The Mandarin Chinese language is a collection of related languages spoken by around 16% of the global population. However, these languages are not always mutually intelligible, meaning that a speaker of one may not comprehend a speaker of another.
The languages in this category are classified as dialects in China. However, the mutual intelligibility we discussed makes a strong argument for them being categorized as separate languages.
When it comes to children, learning a language, especially one as complex as Mandarin Chinese, can take anywhere from three to ten years of practice and the appropriate method. In addition, children must be enthusiastic about learning a language, or they will rapidly lose interest.
So, how can you assist youngsters in learning Mandarin Chinese? Because it might be challenging for a novice to begin speaking the language, we have included some suggestions in the article to help your child learn Mandarin Chinese writing.
1. Make Mandarin Chinese Resources Available To Them
Even mobile enthusiasts may appreciate a good book now and again. That is why you should equip your child with some good language learning and Mandarin Chinese learning books, such as an English-Chinese dictionary, Confucius' works, a Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, and a grammar book.
If you want your child to learn Mandarin Chinese in a way that they consider to be more "fun", Faye Lynn Wu's "My First Book of Chinese Words: An ABC Rhyming Book" is the perfect paperback alternative. It introduces Mandarin Chinese symbols and phrases and provides a valuable insight into Chinese culture. The rhymes are great, and they assist the student in quickly grasping all the key Mandarin Chinese sounds.
You can find a vast selection of Mandarin Chinese books on Ace Early Learning, the leading digital Chinese reading platform. It's a fantastic approach for children to pick up a new language!
2. Sign Up Your Child For Private Mandarin Chinese Lessons
Private Mandarin Chinese tutorials with a private teacher from LingoAce are an efficient means of teaching them the language, whether they plan on learning rapidly or just getting the feel of it.
Every parent wants the best for their children, and more academic support is sometimes required to help youngsters attain their full potential.
Even children who thrive in school might benefit immensely from the assistance of a private tutor and get high scores.
Academic assistance tutorials are beneficial whether students are in elementary school, high school, college, or university. For example, a language tutor will often provide further insights into the country's culture rather than merely teaching them the 'commercial' language. LingoAce provides high-frequency, bite-size, convenient classes to simulate immersive, conducive learning, helping your child acquire Mandarin Chinese characters with ease.
3. Different Media Can Be Used To Practice Writing
Using just pen and paper to learn Mandarin Chinese writing can be boring for the child. There are many exciting ways to encourage your child to learn the language in a new way.
You can use the sand tray, rice tray, Legos, painting, coloring, play-dough, etc. These are some interesting ways to accelerate the process of learning Mandarin Chinese writing for children.
4. The Correct Stroke Order Must Be Taught
For establishing effective handwriting and memorizing characters, it is critical to follow the particular stroke orders with precision. It is quite difficult to rectify a wrong stroke order afterwards. So when your child practices, you must check and learn the right stroke sequence if you don't know or remember how to write a Mandarin Chinese character.
5. Find The Character's Similarities And Distinctions
Identifying distinctions is a fundamental preschool skill, and it is also a crucial ability for learning Mandarin Chinese letters. As you may know, Mandarin Chinese letters are similar to building bricks with many sections. Some characters are constructed with a left and right half, a few are constructed from top to bottom and others are constructed from the outside.
It will make more sense to children if we can assist them in identifying the similarities and contrasts between Mandarin Chinese characters they are learning. This will help them reinforce their understanding of the Mandarin Chinese language. In addition, this will help them to learn to speak and write Mandarin Chinese with ease.
6. Give Instances From Real Life To Learn Mandarin Chinese Writing
Since they will be studying something different from their peers, it is critical to give real-life reasons for children to learn Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture.
If you and your child don’t have a compelling reason to learn Mandarin Chinese, now is a good time to consider and discuss it. You must provide your children with real-life examples to push them to learn to speak and write Mandarin Chinese.
7. Practice Writing Regularly
It is impossible to learn to write in Mandarin Chinese in a short amount of time. Therefore, your child should practice frequently, but not to the point of exhaustion, and the amount of practice should be age-appropriate.
You might even design a progress sheet for your child to cross off each day, and when they finish it, they may get a prize.
8. Praise And Appreciation Are Important
We know that receiving positive feedback is one of the most effective ways to push us to do difficult tasks. We also know that writing Mandarin Chinese characters is significantly more difficult than writing letters.
When it comes to learning to write Mandarin Chinese, children may face challenges. Therefore, we must encourage them to persevere and recognize their achievements. It is okay if their handwriting is sloppy or the stroke order is off. Celebrate with them when they have mastered one character.
9. Comparison Should Be Avoided
It is all too tempting to be concerned about children's growth by comparing how many books they have read or how many characters they recognize to what other children can do.
Set your own goals and plan to achieve them to avoid this from happening. You and your child should work together to achieve your objectives at your speed.
10. Include The Entire Family
When children face difficulties, it is comforting to know that they are not alone. Don't forget about your own family if you are teaching Mandarin Chinese alone and don't have any Chinese neighbors, friends, or relatives. Engage the entire family in Mandarin Chinese writing activities.
It is quite easy to follow the steps mentioned above and help your children learn Mandarin Chinese writing with utmost ease. However, it is mandatory to set a goal for your children and make them realize how learning this language can be beneficial.
To support your child on the Mandarin Chinese language learning journey, sign them up for a free trial lesson with us today.
At LingoAce, each lesson your child takes with us is a product of over 100 hours of curriculum creation, courseware production, mock teaching, teacher training and quality control (QC) rounds to ensure an engaging, interactive, and high-quality learning experience.
