英语启蒙越早越好？看学术权威怎么说 - 英语教学法原著选读110（家长指南 视频语言探讨 有奖练习 签到）

特刊：选择英语教材的主要原则和注意事项有哪些？ - 英语教学法原著选读109

原创不易，公益翻译，请随手转发。感谢！

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家长指南

在今天的选读文章中，Lightbown和Spada两位专家提出，如果学习强度不够，那么即便外语启蒙再早，也很难达到高水平。另外，如果学习外语的目的不是出国，而是留在仍然以母语为主要语言的国内，那么英语学习完全可以到10-12岁再开始。我相信，这样的结论对于国内许多为孩子究竟什么时候启蒙才好而困惑的家长、为孩子究竟要多早启蒙才好而焦虑的家长来说，会是一种心情上的舒缓。启蒙晚不见得就学不好！

不过，也有不少生活在北上广深等“一二”线城市的家长，为当地的中小学入学竞争环境所迫，不得不提前许多给孩子进行英语启蒙，则究竟几岁启蒙，似乎成了一个没有最终答案的无底洞，要能有多早就多早。总不能孩子还在娘胎里就听英语吧！但似乎市面上也有胎教英语的材料出来了……

那么，该怎么办呢？

根据今天选文中专家的观点，应该是：

一、英语启蒙，不应造成母语的缺失或能力损害，故英语启蒙不应早于孩子母语表达能力成型、成熟。对于大部分孩子来说，这个时间是五周岁左右，也有早一些的，三周岁。再早，对孩子的汉语语言能力可能造成损害，并且这种损害究竟是否可逆，现在还说不清楚。此外，即便孩子的母语表达能力已经成型，英语学习的时间也不宜过长，对汉语的学习也应该继续。

二、五岁起，有条件的家庭可以开始英语启蒙。事实上，与其纠结究竟几岁启蒙，不如多考虑一下英语学习的强度和持久期限问题。明白点说就是：

1、英语启蒙课程的强度——或者说频度和教学时长——是否足以在不是特别长的时间内使孩子取得较为显著的进步，比如一年里掌握500词，能看简单的绘本？如果不能，那么可能会如同今天的选文中所说，长期的学习却没有明显收效，学习者——孩子——的学习积极性可能会受挫；

2、英语启蒙完成后，跟上的英语课程能否保持或进一步加大学习强度，并一直延续到学校英语学习开始？学校英语课程开始后，还是否准备保持这样的课外学习强度，从而使孩子的英语学习强度一直保持在一个比较高的水平，从而促进其英语学习一直取得进步？

如果这两个问题都想清楚了，并且有决心坚持下去，那么不管启蒙是早还是晚，我想其实都不影响孩子未来在英语学习中取得满意的结果。

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以下英文原文取自上海外语教育出版社引进出版、授权转载的“外语教学法丛书”之九《语言学习机制》第三章“Factors affecting second language learning（影响第二语言学习的因素）”：

以下在线视频，建议全屏播放，能够看得更清楚，尤其是第一段，文字较多，不放大眼睛受不了。

原文（作者：Lightbown & Spada）

译文（翻译：Liz，审校：武太白）

Heading: Research on learner characteristics

学习者特征研究

At what age should second language instruction begin? 

第二语言教学应该什么时候开始？

Even people who know nothing about the critical period research are certain that, in school programs for second or foreign language teaching, ‘younger is better’. However, both experience and research show that older learners can attain high, if not 'native,’ levels of proficiency in their second language. Furthermore, it is essential to think carefully about the goals of an instructional program and the context in which it occurs before we jump to conclusions about the necessity — or even the desirability — of the earliest possible start.

