Mommy Dolphin is one of the founding mothers of Familogue. She has opened a podcast channel called "Little Dolphin and Skyer the Pirate" for children. Through this podcast, Mommy Dolphin helps her two children, aged 5 and 9, learn a second language through their first language, using Cantonese to open the door to English learning.
Mommy Dolphin knows that having a strong foundation in one's first language is important for developing language and reading abilities. When it comes to learning a second language in school, having a strong foundation in one's first language can make the learning process easier. Mommy Dolphin's youngest child grew up in Hong Kong and primarily spoke Cantonese with their family, only using their second language, English, when reading English books. Mommy Dolphin, who used to work as a speech therapist, has seen many cases where parents try to force their young children to learn English before they have a solid foundation in their first language. This can be problematic if the parents themselves are not fluent in English, and the child lacks a strong language context. As a result, the child may have difficulty developing language skills in both languages.
The message here is that parents should establish a solid language context in their strongest language, such as Cantonese, for their children in their early years. This foundation will serve as a bridge for them to learn a second language later on. There's no need to rush and confuse children with mixed languages during their early years. This podcast channel was created to encourage children to use Cantonese as a bridge to the English world and to spark their interest in people. The creators believe that if children are willing to listen to others and have the courage to express themselves, such as speaking in English, they will be motivated to learn the language.
This podcast channel invites people that Mommy Dolphin has met on her travels from all over the world to share their cultural stories. The creators hope that eventually, children will participate in the channel and share their own stories, creating a space for listening and speaking. Even though Mommy Dolphin and her older child, "Skyer the Pirate," are spending Mid-Autumn Festival in different places, they will always be under the same moon, telling the story of Hong Kong Mooncake in their familiar language. They wish everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a reunion with loved ones.
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