Learning Chinese

Date:  Sep 9, 2012

Yesterday, when Jay Jay step out from his Berries class.  He met a few classmates.  Then, they started to talk in English.  HaHaHaHa

I asked them: "你们刚刚上完百利果，马上就用英文了啊？" （You all just finished Chinese lesson at Berries, and now talk in English?"

Then, his grandma said in English: "Ya lot!  I also cannot understand." (I was like? Huh?  No wonder, the grandma speaks English.)

At home, me and Jay Jay and Kay Kay always converse in Mandarin.  But when I am not around, he speaks to his brother in English.  That is natural if you sent them to pre-school.  No matter how many Mandarin teacher they have in school, when the students talking to each other, mostly are in English.  Especially those who attended the full day class.

So, at home, if I got chance, I will teach both kids Chinese.  Here are some thoughts...

We start ordering Chinese Paper (Zao Bao).  The aim is to let Jay Jay circle the Chinese word he knew.

You can start ordering the weekend paper for Chinese.  Don't do this e very day.  Only do it after having breakfast.  And for 30 minutes only.  Not too long and not too short.  Otherwise the kid will loose interest.

A parent should know the kid's learning in school.  So, roughly you had an idea what kind of Chinese vocabs he had learned.  So, when you read the whole sentence for him, you should know what he know and what he don't know.  The good thing about paper is, some words occurs very often.  So, if he does not know, soon or later, he will slowly learn.

For a 6 years old, you should be happy for knowing so many words.  Those you think he needs to know, put a marker there.  So that you can have a reference next time.

Find those article that you think he knows the most.  It will be an encouragement to the kid.

Like this one, He is proud of it, because he 3 years old sip the first sip of red wine.

He will appreciate this and learn.  And at the same time, once he see so many circle, he will have a concept that "it is not hard at all learning Chinese!"

Some comic also have a good words in there.

So, good luck in teaching your kids Chinese.  :)