Teaching Chinese at Home

[tamarind]

relaxedmom:

I've started getting my DS to read chinese articles and then write down words that he's not familiar with. We didn't have time to do it every night, but managed to complete like 3 articles per week - which I thought was no mean feat already, since he doesn't like chinese

Actually, I do not advise parents to make kids write down words that they don't know. As I wrote earlier, kids must read as many story books as possible. They will come across the same words again. The most important task is actually not learning new Chinese words, but to develop a love in Chinese. If my parents make me write down every word that I don't know, I will dread reading Chinese books too.

In fact, when I was in school, I read Chinese books extensively on my own, my parents were unable to help me. At first there were many words that I don't know, but the stories attracted me to go on reading. I only checked the dictionary once in a while. Since I read so many Chinese books, many words were repeated and that was how I learned Chinese. I didn't even remember spending a lot of time studying the Chinese textbook, but my results in Chinese were far better than my classmates in RGS and RJC.

My girl, now P1, used to read far more English books than Chinese books. But earlier this year, when I asked her whether she likes Chinese or English books better, she told me that she likes Chinese books better I was so happy to hear that. She said that's because there are so many interesting Chinese books. Every night before she sleeps, she carries a pile of Chinese books to her bed and reads them before she sleeps.

So the key to developing a love in Chinese, is to find Chinese books that can interest a child. There is no point looking in local bookshops which are pathetic, except for the 2 series of books that I mentioned which are very popular in China. But then those are not the best children's books. Thanks to dangdang.com, I have bought many wonderful Chinese books for kids.


Dear all,
I am very busy with work now. When I am free I will update my blog to list more wonderful Chinese story books, will post here soon.

[Wan]

laughingcat:

Hello Wan, can you share where did you buy the 汉字王? This seems interesting. How much did you get it?

tried 汉字王 with son. We flipped thru siwukuaidu & picked words then challenge who can find the word piece 1st. Help to reinforce some words he consistently forget eg. 和 which is abstract to teach.

I'm thinking of other ways to play. One idea is to play scrabble way, each player can draw 10 cards & see who can combine into more words. Then we can write down the new vocab & revise after the game.

I ref to the summary page on siwukuaidu bk 7 for quick ref for the 部首

laughingcat, I have pm u

[jemlth]

Brenda10:

Wan:

I just bought this set of 汉字王, thinking of combining with siwukuaidu flashcards for my 5yo to understand 部首. If mummies have similar experience, pl share. Hope to instil interest for my son to recognise Chinese characters as he likes hands on activities

[url=http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxQyKNA]

Yes. I agree. Understand 部首 makes learning/recognize CL word simply and effective.

E.g.

炸鸡
蚱蜢
作业
兵不厌诈

Yes, it's very effective to use 边旁部首 to teach Chinese. Cos you are using these words to help them remember and understand better.

Eg.
炸 - Means fried, hence 火字旁
蚱蜢 - Grasshopper, an insect, hence 虫子旁
作业 - Work, commonly done by man, hence 人字旁
诈（欺诈）- means to deceive, to lie, associated with talking, hence 言字旁（和说话有关）

This method is very helpful to help your kids make sense of the words. So even when they don't know the word, they can attempt to make a guess based on the 部首. If you would like to find out the meaning of other 部首, I'd be happy to reply

[Brenda10]

Hi, just to share some interesting part that we learnt yesterday while watching the 综艺大哥大:


不到北京，不知官小
不到辽宁，不知话少
不到黑龙江，不知尿少

Very amazing, while we were discussing about the show this morning and dd can stll remember the 不到北京，不知官小 and 不到黑龙江，不知尿少 well.

Also, in yesterday show, the 6 contestants were given a topic of the “magic show after 100 years” to present and only two were performed on the right track. The comments from the judges also give DD an important thing to understand especially when writing the Comp, make sure not out of the subject otherwise your effort is in vain.

[Brenda10]

jemlth:

Brenda10:

[quote=\"Wan\"]I just bought this set of 汉字王, thinking of combining with siwukuaidu flashcards for my 5yo to understand 部首. If mummies have similar experience, pl share. Hope to instil interest for my son to recognise Chinese characters as he likes hands on activities

[url=http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxQyKNA]

Yes. I agree. Understand 部首 makes learning/recognize CL word simply and effective.

