Teaching Chinese at Home

[tamarind]

Dinah:

My gals (P1 and K2) are interested readers (both Eng and Chinese but interest is more inclined towards Eng though). But somehow, I find that they tend to read without real understanding of certain sentence structures and new words. What I had hoped is, through reading, they'd be able to pick up good sentence structures and words, and apply them in their writing/picture conversation. Do you experience the same \"problem\" with your kids when they are at P1/P2 level? Do you make your kids start a \"Word Bank\" book, check the meanings of the new words and write them down in this book? Or am I expecting too much?

Hi Dinah,
Reading without understanding is very common with kids who grow up in an English speaking family, like mine. I always advise parents to read with the children, and the best way is to ask the child to read every word out loud. As my kids read out loud in Chinese, I will explain the words/phrases which I think they may not understand in English to them. I explain in English because they are already very advance in English and it is the fastest way to make them understand. Now both my kids have a very good understanding of the long novels that they are reading, I know that because they know when exactly to laugh, and they often talk about their own opinions about the stories.

If we leave kids to read on their own, or even if we read to the kids, they may be dreaming about something else and not really looking at every word. That's why I think that asking a child to read every word out loud is the best way to learn, and it is also excellent in improving a child's oral skills in Chinese.

I think that a word bank is a good idea if you can find the time to do it. I am a full time working mother, so the easiest way for me is just to ask my kids to read story books to me. It is amazing how many new words my kids, especially my boy who is of average learning ability, can learn this way.

Also note that new words must always be learned in context of a sentence or stories, and it is best to have pictures illustrating the meanings. Also, new words must be reviewed regularly, once a day over 7 to 8 days (for the average child, some kids may need only 3 days, others may need 20 days) in order for the words to sink into their long term memory. I have heard many parents complain that their kids forget what is taught to them, this is because parents do not understand how to teach so that the words can remain in the kids' long term memory.

As a side note, I do not advise parents to use any system that only makes kids memorize individual Chinese characters without any relation to each other. This is especially useless if the child grows up in an English speaking environment.

[tamarind]

Dinah:

Can you share any tips in coaching your kids in picture conversation? I do feel that reading (and of course daily interactions and conversations) does help in picture conversation/oral as I do observe that my P1 gal is able to establish better linkage between the things happening in the picture after she progresses to story books for 7-8 years old (eg: Wishing Chair by Blyton, Fairies series by Meadows, Diary of Wimpy Kids, Horrid Henry etc).

You can look for these books in Popular:
华文口试与听力理解

This comes with an audio CD which gives the child a very good idea of what he/she can talk about in picture conversations. I let my boy listen to the audio CD, then I ask him to repeat the conversation, but I don't ask him to memorize it. I let him say whatever he likes after that.
In the case of my P2 girl, she has made many good friends with kids from mainland China and speaks Mandarin with them regularly, so I don't even need to practice with her. This is still the best way for a child to learn oral skills.

[tamarind]

Cartier:

Dear Mummies


Is there a kit or special Chinese dictionary that can recognise Chinese strokes to teach us how to pronounce a particular character other than Xinhuazidian?

Please help.

Thank you.

I like Pleco on iphone/ipad very much. Check out my blog:
http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2011/09/ipadiphone-app-for-learning-chinese.html

[tamarind]

Brenda10:

Hi, just to share that now DD is on no. 4 book of this 天龙八部 comics (Total 21 books) .


The story and the words are much more complicating than the 笑傲江湖 that she had read.

I am glad that she said the books are interesting and she has not problem to carry on.

The only problem is the font of the word is about half of the CL newspaper font size, as such can only limit her to one day one book in order not to affect her eye sight.

http://i54.tinypic.com/65al4p.jpg\">

Hi Brenda,
Thanks for sharing ! I looked through a copy of the comics in the library and it looks really exciting.

