Ever wondered what the most spoken languages in the world are? Although there are currently more than 7,000 languages, more than half of the world's population speaks only 23 of them. After English, Mandarin Chinese is the second-most spoken language globally, with over 1,117 million speakers.
However, it is also regarded as one of the most challenging languages to comprehend and master. Teaching a foreign language to children can be difficult. English-speaking individuals who do not converse in any second language can find Mandarin quite tricky. However, several methods and strategies can ease this process.
6 Effective Mandarin Chinese Language Teaching Methods
Here are six engaging and effective Mandarin Chinese teaching methods to help children speak the language fluently.
1. SSR: Silent, Sustained Reading
SSR, or Silent, Sustained Reading, is a limited period of uninterrupted silent reading. SSR is based upon a single and simple principle – reading is a skill. Students independently read the given material rather than reading at a class instructional level, as the name implies.
In this language teaching method, children enjoy benefits like the pleasure of reading in their comfort and improved reading speed. SSR helps children develop familiarity with reading Mandarin Chinese characters and learn many new words at the same time. SSR is usually conducted for a short period regularly. You can begin with five or ten minutes with middle school and even younger students. Whereas for high school students, you can easily stretch it to ten to fifteen minutes.
2. Rely On A Set Curriculum
It is best to use a set curriculum for a child’s Mandarin Chinese learning journey. A beginner-level language curriculum should start with high-frequency words and phrases. These generally include greetings, self-introductions, family members, numbers, weather, months of the year and days of the week, body parts, colors, food, and shapes.
As children are just beginners, focus on their vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking, and listening. You can even incorporate writing and learning their first one hundred Mandarin Chinese characters. Moving on to the next phase, teach them simple Mandarin Chinese words and form simple sentences.
3. Make Your Child Participate In Cultural Workshops
Another fun way of teaching your child to speak Mandarin Chinese is getting them involved in cultural events. The more they indulge with native speakers, the more they get used to the new language. This creates a practical, immersive learning experience as they will be using Mandarin Chinese to communicate with each other. Thus, it would be great to find Chinese cultural workshops and events near you where your child can participate. This will also increase their interest in learning the language, and they will get familiar with Chinese culture.
Here are some engaging cultural events and workshops that can help your child learn to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently.
Enroll them in Mandarin Chinese writing and storytelling competitions
Make them participate in fun games and group activities to learn new words, characters, and meanings
Take them to cultural festivals like the Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Lantern Festival, etc.
4. Use Comic Strips
We all know children love hearing stories and run their imaginations. That is why using comic strips is an effective language teaching method. Start by teaching them with the help of comic strips having a storyline and visual illustrations.
Make children read the comic text and summarize it in Mandarin Chinese independently. Here are some quick steps to create easy and interactive comic strips:
Take an 8 1/2 by 11-inch piece of paper
Fold it into small portions, preferably quarters
Make your child write captions on each panel
Children may draw illustrations according to the storyline
Make them read the story and describe the illustrations
You can even make it a fun language learning activity in a group. Make the children exchange each other's comics and let them discuss it amongst themselves.
5. Balance Mandarin Chinese With English
It is apparent that children born and brought up in the United States use English as their first language. However, as you incorporate foreign language teaching methods, you do not necessarily need to try to speak it all the time. Balancing English and Mandarin Chinese can help your child learn the language faster than simply being thrown into the deep end.
6. Enroll Them In A Professional Mandarin Chinese Learning Program
Just like science or math, enrolling your child in a professional program can ease their language learning experience. Along with learning to write and read Mandarin Chinese, these programs also teach about Chinese culture and other relevant skills. It is also a great way of meeting new people with the same interests.
On top of that, many online programs are available too, where your child can learn to speak the language at home. These programs often have a set curriculum, interactive resources, and other fun activities that encourage your child to communicate and interact in Mandarin Chinese easily.
Learning Mandarin Chinese can be challenging initially for children. However, the above-mentioned fun and effective teaching methods help them write and speak fluently and learn naturally at their own pace.
At LingoAce, we have designed exclusive learning programs that help your child speak Mandarin Chinese fluently. We understand how children learn languages and thus provide interactive live learning sessions, videos, and resources to help them learn Mandarin Chinese. Our top educators also provide routine assessments of your child’s strengths and areas of improvement for overall development.
If you are looking for fun and easy Mandarin Chinese lessons for your child, sign up for a free trial class today.
