The most exciting time in any child’s life is when they start school. Primary 1 Chinese tuition serves as a starting point, and their ever-expanding minds are constantly progressing, eager to learn and absorb all the knowledge and experience they can acquire.
Although learning can be hard work, new technologies that facilitate progressive learning make learning Chinese easier for children.
From live teaching and real-time feedback and interaction, to engaging online Chinese classes using software and multimedia, it is now easier than ever to have a comprehensive learning experience.
Provide your child with immersive mini-online lessons to complement learning at home. A new wave of modern educators are fully prepared to take students’ Chinese proficiency to a new level.
But why are our young learners still struggling to learn Chinese?
The best way for children to learn Chinese is to start by developing the habit at home
Did you know that your habits and behaviors can positively engage your child’s learning abilities and make a big difference?
By watching your responses to the language and learning it, your child can learn if he or she appreciates Chinese.
The way parents shape behavior is key. Parents can make a big difference by demonstrating the behavior they expect from their children.
Here are some habits you can start to make learning Chinese a part of your child’s daily life:
Habit 1: Make your child’s Chinese learning a fun family experience!
Kids love to have fun, so learning Chinese should be no different.
Learn Chinese in a fun way by turning the experiences they encounter in their daily lives into a gateway to the world of Chinese language and culture.
Don’t make it boring, let them enjoy the learning process by trying these fun learning-by-doing methods:
- Print Chinese phrases and pronunciation
Printing words and phrases in Chinese characters can help your child develop an interest in Chinese.
Children learn better when they don’t feel that their Primary 1 Chinese tuition is a burden, which often happens when the focus is only on grades.
If you treat class as a chore, Chinese will quickly become tedious and become a chore. Instead, let it be a simple introduction to Chinese culture.
These repetitive actions of seeing, using and hearing Chinese words and accompanying sounds in everyday life help your child learn language more naturally.
Have them look at objects around the house through a Chinese lens. Label the bowls, utensils, tables, and chairs they use every day. Print out Chinese characters and their pronunciations.
For example, you can label items around your home, such as putting a “door” sticker on your door. That way, every time your child opens or closes the door, they also learn the Chinese word.
Seeing Chinese characters during a fun activity like eating will put your child in a good mood while their brains are actively learning new Mandarin vocabulary.
Your child will remember these “triggers” later, making it easier for them to learn.
- Let your kids learn Chinese while having fun!
Another fun activity is scheduling a weekly call in which you can entertain your child to play with their playmates while practicing their Mandarin together.
Everyone has to speak at least some Mandarin to each other during the allotted time.
While they may need to rely on English as a crutch at first, that’s okay. Start with small steps until speaking Mandarin with their friends becomes more and more natural.
The idea is to standardize the use of Mandarin. The more they use it, the more natural it becomes.
Ask children simple questions in Chinese to build their confidence
As your child becomes more confident, ask them questions in Chinese and have them answer you in Chinese too.
When you see them doing various things at home, have them describe what they are doing in Mandarin.
It will be a welcome mental boost as they do mundane tasks like packing, making beds, folding laundry, washing dishes, sweeping floors, etc.
Throughout the day, Primary 1 Chinese tuition started asking them simple questions in Chinese, such as did they have dinner or how was their day.
Remember, it’s not how much they can remember, but to make them curious and think about the language.
Habit 2: Talk about their difficulties in learning Chinese
A deep-rooted fear of embarrassment often prevents children from learning Chinese. As your child begins to develop a sense of self, they may also experience emotions they are not ready to process or communicate.
Children may feel awkward or frustrated when they try to speak Mandarin or write in Chinese.
When they see a little progress after trying a few times, they may even feel that they can’t learn. However, they may not know how to properly digest and channel them in a constructive manner.
This is a great opportunity to guide them through challenges that require a long-term commitment. Encourage your child to express their feelings and thoughts about learning Chinese.
It’s not a question of learning Chinese or not, it’s about shaping how you want them to behave in the face of challenges, both academically and in life. Be sure to turn this into a conversation, not an interrogation.
Habit 3: Teach children Chinese by learning with them.
In a guest panel on the Education and Enrichment webinar at Parenting Singapore 2021, 58% of parents said their children had difficulty learning languages in the poll.
62% of respondents also said they did not speak Mandarin enough at home, speaking it less than 50% of the time. The home language environment can be classified as monolingual, bilingual or multilingual.
To be bilingual, 50% of the conversation in each language, including in social settings, such as at school, must be achieved.
One of the best ways to get primary 1 Chinese tuition for your children in Primary 1 is to study with them. Try to use Chinese more in your family life.
Make it a family activity by addressing your children by their Chinese names and interacting with them in Mandarin. This shows them that you are trying too.
You might be thinking “oh, but my Chinese is terrible” and think that you might rather leave it to the educators to take on this role. But remember, you are irreplaceable in your child’s eyes.
Leading by example helps them see the value of learning Chinese. This will touch them more than telling them why learning Chinese is important.
It may be difficult at first, but your child’s education is a rewarding journey in which you can be an active part.
Teaching your child a language such as Chinese can be extremely challenging, so it’s best to make learning as fun as possible. There are no quick fixes to helping your child learn one of the world’s most difficult languages. The good news is that you can start small.
Think of it this way – the best way to give your child primary 1 Chinese tuition is actually a journey, full of opportunities to develop character, develop an attitude to overcome challenges, and healthy and fun family relationships! (If you want to know more information about Chinese learning, please click here^^)