遠道而來的資優生 - 法國巴黎達文西中小學

忙碌的六月，除了暑期班提早開始外，也是因為遠道來了一個特別的團體---法國巴黎達文西中小學的小朋友。在他們來前，就已聽聞是一群學習力相當強的資優生來訪。雖然他們在巴黎只學習了一年的中文，可仍讓我好生煩惱了一陣，著實用心準備了更多的教具與內容相應，深怕砸了國語日報深耕多年中文教學的招牌。而他們的中文名字，更讓我花心思想了許久。要與法文名字諧音，又要有中文意境，還要好記，真的不容易！幸好，事後發現他們都相當喜愛。

雖只有短短三週的相處，我發現資優生的學習力並沒有想像中的快速，但他們對於任何事物的好奇心與熱情，卻是其他孩子的幾倍多。也因為如此，上課進度不快，可他們對句子與詞彙的印象卻更深刻了！另外，對於文化的相異處，他們也都敏銳的回應，這點從他們日前在中心上端午節教學可明顯的感受到。在端午節教學中，國語日報用粽子和香包的製作課程，讓孩子親身體驗中華文化。其中我教導的小孩子班（八、九歲）在此場記者會中相當搶鏡頭。尤其是帕歐齊這個孩子，因為想家，幾乎每天都在淚眼中歡笑的度過上課，卻在包粽子的課程當中，暫時忘卻思鄉之苦，邊包粽子邊興奮的說，糯米製品在法國很常見，他們也都很愛吃，可都沒有這種鹹口味的粽子，也沒有粽葉的香味，很可惜！他想要把這種食譜帶回去給他的父母，讓他們也可以享受這種好料理。

雖然這是達文西中小學孩子們第一次的來訪，可是他們都說明年他們還要來！開心哩～嘻嘻

另外兩篇文章是我選自中國郵報和國語日報的報導，跟各位分享之。

Gifted French children arrive on study trip - 轉載自中國郵報

Friday, June 6, 2008

CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A group of gifted children from Paris that is visiting Taiwan for a three-week travel-study program are not only improving their understanding of Mandarin Chinese but also experiencing aspects of Chinese culture, such as the coming Dragon Boat Festival.

Twenty-four students of the Leonardo De Vinci School of Paris, aged 8-13, who have already been studying Mandarin in France, arrived in late May to explore Taiwanese folk customs and culture.

With the approach of the June 8 Dragon Boat Festival -- one of the most important holidays of the Chinese calendar -- the students are being taught to make zongzi and "fragrant sachets," which are traditional Dragon Boat Festival highlights.

Zongzi are pyramid-shaped glutinous rice delicacies stuffed with savory fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves, traditionally eaten in conjunction with the festival, while the "fragrant sachets" are used to repel mosquitoes and other insects in the early summer months.

"French experts and psychologists believe that learning Mandarin can help these children develop their brain potential," said Liao Kuo-pao from Taiwan , who has taught Mandarin at the school for almost a year.

In addition, Tai Chi, a soft Chinese martial art, is used as a method for children to learn emotional control, Liao added.

During the travel-study program, organized in collaboration with Taiwan's Mandarin Daily News, the children learn Mandarin in the morning and take cultural lessons in the afternoon, such as puppetry, calligraphy, the game of go and kung fu, as well as visiting various points of interest in Taipei, said Helene Duchatelle, a teacher accompanying the children.

The private Leonardo De Vinci School of Paris, which caters to children ranging from kindergarten to high school age, is for children who are intellectually gifted.

Three languages -- French, English and Mandarin -- are obligatory, while German and Spanish are elective subjects, said Liao.

The school started its Mandarin courses about five years ago, catching the first tide of the global Mandarin learning trend, according to Liao.

法國兒童包粽子 齒頰留香 - 轉載自國語日報

趙瑜婷／臺北報導　

「手快打結了！」法國巴黎達文西中小學的學生，日前來國語日報社學中文。昨天首度嘗試包粽子時，為了把粽葉摺成立體形狀，小朋友的手忙得「轉來轉去」，但吃到熱騰騰的成品後，有人就說：「香味還留在嘴巴裡！」

　粽子包著香菇、三層肉、蝦米等材料，法國小朋友最愛的卻是糯米！帕歐齊說，糯米在法國很常見，都作成甜或鹹的餐點，卻沒有粽子的香味。

　來臺已超過一個星期，帕歐齊認為，臺灣人很注重衛生，因為「街上很多人都戴著口罩」，在法國從沒見過。亞歷山大則覺得，比起法國人的隨性，臺灣人很有秩序，像捷運上不能吃食物，車廂也非常乾淨。
　在報社學習「功夫」，也讓小朋友印象深刻。高朱廷很喜歡練氣功，尤其把手舉起來吸氣，放下手吐氣的招數，讓人心情放鬆。個頭嬌小的馬喬丹，則在學習「推手」時，運用技巧讓教師移動腳步，也讓她很有成就感。