Do you want your kids to become fluent in Chinese? Have you been working tirelessly to teach them but for some reason they don’t seem to get it? If you answered yes to these questions, then there may be a need for you to change your approach to teaching the language.
As you probably know, no two children are exactly the same (Not even identical twins). So, a teaching style that works effectively for one may not work for another.
Don’t limit yourself to a boring and un-effective teaching style just because everyone is doing it. Be creative and try out different ways to learn Chinese for kids.
The following article by Joseph unveils some unique and effective ways to teach children Mandarin Chinese.
Different Ways to Teach Children Mandarin Chinese
Children need to enjoy learning a new language. It’s unlikely that a child will see the worth in learning Chinese for their future career. That said, an increasing number of teens are opting to do Chinese at GCSE, A Level, and degree. Read more here.
You surely now know some new ways to teach your kids Chinese like through some special Chinese apps, radio shows and podcasts, television programs, YouTube channels, interesting Chinese books, and cultural activities like Chinese calligraphy or Chinese drawing. But do you know the right time to start teaching your kids Chinese?
The following article by Jessamy Smith shed light on the right time for parents to start teaching their kids how to speak Chinese.
Learning Mandarin when you’re young and in school
Mandarin is the most widely spoken language on the planet (by a long margin), followed by Spanish and English. In addition to its one billion native speakers, more than 500 million people currently speak Mandarin as a second language.Read more here.
You probably now know that the best time to teach kids a second language like Chinese is when they are young. The reason for this is that the brains of young children are hardwired to learning language through mimicking sounds from their parents. Regardless of how early you start teaching your kid how to speak Chinese, there is still a slight possibility that may not like the language. If this is true in your case, then you should remain positive and continuously encourage them.
The following article by the newageparents discusses some proven ways parents can encourage their kids to learn Chinese.
Encouraging Children To Learn Chinese: 6 Secrets From The Expert
How can you make learning Mandarin fun and effective for your preschooler? Huang Ying, Head of Chengzhu Mandarin Education lets out six fun secrets. Read more here.
You likely now know some six ways to encourage your kids to learn Chinese. Do well to try each of them to see the one that works best for you kid, while keeping in mind that they aren’t going to learn the language overnight. Learning a complicated language like Chinese is surely going to take some time.
Final note
Doing the same thing repeatedly even if it is not working isn’t really a smart move as you will be met with the same challenges. To turn things around, you may have to change your approach.
In that light, if the teaching style you are using to teach your kids Chinese isn’t really working, then you should be creative and try using music, apps, games, stories and so on. You will be surprised to see how effective these tools are.
Regardless of the rate at which they grasp the language, you must encourage them and tell them you are proud of them.