New children's book series teaches English in context

Language is naturally acquired when children are able to use it pleasurably, and language acquisition by children themselves saves both time and labor, said English-language education expert Chen Yaping.

Based on observation and study, the professor at the School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University and director of its Child Language Research Centre, said Chinese children commonly lack access to authentic English dialogues for learning and using the language.

She suggested that children make use of dialogues that meet actual daily needs and read graded materials or picture books that match their cognitive level and interest and which are of practical use.

Chen said that reading is a shortcut to learning English in a foreign language environment, as quality reading materials introduce children to authentic dialogue they can replicate in real-life conversations.

"Children read because they love to read, not because they are told that reading is important for learning English. We should allow them to give up reading a book halfway through and pick up another that they are more interested in," Chen said.

She added that relieving anxiety, making children feel safe, and allowing them to experience a sense of accomplishment is vital to learning English.

Chen was speaking in Beijing on Wednesday at the launch ceremony of Fantastic English, a series of language learning products codeveloped by iHuman Inc, a Chinese online childhood edutainment provider, and the Oxford University Press.

This series for children aged between 6 and 12 includes graded readers, hands-on workbooks, and online lectures, among other materials.

The graded reading materials were written by Paul Shipton, an award-winning British children's author, and include 100 of his stories and cover a range of subjects, such as culture, history, nature, and technology.

"One of the best ways to learn English is to read and listen to lots of English, and these carefully graded readers give plenty of opportunity to do that, greatly benefiting language comprehension and English vocabulary," Shipton said in a video speech.

He added that the informational stories will expand readers' knowledge, develop their imaginations, and promote positive values.