How to Learn Chinese: My Top 6 Tips
Learning Chinese with your child can be an enriching experience. Mastering Chinese is not only crucial for academic success, such as scoring well on the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), but it can also be an asset for your child's future by being billingual, considering the rising importance of China on the global stage. In this article, we have six effective ways to help your child learn Chinese, be it starting from scratch or just to improve their skills.
1. Start with Chinese Characters for a Solid Foundation
When it comes to teaching Chinese, many language courses kick off with Hanyu Pinyin, a phonetic system. However, a more effective approach, especially for children, is to start with Chinese characters themselves.
In Chinese, there are many words that sound the same but have different meanings, just like in English. For example, the word "ma" can mean "mother," "horse," or "scold" depending on the character used.
To illustrate, consider the character for "mother" (妈), which consists of three strokes. Understanding these strokes is akin to comprehending the alphabet in English, which forms the foundation for reading and writing. In Chinese, the strokes' order, direction, and shape are vital, much like phonics in English.
Starting with characters allows children to grasp the language's essence, ensuring they won't struggle with confusion down the road in their Chinese learning journey.
2. Utilize Learn Chinese Apps and Online Resources
In a world with shrinking attention spans, making Chinese learning engaging is crucial, especially for your child. There are several ways to learn Chinese online, including free resources available for you to leverage technology to your advantage. Here are some suggestions on how to choose those that align with your child's needs and goals:
Focus on Chinese characters: Look for apps that emphasize the importance of characters and their strokes.
Local curriculum alignment: Ensure that the app or resource aligns with the Chinese curriculum your child is following. For Singapore, this would be the MOE《欢乐伙伴》小学华文
Gamification: Opt for resources with game-like elements to keep your child engaged.
Engaging graphics and sound: Choose resources that make learning fun for your child through attractive visuals and audio.
Remember, the goal is always to build an interest in learning Chinese as it will naturally lead to better results!
3. Expose Your Child to more Chinese Media at Home
Once your child has developed a solid understanding of Chinese characters and strokes, it's time to put their knowledge to practical use. Model compositions and storybooks are invaluable tools that you may expose your child to at home to help your child comprehend how Chinese characters are woven together to create meaningful sentences.
Consider heading down to the nearest library to pick up engaging Chinese storybooks and idiom books for a start to learning Chinese! If that doesn't pique their interest, consider letting them listen to audio recordings of model compositions or audio books as an alternative. These compositions not only serve as exemplary language models but also lay a robust foundation for your child to construct their own sentences.
In addition to these resources, watching Channel 8 TV programs together with your child can be a fantastic way to immerse your child in the beauty of the Chinese language and its real-world applications. Channel 8, a popular Mediacorp Chinese TV channel in Singapore, offers a variety of entertaining and educational content that can help your child familiarize themselves with spoken Chinese, diverse conversational contexts, and different accents. By tuning in to Channel 8, your child can witness the language being used in everyday life, which can greatly complement their language learning journey. LingoAce has collaborated with Mediacorp to produce Word Whiz, a fun and educational series whereby one can learn new words, interesting facts and chinese idioms!
4. Watch Your Child's Favorite Cartoons in Chinese
If your child isn't particularly interested in reading model compositions or books, there are alternative methods to immerse them in Chinese. Many well-loved cartoons and animated shows are accessible with Chinese dubbing, often found on platforms like YouTube.
By allowing your child to watch these Chinese-dubbed cartoons, you create an enjoyable and less intimidating way for them to listen to and engage with the language. These familiar characters and storylines can make the learning experience feel like entertainment rather than a formal language lesson.
This approach helps your child become accustomed to the sounds and rhythms of Chinese, making language acquisition a more natural and fun experience. It's an effective way to introduce Chinese into their daily life, promoting language exposure and comprehension. Watch LingoAce’s very own Sing & Learn lively video series, whereby children will have fun picking up simple Mandarin Chinese vocabulary through catchy songs with fun animation.
5. Improve Your Own Mastery of the Chinese Language
To effectively help your child to learn Chinese, it's crucial to have a strong command of the language yourself. Due to the prevalence of English-speaking families in Singapore, it is common for many parents to lack proficiency in Chinese. Before embarking on your child's Chinese learning journey, brushing up your own Chinese skills can create an environment that is more conducive for Chinese language learning through encouraging the use of Chinese in your home. For example, implementing certain house rules such as speaking Chinese only during weekdays can help your child to reinforce their learnings, and put into practice what they have learnt through everyday life applications.
6. Stay Committed to the Ongoing Journey with Your Child
Remember that learning Chinese is a continuous journey for both you and your child. There is no endpoint; it continues until your child develops a genuine interest and starts picking up the language naturally. As a parent, focus on building a strong foundation and sustaining your child's interest in the Chinese language. Practice, consistency, and immersion is key to your child's success.
Learning Chinese can be a challenging yet rewarding experience for you and your child. With the right approach and commitment, you can help your child develop a strong command of the language that will serve them well in their academic and professional pursuits. Whether you're teaching your child or learning Chinese together, these six tips can help you both on your language learning journey.
For more information on our LingoAce Chinese programmes and the latest promotions, contact us for a free trial class now! We offer a variety of programs and services to help students of all levels to improve their Chinese language skills.
For our avid blog readers, simply visit our page, sign up for a free trial and receive additional 2 free lessons after purchasing a package with us! Find Out More!
