English Enlightenment Stage

Goal: Cultivate interest in English and basic auditory and language perception skills.

Detailed Methods

1. Develop a Sense of Language through English Nursery Rhymes and Songs

   • Song Selection: Choose simple and repetitive English nursery rhymes and songs such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." These songs have simple melodies and repetitive lyrics, which help the baby to remember and imitate. GO
   • Playback Time: Play these songs at regular times each day, such as after waking up in the morning, during playtime in the afternoon, or before bedtime at night. Use a phone, tablet, or speaker to play the songs.
   • Interactive Activities: While playing the songs, parents can clap hands, sway their bodies, or make corresponding gestures to the rhythm of the music. This not only helps the baby feel the rhythm but also adds fun to the interaction.
   • Repetition: Play the same few songs repeatedly to help the baby become familiar with and remember them. Studies show that babies can better grasp language through repeated exposure to the same content.

2. Listen to Simple English Stories

   • Book Selection: Choose colorful and simple English picture books such as "Goodnight Moon" and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" These books have simple content that is easy for babies to understand.
   • Reading Time: Set a fixed reading time each day, such as before bedtime at night. This helps the baby develop a reading habit.
   • Expression Techniques: When reading the stories, parents should use rich expressions and gestures to attract the baby’s attention. For example, when reading about animals, they can imitate the sounds and actions of the animals.
   • Interactive Questions: During the reading, ask simple questions like “Where is the cat?” and point to the cat in the picture to gradually develop the baby's observation and comprehension skills.

Example Activities

1. Singing Time

   • Time Arrangement: Arrange 10-15 minutes of singing time every morning or afternoon.
   • Steps:
     • Parents and baby sit together on a carpet or baby chair.
     • Play an English nursery rhyme and sing along with the music.
     • While singing, parents can clap hands, sway their bodies, or do actions related to the song, like turning the steering wheel in "The Wheels on the Bus."
     • Encourage the baby to imitate the parents' actions to gradually develop a sense of participation.

2. Story Time

   • Time Arrangement: Arrange 10-15 minutes of story time every night before bedtime.
   • Steps:
     • Choose a simple English picture book, such as "Goodnight Moon."
     • Hold the baby and sit on a comfortable chair or bed, ensuring the baby can see the pictures in the book.
     • Read the story with expressive voices and point to the relevant content in the pictures.
     • Pause briefly after each page to give the baby time to observe and react.

3. Picture Card Game

   • Time Arrangement: Arrange 5-10 minutes of picture card game time every morning or afternoon.
   • Steps:
     • Prepare some picture cards, each with a simple word and a corresponding picture, such as “dog,” “cat,” “apple,” etc.
     • Show the cards to the baby one by one, say the word while looking at the card, and point to the object in the picture.
     • After showing each card, ask the baby, “Can you say ‘dog’?” to encourage the baby to try pronouncing the word.
     • Repeat these cards continuously to help the baby become familiar with and remember the words.

By following these detailed activity arrangements and methods, you can effectively lay the foundation for your baby's English learning during the 0-1 year stage.