"I can't speak English."
"I won't speak English".
I don't have to speak English."
"I hate English".


That is what we have heard --although stated in Chinese--pretty much since the day we met Caleb. He told our guides, he has told Chinese friends here in America, and even told the Mandarin speaking doctor whom we hunted down for him. He told us via our guides in China that English was his worst subject in school and that he saw no need to use it or speak it. They in turn told him that he wouldn't be hearing much Chinese once he hit America, so he better rethink his attitude about English.

Knowing that Caleb has faced a multitude of changes in his life since coming to America, I haven't forced the English issue. We play some computer games in English and have sung songs, played cards such as Crazy 8's, done some fun worksheets with simple English vocabulary, and talked ad nauseum to give him English exposure. Having a deaf child who is language delayed, I am familiar with lots of "Oh you like the dog? Yes, that is a brown dog, I like the dog too", types of conversations. Exposure, exposure, exposure to vocabulary.

Just last week, he told a man who had come to interpret for him at church that he saw no need to speak any English because after all, when we couldn't communicate, Mom would resort to calling a friend who could speak Chinese.

Jeff and I discussed if we should cut off all Chinese speaking contact to make him realize that he indeed needs to attempt to speak English, but decided that was a bit too harsh. After all, he is slowly picking up English words and using them in spite of his resistant attitude. No need to make him hate us along with his dislike of the language. It's kind of hard to attach to parents whom you dislike, so we decided we would just continue with what we have been doing which is lots of exposure, with American Sign Language thrown in at the same time.

Just last night he came up to me and signed, "Mama, please, V-C-D", wanting to watch one of his Chinese VCD's. He received lots of praise for that, so is much more willing to try to sign than use English.

This morning Caleb wanted to ride his bike and I told him he needed to get dressed. He came out barefooted and both said and signed "Socks, Mama". He had no socks in his drawer since I had just washed whites and they were in the dryer. I told him to come with me and as he followed me, he said and signed again, "socks", and then said and signed "shoes."

These are not new words to him at all, but what followed was beyond exciting to me. He said, "Mama, wo hui,wo hui! Yingwen, yi dian, wo hui shui!", with a big grin on his face. Sorry I don't know how to type in the tones so you can truly appreciate what he said, but he was saying, "Mama, I can! I can! I can speak a little bit of English!" I threw my arms around him and gave him a big hug and said, "Yes, you can!" He was rather proud of himself. Knowing that in his mind he can, I am sure will make a big difference in his willingness to try.