READING AND CHILDREN

[Marina Aptekman]

Just a few words towards the discussion on bilingualism.

It very much depends on the age. Also if both parents are Russian it is
easier than in just one person in the family speaks English. Strangely, I do
not think that Russian friends and grandparents help -the Russian-born
children in my heritage speakers class with worst Russian surprisingly came
from Brighton Beach. Hard work is the only way, I believe.

In my opinion two things are the best at the beginning if you child is
between 2 and 5. :

Gradually working every day for 15-20 minutes on reading skills. Start with
a famous "bukvar" of Natalia Pavlova. Also use her "Azbuka s krupnymi
bukvami" i "Pishem vmeste s azbukoj" by the  Introduce writing letters at
the same time as reading them. Do not use alphabet but phonics that means
use sounds rather than letters when you introduce them to the child. It will
help him/her understand the syllables concept much easier. (I mean, when you
show him "B", say "B" and not " BE". Move from sounds to syllabus than to
simple words. It also helps to write syllables in big print of printing
paper. Also, when he writes take a piece of paper, make lines like in the
"tetradka" but make them big so that there will be only 3-4 lines on the
paper and let the child firstly trace the letters then write them. Use
physical words like - "look it "B" - it has a straight back, a line for a
head and a really big belly. Keep repeating these words while the child
writes the letter. "Zhukova" and Pavlova are the best authors for early
"azbukas" and "Bukvars", then use the series called "Lomonosovskaia shkola"
- the go up gradually, starting with "chitaiu slova and predlozhenia" i
"pishu bukvy" till "Chitaiu legko i pravilno" and "pishu krasivo"> They are
fantastic. You can buy them on ruskniga.com from NY or on labirint.ru or
ozon.ru directly from Russian. Then use short books from the series "chitaem
po slogam" - these are child’s first real books - short fairy tales with a
limited number of lines per page (about 8-10). Read one page a day.

Zaitsev's blocks are good in the beginning but maybe are not worth the
price. If you buy them, buy the ones that are already pre-built. They are a
little more expensive but to make them from the so called kit is a horror!

I completely disagree about English books in Russian. Russian Vinni Push and
"Alisa in Wonderland" are part of Russian culture now as much as of the
English. Start with Marshak and Chukovsky, then move up Mumi-trolls and
"Mafin and ego veselye druzja", Suteev's and Dragunsky's stories, "Siniia
ptitsa", Andersen's and Perro's fairy tales  - just browse
ruskniga.comkid's book section -you will be amazed. Use books with
really good pictures.
And - as to the contemporary literature - we are in LOVE with Andrei Usachev
- especially "zhili byli ezhiki" and " umnaia sobachka Sonia". The very last
advice - buy a lot of CDs with tales, poems and stories in Russian. Let him
listen to them in the car while driving and at night when he/she goes to
sleep. It broadens the vocabulary very well. Also make him learn one short
poem a week - helps too.



And yes, of course, spending time in Russian does help with speaking skills,
not reading ones though.
    Udachi!

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