即使是那些对关键期研究一无所知的人也肯定，在第二语言或外语的学校课程中，“年龄越小越好”。然而，经验和研究都表明，年龄较大的语言学习者即使不能达到“母语”水平，也可以在第二语言的熟练程度上达到较高的水平。此外，在我们匆匆得出“尽早开始有必要”、甚或“尽早开始有好处”这一结论之前，有必要仔细思考教学课程的目标和它所处的具体情况。

The role of the critical period in second language acquisition is still much debated. For every researcher who holds that there are maturational constraints on language acquisition, there is another who considers that the age factor cannot be separated from factors such as motivation, social identity, and the conditions for learning. They argue that older learners may well speak with an accent because they want to continue being identified with their first language cultural group, and adults rarely get access to the same quantity and quality of language input that children receive in play settings.

关键时期在二语习得中的作用仍备受争议。可以说有多少学者认为语言习得有“成熟期”限制，就有多少人认为年龄因素不能和诸如动机、社会身份和学习条件等因素相分离。他们认为，年纪较大的学习者说外语带有口音，完全有可能是因为他们想继续从他们的母语文化群族获得认同，而且与儿童从游戏环境中就能获得的相比，成人很少获得同等量和质的语言输入。

Many people conclude on the basis of studies such as those by Patkowski or Newport and Johnson that it is better to begin second language instruction as early as possible. Yet it is very important to bear in mind the context of these studies. They deal with the highest possible level of second language skills, the level at which a second language speaker is indistinguishable from a native speaker. But achieving a native-like mastery of the second language is not a goal for all second language learning, in all contexts.

在保特科夫斯基或纽波特、约翰逊的研究基础上，许多人得出了结论：最好尽早开始第二语言教学。然而，记住这些研究的背景是非常重要的。他们研究可能达到的最高水平的第二语言技能，即第二语言说话者与母语者的水平已无法区分。但是，对第二语言达到母语水平的掌握并非所有语境下、所有二语学习的目标。

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=g0519px12qk&width=500&height=375&auto=0

When the objective of second language learning is native-like mastery of the target language, it is usually desirable for the learner to be completely surrounded by the language as early as possible. However, as we saw in Chapter 1, early intensive exposure to the second language may entail the loss or incomplete development of the child's first language.

当第二语言学习的目的是母语般地掌握目标语言时，通常学习者最好尽早地、完全处于该语言环境中。然而，正如我们在第1章看到的，早期大量接触第二语言可能会导致儿童母语的缺失或不完整的发展。

When the goal is basic communicative ability for all students in a school setting, and when it is assumed that the child's native language will remain the primary language, it may be more efficient to begin second or foreign language teaching later. When learners receive only a few hours of instruction per week, learners who start later (for example, at age 10, 11, or 12) often catch up with those who began earlier. We have often seen second or foreign language programs which begin with very young learners but offer only minimal contact with the language. Even when students do make progress in these early-start programs, they sometimes find themselves placed in secondary school classes with students who have had no previous instruction. After years of classes, learners feel frustrated by the lack of progress, and their motivation to continue may be diminished. School programs should be based on realistic estimates of how long it takes to learn a second language. One or two hours a week will not produce very advanced second language speakers, no matter how young they were when they began.

当目标是学校环境里所有学生具备基本交际能力，并假定孩子的母语仍然是主要语言时，晚一点开始第二外语教学会更有效率。当学习者每周只接受几个小时的教学时，起步较晚的学习者（例如，在10岁，11岁，或12岁）经常赶上那些起步较早的。我们经常看到第二语言或外语课程中，学习者起始年龄很小，但只提供最小限度接触语言的机会。即使学生确实在这些早期课程中取得进步，他们有时也会和没有学过该语言的学生在同一所中学上课。经过多年的学习，学习者因缺乏进步感到沮丧，他们继续下去的动机可能会减少。学校计划应该基于现实的估计，即学习第二语言需要多长时间。每周一两个小时并不会培养出非常优秀的第二语言使用者，无论他们开始学时年龄有多小。

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=y0519g0jaua&width=500&height=375&auto=0

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Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F):

1.Researchers agree that "start as early as possible" is the best advice they can give to second language learning and teaching.

2.According to the authors, foreign language learning for students in their own country does not necessarily need to begin too early.

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