local or international?? hurry!!

We felt it was important to set the tone at home right from the day dot - So I've been speaking to Sophie, our 5-mth-old, in English while my wife has been using Cantonese. On top of that, my grandma and my parents, who live next door, speak to the poor thing in Hakka! Parenting is new to both of us, but it's early days and we hope to go on as we started. (However, I've started being self-conscious and worrying about what Sophie will think when she hears me speak Cantonese, e.g., to her Mum, but not to her! Has anyone had this worry, and how did it pan out for you?)

Anyway, I'm a BBC with Cantonese and Hakka as my 2nd and 3rd languages. My wife was born in China but moved to HK when she was young, so Cantonese, Putonghua and English are her 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Apparently, most children are able to assimilate up to five languages easily, so I won't worry about Sophie maybe losing one or two of them over the years - they can pick up fluency in any language up till age 8 or 9 (however, from personal experience, I suspect this does not apply to reading and writing Chinese). http://www.bilingualbabies.org/modules/xoopsfaq/index.php?cat_id=2#q2

As for schooling, in today's HK it has to be the less-stressful option despite the costs - To me, it doesn't matter what language Sophie uses as long as she has an education which allows her to grow happily.
 
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I am white British with a Mandarin speaking wife. Our son speaks to me in English and his mum in Mandarin. He also speaks Cantonese at kindergarten and is learning to read and write in both languages. He has no problem with the fact that I speak Mandarin to my wife, but objects strongly if either of us speak to him in the "opposite" language or in Cantonese. I don't think you'll have a problem.
 
sending the child to 2 schools?

Shaz,
I?ve tried not to think about it but time is running short and I think we?ll need a decision very soon. I prefer international but my hubby wants local. He feels if our girl is to stay in HK, learning Chinese is a must. If she can manage to get in some good local school, he won't mind letting her study there. If it doesn't work out, then we can switch her back to international. While not every school is the same, I don't like the competition and the traditional way of teaching in local schools. My husband is more open on this. So if we can put her in local and give her extra English lessons, can we also put her in int'l and give her extra Chinese lessons? I think Chinese is important too but I?d want an easier way to learn it, rather than thru numerous homework and tests, if that?s possible.

Roger,
My husband thinks exactly like you. We both are Chinese and have spent quite a number of years overseas. In order to maintain both languages, we speak English to our daughter and my mother-in-law and everybody else speak Cantonese to her. She doesn?t have problem understanding Cantonese but she doesn?t speak it as well as English.

Some people suggested sending her to an international kindie that offers both English and Mandarin but these kindies, e.g. Yew Chung, Kingston are awful expensive. What about local in the morning and international in the afternoon? I know some parents do that but I?m afraid it would be too much for the child, not being able to have a nap in the afternoon.
 
i am finally comfortable with my choice and my son is happy at school now learning in his preferred language which is english. we encourage cantonese at home and he takes an art class on saturdays in canto. it has improved and he is finding it more interesting to talk in canto. especially when his mummy does.

there are kinndies that have bilingual teaching you just gotta do your homework one i can think of is the ascot internatonal kindie where there use both eng. and cant. to teach. personally, i feel all day school is too much for a child so young.

besides the local traditional schools dont forget there are alot of choices out there such as the DSS schools which unfrtuntely do have high competition,
 
i prefer International schools,
to learn more Chinese should not be the only one reason
to put the kid in local school.

however, i agree the tution cost is a big consideration
 
Just to update you on the application process for local primary schools.
1. September of the year before Primary 1: Fill in a form from the Education Dept naming your preferred school, then take the form to the school on the required dates with the required documents (the ED will have specific info on this, but basically, your ID, Child's Birth Certificate & ID/Visa, Proof of Address, Proof of religious affiliation (if any and if required for extra points)
2. Half the places are allocated according to a points system related to the child's age, your relationship with the school (eg, you work there, are on the governing body or have the same religious affiliation), but NOT related to where you live. Children with older siblings in the school automatically get in. There are NO tests or interviews allowed.
3 The school will post a list of successful applicants in mid-late November. Successful applicants must then register with the school on the appointed dates. Unsuccessful students enter a clearing phase in January, where 3 schools are chosen, either the previous choice or other schools within your net. If you still don't get what you want, then you go to the school you want and plead your case with the principal.
Hope that clarifies things as regards applications.

Also, the government provides induction courses for non-local or non-Chinese speaking children who wish to use the local system.
 
Local or international???

I am completely lost:confused::confused::confused
Local, international, K1, P1 ESF.... could anybody explain what all this means?
I have a 2 and a half year old ( he will be 3 in May) and we are moving to HK by the end of the year.
I know the waiting lists are really long in HK and I should put him on the list as soon as possible but I need to understand how the system works before I do, any help?
He doesnt speak yet but he understands English and Spanish.
Any website were I can find some clariying info?

Thanks, :confused:
 
Gracias Rani.
Have anybody any experience with the YMCA international? Is it far from DB?
We are still not sure where to live but for what I have seen "Laguna Verde" seems pretty nice. Any nice kindergarden around? Is this area convenient for kids?
 
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