Foreign Language Fun » Sesame Street http://foreignlanguagefun.com Where Language Learning is Child's Play Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:20:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Learn Basic Japanese with Big Bird: Ichi, Ni, San http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2008/08/learn-basic-japanese-with-big-bird-ichi-ni-san/ http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2008/08/learn-basic-japanese-with-big-bird-ichi-ni-san/#comments Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:49:44 +0000 Diane http://foreignlanguagefun.com/?p=772 At the library the other week, my 3 year-old and I checked out Big Bird in Japan, a Sesame Street special from 1989.  We enjoyed it, especially all the sights and sounds of Japan.  

In the story, a tour bus leaves Big Bird and his dog Barkley behind. They have trouble communicating because nobody speaks “American.”  Fortunately, they meet a Japanese mystery-girl who helps them out.

I was so excited when I heard the song “Ichi, Ni, San.”  I knew the song, but didn’t realize it was from Big Bird in Japan.  Several years ago, I listened to second graders perform it at a school program.  I credit that song with teaching me how to say one, two, three in Japanese.

I normally believe in the immersion approach, but sometimes I appreciate a catchy little translation song.  I just love it.  Enjoy:  

Before you know it, you and your kids will have mastered eight Japanese words through this little song:

ichi – one

ni – two

san – three

Ohayou – Good morning  (Big Bird thought this sounded like the US state of Ohio.)

Douzo – Please

Hai – yes

Sayonara – Goodbye

Arigato – Thank you

My new goal in life is to be as well traveled as Big Bird, who has been to both China and Japan.  Arigato, Big Bird!

]]> http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2008/08/learn-basic-japanese-with-big-bird-ichi-ni-san/feed/ 0 Big Bird in China: Learning Mandarin for the Olympics http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2008/08/big-bird-in-china-learning-mandarin-for-the-olympics/ http://foreignlanguagefun.com/2008/08/big-bird-in-china-learning-mandarin-for-the-olympics/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:58:36 +0000 Diane http://foreignlanguagefun.com/?p=526 I’m still trying to learn a little Mandarin Chinese in honor of the Beijing Olympics.  I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t made it too far past Hello and Goodbye:

Ni hao - Hello
Zai jian - Goodbye

But now, thanks to Big Bird, I can add one more expression to my repertoire:

Wo ai ni – I love you

I am truly at the novice, beginner-beginner level.  Thank goodness for pinyin (Chinese written with the Roman alphabet) and for Sesame Street!  

Children’s programming is just my speed.  You’ll have to check out Big Bird in China.  This award-winning special originally aired in 1983.  While in New York’s Chinatown, Big Bird learns about the magical phoenix that lives in China.  So, off he goes on a Chinese adventure in search of the beautiful foreign bird.  Barkley the dog comes along for the international experience, too.  And Oscar the Grouch decides to dig his way to China. Here’s a cute, short language-learning clip from Big Bird in China:

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