Teaching Chinese at Home

[Hanvid]

Thanks Brenda10. I typed 马小跳in dangdang to check out the book but there were a few listed under same title so I thought better check with KSP.


I will take a trip to Popular and get one as recommended. Is there a first book to the series or I can just get any titles?

Thanks again, you’ve been a great help!

[Brenda10]

Hanvid:

Thanks Brenda10. I typed 马小跳in dangdang to check out the book but there were a few listed under same title so I thought better check with KSP.


I will take a trip to Popular and get one as recommended. Is there a first book to the series or I can just get any titles?

Thanks again, you've been a great help!

Hi Hanvid

Can't advise you as I did not buy in sequence. I bought a few due to some 人物 and story are related to xiao mao ri jin.

[toddles]

tamarind:

toddles:

谢谢你！说地有道理。。。should still try 四五快读 since I've already bought it... started reading from pg 10 where i left off the last time... 15-30 mins a day for 一删课 is quite short / doable... i think kids at this age won't take to anything longer than that anyhow. now to finish reading the first 30 pages and cut out the flash cards... wondering if I should get a nice togoyo box with compartments to store them...

I bought small ziploc bags from Daiso, $2 for 20 to 30 pieces, and put the cards for one lesson in one bag. More organized that way.

yah, great idea. more compact to keep than boxes as well! thanks!

[Hanvid]

No worries, Brenda10. I’ll check with Popular. Thanks!

[ksme]

wonderm:

ksme:

[quote=\"wonderm\"]

I bought the full set of xiao mao ri ji for DS. He read a few but didn't like it and I agree it is more suitable for girls. Hence I have given them to my friend who has a girl. My DS is current reading 冒险小虎队 and he really enjoys it.

Thanks Wonderm for your comments and recommendation of冒险小虎队. I bought 1 of the book last year but DS did not like it probably because then, he was still not used to reading all words book. Will dig it out again and see if he likes it now.

ksme, how old is yr ds? My ds just finished psle. He wouldn't be able to read and enjoy the book earlier due to limited Chinese vocab.[/quote]Hi, my ds is going to P5 next year.

[Koolmama]

Hi Yuppy, thanks so much for sharing the info about this app!!


Btw, does anyone know if such apps can be downloaded and used on the iPad?? My ds has been bugging me for an iPad... i'm thinking maybe i should get him one and download all the Chinese shows and apps onto it... Then he'll have no choice but to use them hahaha :lol:

yuppybb:

hey for those who are eyeing on \"学前阅读计划-首100字“...not too sure if any of you realise that there is an IPHONE APP that also carry this series. I check with my HARDCOPY book liao. The apps and the actual book is the SAME! :lol: :lol:

there is a voice recording that u can play to listen to the story. there is oso a quiz session to test on recognition of words.

the first book for the 首100字 is FREE!! so download n try. subsequent books u will need to pay 0.99/bk. u can search under STICKBOY LEARNS CHINESE / CHINESE 100

(pls dun be mistaken - m not working for this company heee)


:celebrate:

[tamarind]

Brenda10:

tamarind:

[quote=\"Brenda10\"]
Hi Tamarind

So happen this was the 1st book: 小猫出生在秘密山洞 that we read. DD is aware of 生离死别 is a path everyone has to go through. As such just learn to be happy and treasure what ever is with her.

BTW, she has left 40+ pages to go and I will get in the rest a.s.a.p. since she likes it.

She also told me some of her classmates who are very good in CL compo. also reading these serial of books.

Hi Brenda,
It is good that your DD is matured enough to read these books

Hi Tamarind

I'm happy to share with you that now dd is in no. 9 book and 3 more to go we will complete the entire 12 books.

I also get a few 马小跳 story books which have some 人物 that are related to xiao mao ri ji.

Hopefully by reading all these books during school holiday dd can improve in her compo. next year.


Thank you and have a nice day.[/quote]Hi Brenda,
Your dd is very impressive ! I have not heard of any other local primary school kid who has read so many of the 笑猫日记 books. Though these books are widely read by primary school children in China.

Actually I do recommend these books for both boys and girls. 笑猫 is a boy cat, and most of the characters in the books are boys. The problem is that our primary school syllabus does not teach enough words for kids to be able to read long novels like these. So most kids may find that there are so many words that they cannot read and understand, and they lose interest. I advise other parents to read these books together with your kids. Ask the kid to read every word out loud, and help him if there is any word that he does not know. Discuss the story with your kid. Kids will learn to enjoy the stories, and they will be able to learn many new words and phrases.

Actually learning to read in Chinese is easier than English. All we have to do is to read together with the child. I have often heard of kids who are capable of reading long English novels by 7 years old, but it is a pity that most Singaporean kids are not able to read long Chinese novels in primary school.

Most parents make the mistake of forcing their kids to memorize as many individual words as possible. The fact is that even if you memorized 1000 words, you still cannot write a good Chinese composition. The key to doing well in Chinese, is to read as many good story books as possible. When a child has read extensively, she will know what to write, and how to form good sentences.

[allseasons]

Hi Tamarind,


Really impressed by your patience and knowledge to share how to improve our children Chinese.. :)).

I am learning chinese together with my children :oops: . They have been pestering me for some comics that I couldn't find in the bookstore...

I try to order some books for them (and me too :oops: ) from Dangdang, however my chinese is so lousy.. I even don't know how to sign up, and how to order.. Do you have any clue, how to place an order there, if my chinese is so limited? I tried to call them yesterday, but it was all answering machine.. Thanks a lot :celebrate:

[ksme]

tamarind:

Hi Brenda,
Your dd is very impressive ! I have not heard of any other local primary school kid who has read so many of the 笑猫日记 books. Though these books are widely read by primary school children in China.

Actually I do recommend these books for both boys and girls. 笑猫 is a boy cat, and most of the characters in the books are boys. The problem is that our primary school syllabus does not teach enough words for kids to be able to read long novels like these. So most kids may find that there are so many words that they cannot read and understand, and they lose interest. I advise other parents to read these books together with your kids. Ask the kid to read every word out loud, and help him if there is any word that he does not know. Discuss the story with your kid. Kids will learn to enjoy the stories, and they will be able to learn many new words and phrases.

Actually learning to read in Chinese is easier than English. All we have to do is to read together with the child. I have often heard of kids who are capable of reading long English novels by 7 years old, but it is a pity that most Singaporean kids are not able to read long Chinese novels in primary school.

Most parents make the mistake of forcing their kids to memorize as many individual words as possible. The fact is that even if you memorized 1000 words, you still cannot write a good Chinese composition. The key to doing well in Chinese, is to read as many good story books as possible. When a child has read extensively, she will know what to write, and how to form good sentences.

Tamarind,
What do you think of the 马小跳 series? There are 20 books in the series. Is it good read for upper primary kids? Many thanks for your kind sharings on this topic.

[tamarind]

Hi ksme,

The 马小跳 series is very popular in China. I heard that teachers in China recommend this series to students. So it should be good. I have only read the first few pages of one book before, the words and phrases are as difficult as any Chinese novels for adults. Our primary school kids may not be able to read many of the words, and may become discouraged. Kids will be more motivated to read these books if parents read with them. Also, I don’t think that every book in the series is interesting to local kids, parents should pre-read each book and choose carefully.

But personally I find that 笑猫日记 is more interesting, since those books are about animals, and there is a fantasy element in each book, which should appeal to both boys and girls.