However, since I have already read all of the original novels by 金庸, nothing can compare with the originals. However, these comic books are certainly a very good introduction because I don't think any local primary school kids can read the original novels

[tamarind]

phtthp:

hi Brenda10,


if possible, try to expose yr child to read Chinese novels / comics that avoid & do not touch on scenes of violence. Because the type of books which you expose your child to read subconsciously ... pass down character moulding values unconsciously.

example:
when your child reads the above pictured book (example), it advocates to the young kid that ... it is all right to kill. Look at those pictures depicting expressions of angry men - his piercing angry fiery eyes staring hard at you, or the sharp killing instruments flashing around to order kill, kill, kill, go and die, die, die ... leading to destruction. We hate to recall those mass destruction murderous scenes of September 11, Twin Tower America World Trade Centre.

diversify your child's attention somewhr else more meaningful (still can be Chinese novels / comics). example: instead of destroy life - prolong life, preserve life. Because life is so precious, so vulnerable, so short temporary on earth ! Sorry, no offence. Just that i dun want your child's mind think of killing.

fyi - there is this Chinese novel entitled Da Chang Jin (volumes 1 and 2). Relatively easy for primary school kids to read. can purchase at $3 per book (last year Popular bookfair price). Usually can see them lying around at the bookfair.

Hi phtthp,
I totally agree with you that we should avoid exposing young kids to violence. I don't even like my kids watching Kungfu Panda and Tom and Jerry

However, just a note about the comics that Brenda has shared with us. These are based on a set of original novels by Jin Yong which are widely regarded as the best Chinese novels ever written in modern times. Almost every Chinese in China from professors to CEOs to taxi drivers have probably read his novels. Jin Yong's novels are not only exciting, they advocate all the good values like filial piety, loyalty to friends and nation, honesty, integrity, etc. All the bad guys always get what they deserve. In fact, I think I learn most of my good values from his books. Kids who are mature enough should definitely read these books. My aim is to get both my kids to read his books latest by secondary school.

[Brenda10]

tamarind:

Hi Brenda,
Thanks for sharing ! I looked through a copy of the comics in the library and it looks really exciting.

However, since I have already read all of the original novels by 金庸, nothing can compare with the originals. However, these comic books are certainly a very good introduction because I don't think any local primary school kids can read the original novels

Hi Tamarind

Yes, I agree is quite difficult for DD to read the original Novel at her current standard. As such the comics serve as the introduction and we plan to watch the 天龙八部电视剧 after completed the comics just like what we have done for 笑傲江湖电视剧 immediately after the series of comics.

This help DD to understand and remember the story better and I guess she will never forget 人物 like 岳不群，令孤冲，东方不败，任盈盈 etc

Also, she does write down words or phrase that she likes just like 笑意盎然，觊觎 etc.

Think now is really a best timing for us to read/watch all these 武侠故事 before she goes into secondary one next year.

[tamarind]

Hi Brenda,

Even secondary kids nowadays will find the original novels very difficult to read, especially those who study Chinese only by doing assessment books and reading model compositions. From your examples, the words in the comics are very challenging. Comic books are definitely a very good way to make a child understand the plot which is very complicated.

[Brenda10]

tamarind:

Hi Brenda,

Even secondary kids nowadays will find the original novels very difficult to read, especially those who study Chinese only by doing assessment books and reading model compositions. From your examples, the words in the comics are very challenging. Comic books are definitely a very good way to make a child understand the plot which is very complicated.

Hi Tamarind,

In fact, the words that used in the comics 天龙八部 are not easy to understand. As such, the comics are classified under NLB adult section

I personally find this story is much more complicating than other 金庸 novel.

However, with the help of 天龙八部电视剧, I think DD will able to know the story more in depth.

[pixiedust]

phtthp:

... Because the type of books which you expose your child to read subconsciously ... pass down character moulding values unconsciously....diversify your child's attention somewhr else more meaningful (still can be Chinese novels / comics). example: instead of destroy life - prolong life, preserve life. Because life is so precious, so vulnerable, so short temporary on earth ! Sorry, no offence. Just that i dun want your child's mind think of killing.

:goodpost: I agree with phtthp. Besides fighting and killing, I don't agree with exposing children to themes of revenge, castration, rape regardless if the bad guys come to a sorry end or not. Especially when the children are at the age of growing into teens and adults. Brenda, no offence intended too, just my 2cents worth.

[tamarind]

There is nothing about rape in the set of comic books that brenda mentioned.

As for revenge, this is the main theme of kungfu panda and many parents still bring their kids to watch the movie. Castration is implied but never described in 笑傲江湖，and it is definitely not the main theme, it is very briefly mentioned in words that kids may not even understand. Note that there are revenge and seduction scenes in 三国, 水浒传 and even 西游记.