Teaching Chinese at Home

[lil_jade]

Hi Tamarind,


With regards to 四五快读, can it be re-used? Was thinking after my #1 go through it, can #2 use it? Or are there worksheets etc so that it's better to get a new one?

Many thanks!

[hquek]

lil_jade:

Hi Tamarind,


With regards to 四五快读, can it be re-used? Was thinking after my #1 go through it, can #2 use it? Or are there worksheets etc so that it's better to get a new one?

Many thanks!

hi lil_jade,

Taking the liberty to answer. This series of books are read only (no activity to colour/write), there are flash cards behind that you can cut out so kids can 'play' with those. definitely can reuse.

I cut out those cards and put them in different ziploc bags - not confident I can put them back according to the book level.

[tamarind]

lil_jade,

hquek is correct.

[lil_jade]

hquek and tamarind,


Yippee, I can save $$! Many thanks!

[MyBaby]

tamarind:

I also bought the candy candy version, quite disappointed about the quality. Fortunately I still have the original comics books in Chinese.

Hi Tamarind, are you referring to 小甜甜? I still remember pooling money together with my sisters to get each copy when it hit the shelf in my childhood days. Of course, the original copy became torn and tattered by the time we are done with it and after many rounds of shifting home, they're gone. Imagine my delight when I spotted them (about 10 yrs back) in a book store in Johor Bahru. I was so elated (and DH simply could not understand why) to find back a piece of my childhood and I bought the whole set.

Now the set follows me, together with 三毛's 玛法达, where ever I shift. Also, there is a rule in the house - 小甜甜 and 玛法达 不外借。Can only read in my house :lol:

[jenao]

http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_628557.html


Just read this and they are very much like what your blog recommends.

[keekee]

tamarind:

keekee:

Tamarind,


Hi keekee,
I also bought the candy candy version, quite disappointed about the quality. Fortunately I still have the original comics books in Chinese.

How old are you DDs ?

The earlier we start, the easier it is to develop a love for the language. If a child is already very good in English, then it is not going to be easy to make her love Chinese. But I think if parents try hard enough to find Chinese books that kids really love, that will be a turning point.

Hi Tamarind,

Yah, the quality of candy candy dvds not very good. But considering that the cartoon is more than 30 years old, I think this is the best that we can expect .....

DD1 is already p3 this year. She reads english books everyday but never picks up a chinese book unless I 'force' her. DD2 is in k1, so I suppose she is easier to mould and influence.

[keekee]

MyBaby:

tamarind:

I also bought the candy candy version, quite disappointed about the quality. Fortunately I still have the original comics books in Chinese.

Hi Tamarind, are you referring to 小甜甜? I still remember pooling money together with my sisters to get each copy when it hit the shelf in my childhood days. Of course, the original copy became torn and tattered by the time we are done with it and after many rounds of shifting home, they're gone. Imagine my delight when I spotted them (about 10 yrs back) in a book store in Johor Bahru. I was so elated (and DH simply could not understand why) to find back a piece of my childhood and I bought the whole set.

Now the set follows me, together with 三毛's 玛法达, where ever I shift. Also, there is a rule in the house - 小甜甜 and 玛法达 不外借。Can only read in my house :lol:

MyBaby,
Luck you, manage to get the 小甜甜 comics. It's no longer in print due to some law suits. Nowadays, got $$ also cannot buy. So I was thrilled to see the candy candy dvds on sale in spore. Too bad the whole cartoon is in Jap. The other comics that I like is ni luo her nu er (Daughter of the Nile).

[porcupine12trade]

Hi


Anyone knows where i can buy Doremon DVDs in chinese? My children wants to watch them in chinese! So i m excited to get them.

Hi Tamarind

Thanks for all your tips and books reco, now my gals will pick chinese books (that I borrowed from library base on the reco) for me to read to them. I tried to get them to read and they did try. But there are quite many words they cant read and sometimes they are tired (coz afterall they will still read eng books 1st), so they request i read for them. I give in coz i want to them to accept chinese storybooks first, then later get them read it out themselves when they know more chinese characters (from 45kuaidu, still waiting for them to arrive!) I hope I am moving in the right direction.

My son speaks the most chinese, but he doesnt seem to be interested in chinese books, i dont know why? (But he loves english books)

[tamarind]

porcupine12trade:

My son speaks the most chinese, but he doesnt seem to be interested in chinese books, i dont know why? (But he loves english books)

porcupine12trade,
That is because he has not found Chinese books that he really loves.

Before P1, my girl also used to read English books only. In P1, I let her read 露露和拉拉 and 什么都行魔女商店. She love these books so much, and after she finished reading them, she is very interested to read other Chinese books. So those books were the turning point.

My boy is still reading lots of picture books (with many words). I am not sure which books really appeal to older boys.
Here are some books that boys may like :
不一样的卡梅拉（全6册）
西顿动物记（全5册）
小火龙全6册
尼古拉的三个问题
小北极熊带我回家！

My boy loves these picture books, suitable for age 2 to 6 :
鸡蛋哥哥（全四册）
可爱的鼠小弟(全12册)
你真好
永远永远爱你

The other major problem is that a child may not know enough Chinese words to read independently, so he gives up easily. If we sit with the child, ask him to read out loud, and help him with words that he does not know (do not make him check the dictionary), then it will really boost his confidence and interest.

I re-read 好妈妈胜过好老师 a couple of days ago. The author said that she used 诱惑 (temptation) to encourage her daughter to read Chinese story books. The author started by reading a Chinese book by herself. Then she told her daughter very exciting parts of the story, but she did not tell the girl what happened next. Her daughter wanted to know more, so she picked up the book and started reading by herself.

I used this technique too I read all the novels before my girl read them, and I often laughed loudly and looked very excited when reading the books. I really enjoyed the books, not pretending lah.