E.g.

炸鸡
蚱蜢
作业
兵不厌诈

Yes, it's very effective to use 边旁部首 to teach Chinese. Cos you are using these words to help them remember and understand better.

Eg.
炸 - Means fried, hence 火字旁
蚱蜢 - Grasshopper, an insect, hence 虫子旁
作业 - Work, commonly done by man, hence 人字旁
诈（欺诈）- means to deceive, to lie, associated with talking, hence 言字旁（和说话有关）

This method is very helpful to help your kids make sense of the words. So even when they don't know the word, they can attempt to make a guess based on the 部首. If you would like to find out the meaning of other 部首, I'd be happy to reply =)[/quote]Yes. Newsday when I come across any new word would try to add in the different 部首 so as to help to acquire more vocabulary. In MCQ or identify the same meaning of word in the passage can also use this strategy if required.

[tree nymph]

tamarind:

Actually, I do not advise parents to make kids write down words that they don't know. As I wrote earlier, kids must read as many story books as possible. They will come across the same words again. The most important task is actually not learning new Chinese words, but to develop a love in Chinese. If my parents make me write down every word that I don't know, I will dread reading Chinese books too.

In fact, when I was in school, I read Chinese books extensively on my own, my parents were unable to help me. At first there were many words that I don't know, but the stories attracted me to go on reading. I only checked the dictionary once in a while. Since I read so many Chinese books, many words were repeated and that was how I learned Chinese. I didn't even remember spending a lot of time studying the Chinese textbook, but my results in Chinese were far better than my classmates in RGS and RJC.

My girl, now P1, used to read far more English books than Chinese books. But earlier this year, when I asked her whether she likes Chinese or English books better, she told me that she likes Chinese books better I was so happy to hear that. She said that's because there are so many interesting Chinese books. Every night before she sleeps, she carries a pile of Chinese books to her bed and reads them before she sleeps.

So the key to developing a love in Chinese, is to find Chinese books that can interest a child. There is no point looking in local bookshops which are pathetic, except for the 2 series of books that I mentioned which are very popular in China. But then those are not the best children's books. Thanks to dangdang.com, I have bought many wonderful Chinese books for kids.


Dear all,
I am very busy with work now. When I am free I will update my blog to list more wonderful Chinese story books, will post here soon.

Agreed with Tam!

Especially when the kids are young, they may not be able to write the words well and that could discourage them from reading too! I too read extensively - my parents just left me alone with books after doing my homework and housework, but if i were made to write down the words i don't know, i probably won't read so many books already.

Unfortunately, my eldest one doesn't like to read a lot. he is a very hands-on person like his dad. So no choice, I have to hunt for short stories for him to read and it was very difficult then. And I didn't know about dangdang and all the resources that I can find on the net.

Anyway, to cut the story short, I've gotten books from dangdang - thanks to Tam, and been reading the stories to the kiddos. at least now my eldest one will sit down and read with me and when he finds a book interesting, he actually asks me for permission to bring the book to school to share with his teacher and his classmates... and he is doing it quite regularly. I hope my kids will grow up to love reading books...

:xedfingers:

[tamarind]

tree nymph,

I also want to thank you for recommending some of the books that my boy likes very much

[Wan]

Anyone has a full list & name of 边旁部首? For eg. 狗, 猫 & other animals. What do u call the 边? Is there such thing as 动物边? Dun want to teach my son the wrong thing…

[joconde]

Wan:

Anyone has a full list & name of 边旁部首? For eg. 狗, 猫 & other animals. What do u call the 边? Is there such thing as 动物边? Dun want to teach my son the wrong thing...

Hi Wan,

Here's a list : http://bb.iyaya.com/aixue/biji-58926.html

I've also come across assessment books teaching 部首in Popular, under Preschool section.

[hquek]

Wan:

Anyone has a full list & name of 边旁部首? For eg. 狗, 猫 & other animals. What do u call the 边? Is there such thing as 动物边? Dun want to teach my son the wrong thing...

'


I think it's called '兽' shou3 pang2.