another thing they have to contend with

I also think the English school will help tone down the accent and that should also help the kids integrate

My wife is Afrikaans, we have decided that our kids will be brought up / taught in English it is the international business language as well as being the Australian Language, and having it as a first language will give them just that little bit more of an edge

Edited November 4, 2012 by Nev

[Toitjie]

I'm curious why the Afrikaans accent is such a thorn in people's sides. I have heard it many times that our accents should be minimised, although you will never hear a Brit saying they should work on that accent, or an American for that matter. It might sound silly but your accent is part of who you are, and unless you are ashamed of yourself, I don't think one should avtively try to get rid of it. I love it when there is an ozzie accent in an american movie, to me that sounds very sexy. In Desperate Housewives there was an Ozzie and he was one of my favourite characters. No hiding that accent I know our kids will probably lose the accent in any case, I was just wondering why its only our accent that always gets scrutinised? And I'm asking out of genuine curiosity, bcause Nev brought it up, not because I want to confront anyone..

[zoot]

Hi Toitjie I think some people feel it is important to try and sound like the people in the country they are moving too so if they go to the USA they want to sound more American than the Americans so probably think that speaking Ozzie English with an Afrikaans accent wont sound Ozzie enough. But hey dont worry about it, it is not just the Afrikaans accent - in South Africa I was given a hard time as I had too much of an English (as in UK) accent and in Australia I keep getting teased about my South African accent. Whatever - each state has a distinct accent, regional and city have different accents not to mention all the different nationalities that make up Australia just bringing their accent in too. You and your kids will sound well like yo , whatever that sounds like. You kids will probably speak English with an Australian accent and Afrikaans with a South African Afrikaans accent - keeps things interesting!!!

[Nev]

Yep I agree with zoot and just to add:

Relating to adults the accent can make people a bit more difficult to understand as well as some people in Auz stereotyping south Africans but this is workable as adults are a bit more mature about it (Well most)

Back to the children topic though kids are pretty straight forwards relating to this, they want to fit in so that they can make friends, kids who are different will find it more difficult to integrate and probably get a lot more teasing because they are different, this is also why kids seem to Australianize and pick up the accent so fast, they are trying to fit in as fast as possible and having a english second language and heavy accent will make this more difficult for them

Edited November 4, 2012 by Nev

[zoot]

Vennie I dont think it is a choice between Afrikaans and English schools as your kids will be fine when they get to Oz either way because they will hear it, see it, read it at every turn - but more important that the school you change them to has a good standard of education and they receive solid foundation skills that they can rely on when they get to Oz especially as from what others have said they start reading and writing earlier than in South Africa. You know your kids and how they adapt to changes some thrive others find it very stressful in which case a move to an English school and then a move to Oz may be just too much. Dont compromise on their education either because you feel they must be educated in English to fit in in Oz or Afrikaans as this would be their last opportunity and that is what the family wants Not sure when you were thinking of making the move but if you have a bit of a gap between finishing up in South Africa and starting school in Oz get involved with social groups which allow the kids to familiarise themselves with Australian English.

[Vennie]

Dankie vir almal se opinies ens.

Ons het ons keuse gemaak.

Sterkte vir julle wat in dieselfde bootjie is.

Groetnis!

[Lynnie]

Vennie - kyk gerus na hierdie site ook: ABC alphabet and Phonemic Awareness Practice for Kindergarten, ESL (EFL), Preschool & Special Education

Dit is volgens my opinie beter as die Reading Eggs en dit is gratis :ilikeit:

[Erik]

Dankie vir almal se opinies ens.

Ons het ons keuse gemaak.

Sterkte vir julle wat in dieselfde bootjie is.

Groetnis!

And....

(don't leave us hanging )

[Guest Eager2go]

Hi Vennie

An idea (and a bit on the fence) from my side, have a look at St Paulus in PTA East. Just behind the CSIR. Dual medium and I think currently about 60/40 English/Afrikaans. I have friends with children at the school and they are particularly happy there.

It's a private school, so school fees might be an issue, but it might offer you the best of both world.

Good luck

You certainly opened a can of worms