Need advice: How to teach "bilingual" math?

[Stodd]

Hi,
I need advice! My son is bilingual but when it came to the point that I started to introduce him math "lessons" I felt I had to choose the primary language. And I chose english since that will be the language he will use in school (we live in the US). Now he's 3 and of course his "English math" is stronger than the Hungarian. Even though I still do math slide shows for him in both languages.
I got this new idea to make a slide show using the numbers and the written words for the in both languages, like: 1 - one- egy.
I'm just not sure if it 's a good idea or not. I don't one to confuse him at the same time I think he already has strong bases to understand that it's the same.
What do you think?

[TeachingMyToddlers]

Go for it and watch his progress and how he responds. If he already has a relatively good grasp on both languages, what do you have to lose?! Kudos to you for being creative!

[aangeles]

Can he count to 10 or 20 in both languages? If he can, then I'm pretty sure he already understands that 1 and one and egy are the same. Still, no harm in making sure, so I would go ahead. You can also make slides showing just the quantity and the Hungarian word for it - so his little brain would not need to translate between languages when learning about numbers.

I have been teaching math to Ella in English and Chinese since we started, and I have found that she grasps concepts much faster in Chinese, although I am more comfortable teaching in English. Strange, huh? Anyway, good luck and let us know how it goes!

[queriquita]

ditto to aangeles post.  my son speaks more than one language and i've found that as long as he's given the vocabulary, he absorbs them the same.  for example, i can teach him a concept in english, and as long as he knows the words in one of the other languages, he can easily translate and the meaning is the same for him.  so, based on this alone, i'd say if your child is already being presented with the information in both languages, he's got it. of course, like aangeles, i'm wondering: is he demonstrating understanding in both?  that said, he may just have a preference for speaking one language.  often, understanding is easier than vocalizing.  my son will understand regardless of the language we choose, but sometimes he'll prefer to answer in one vs another, depending on his mood and his audience.  personally, i would keep each card with its own language.  can you give an example of how you feel he is 'stronger' in english?

[Stodd]

I think he thinks math in English. Because when I talk to him in the other language he answers me but with numbers he uses English. Other than that he is fluent in both languages, speaks and understand everything with a very nice vocabulary. I think the "problem" is that he has more influence in English now with preschool. Actually I'm the only one around him who speaks Hungarian and sometimes I have to use English because of my husband. I kind of knew that that will happen one day because I think is logical and I guess the only thing I can do is to do as much Hungarian as I can.
Thank you so much for everybody's help, encouragement.

[bella]

i also wanted to bring my kids bilinguals , we speak to them in french and english . but educational material and reading i couldn't do it in both languages and was feeling bad about it . my daughter is very advanced in her english reading and at five she picked a french book that teaches reading phonetically , i got it to try to prepare some french material for her , she opened it and read , no previous instructions from me . her only exposures in french are us talking , french dvds, songs , and books but really not a lot . occationally i need to remind her of some sounds she forgets and sound them out as if she is reading english , i tell her hey this is french and she corrects it immediately .
now i am ready with full french curriculum i like to follow with her , i love their cursive writing ,i found it all for free online the same curriculum used in our french school for 6-7 years old kids . she is amazing they work with what they call albums , basically six story books a year , they spend a month on every book , learn to read it , than do some copywork , creative writing ,.....
my tina read the whole book in one go and sat down to do the activities , i think we will finish a month worth of work in one week and only because we are doing rightstart math , history, science ,... lots of reading ,... in english .
talking about tina with a french teacher , he encouraged me to continue the way i am doing , he said it will be impossible and a waste of time to get math curriculum and do it in french , since i am working in english and i really didn't find anything in french that i liked like rightstart , he said she will leanr and understand all the concepts in english , but he encouraged me to include french vocabulary while doing math in english , and when we are doing problem solving i should give her some in english and others in french , so she gets used to think and reason and problemsolve in both languages .was wondering if those famous curriculum like singapore math could be found translated to french ?? Hypathia do you know of any french math curriculum using the abacus ??
so really i feel once he is comfortable with math since he understaand and can communicate in hangarian i don't see a problem for him to do math in this language .
viv

[Stodd]

Actually, that's my "fear" that my son will not be able to think of numbers and operations with numbers in hungarian. That's the same with me. I can speak and understand in English pritty much everything but when it comes to numbers, wierd but I have to translate and solve the problem in hungarian, translate it back to English.....That's what I would like to avoid with him.

[bella]

what age did you learn to speak english ?? where you bilingual all the time ??
viv

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