Learning Chinese (Primary/Preschool)

[tamarind]

I also want to add that every library has a very good collection of children’s books. When I was young, my parents also could not help me with Chinese. But they allowed me to take a bus to the National Library since I was 7 years old. I went to the library every week, and read any thing that I found interesting.


Parents can bring their kids to the children’s Chinese book section at least once every week, and just let them choose whatever they like to read.

Also note that reading a few books a year is not enough. In P1, aim to read at least 1000 words a day, and increase that as the child grows older. By P3, the child should be reading about 1 book a week (100 to 200 pages, 200 - 300 words a page).

[Chenonceau]

Hi Tamarind…


Beautiful castle… yes.

[gooeydarkchocolate]

As PRs here in Singapore, we have no background whatsoever with regards to reading, writing and speaking Chinese.


My son recently started school at a PAP near our place and every weekend the Chinese lesson teacher would send some homework for him to complete.

She would send a worksheet where there are Chinese characters that must be copied.

There is another sheet that is filled with Chinese characters that looks like sentences.

Yes, we are clueless.

The writing part isn’t doing any good at all. We don’t know what it means.

We tried to ask the teacher for supplementary books that would help us teach our son, she didn’t recommend any.

We have decided to embrace the local language and in the near future, we would like our son not to get an exemption from Primary Mandarin lessons as well.


With the government emphasizing English to be used on daily conversations, wouldn’t it be helpful if the Chinese lessons have an actual English translation? It would be easier for foreigners and locals alike to mirror the lessons together.

I am wondering if we need to get a tutor for Mandarin as early as now? Would it be more effective than the current teacher at school?

[hquek]

Hi gooeydarkchocolate,


Mother tongue is a part and parcel of life here in SG. I think for those who resettled from other countries, other languages are allowed as mother tongue - doesn’t HAVE to be Chinese. One of the top PSLE kids in SG had mother tongue of German (becos she grew up in Europe) even though she was ethnically chinese.

To me, language is a living subject - one must use it and be surrounded in it for it to take effect. 1 hour lesson each day is ok, but so not enough if one expects proficiency.

In fact, in my sons’ case (my family is chinese and we converse in both english and chinese), I started them in pre-school chinese classes when young becos they didn’t want to use chinese. The amount of time offered in their kindy I felt was simply not enough.

If you want your child to learn and embrace chinese, even though none in your family uses this language, I would suggest that you look at the offerings available - either a chinese tutor or pre-school chinese classes like Berries etc.

[gooeydarkchocolate]

hello hquek


There are limited options for Pre-school secondary languages. I think, the other two were Tamil and Malay? not sure.

Thank you for your suggestion. We will look into that.

It’s just that, having to start school, all these Mandarin lesson is stressing him too much. School should be a fun.

[keltong]

gooeydarkchocolate:

hello hquek


There are limited options for Pre-school secondary languages. I think, the other two were Tamil and Malay? not sure.

Thank you for your suggestion. We will look into that.

It's just that, having to start school, all these Mandarin lesson is stressing him too much. School should be a fun.

Hi gooeydarkchocolate,
I have a school going kid and a pre-schooler and I have to tell you that in Singapore, school can be quite stressful. In fact, I think Singapore has one of the most stressful studying environment, but at the same time, I think Singapore does produced very high calibre people, so it's like a double edged sword.

Even kids from Chinese family has problem learning Chinese, so I can't even start to imagine the problem you guys are facing. Like what hquek says, you can send your kid to class but without consistent practice, it is very difficult to maintain. Perhaps you might even want to consider taking up conversational chinese class so that when your kid starts to learn chinese, you can also try to converse with him.

From what I read, Berries World have a good reputation for teaching pre-schooler chinese in a fun and relax way, so you can consider that.

I applaud you for not wanting your kid to be exempted from mother tongue (I know of many parents who are trying to do that) and hope he can do well in it.

[Chenonceau]

Hi... here is an update of some encouraging results from memorizing Chinese Compositions...


http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/01/reaching-tipping-point-for-chinese-part.html

[3kiddos]

Chenonceau:

Hi... here is an update of some encouraging results from memorizing Chinese Compositions...


http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/01/reaching-tipping-point-for-chinese-part.html

Thanks for sharing. I have also started my P4 boy memorising compos this year. Hopefully will see results like you.

[Chenonceau]

3kiddos:

Chenonceau:

Hi... here is an update of some encouraging results from memorizing Chinese Compositions...


http://petunialee.blogspot.com/2011/01/reaching-tipping-point-for-chinese-part.html

Thanks for sharing. I have also started my P4 boy memorising compos this year. Hopefully will see results like you.

Not much results to speak of as yet ('cos we still dunno impact on grades)... except that he does seem to enjoy Higher Chinese classes more now (because he can follow)... and he is more willing to read Chinese fiction because he doesn't have to check every word.

We used to have to remind him every night to read \"ma xiao tiao\". Now, he'll pick the books up spontaneously and munch up 1 or 2 stories, and chuckle to himself.... and then he'll translate them for me.

His quickly increasing word recognition empowers him to read more on his own I think.

[3kiddos]

Yes, I feel it’s worth a try for ds this year. Instead of being turned off by Chinese compos and books, at least he has an ready arsenal of decent sentences, phrases and cheng yu that he can apply accordingly. It does give him some confidence. As his reading/writing improves, I hope his comprehension and interest will rise too.