Learning Chinese (Primary/Preschool)

[Chenonceau]

KZYPmum:

QuiteKSMum:

phankao wrote:[quote]Seems that for HCL students, they advise them to do \"Ming Ti\" compo, but for non-HCL students, they ask them NEVER to do \"Ming Ti\". Just an observation.

True for DS's case (non HCL P6) - T's strict instruction : NOT TO ATTEMPT ming ti compos under any circumstances!

sorry, can enlighten me? what's ming ti? 命题？名题？Something like current affairs vs fictional story?[/quote]It's topic essay. It's still creative writing but there are no guiding pictures.

[Lady.048721Msteo]

When my son had his Chinese tutoring last night, I happened to hear the way the tutor to explain this Chinese Set Expression to him.


We saw quite some times in the Channel 8 in weekend morning, explaining some Chinese Set Expression. It had once explaining “触目惊心”, it says something like “very horrible and feel scare”, “…感到很害怕”. Channel 8 is absolutely right.

The tutor explained it to my son in this way, to separate and words and getting the meaning individually then relate them. That is, 触– touch, 目– eyes, 惊– scare, 心– heart. Altogether, when something touching your eyes (it means you see something), your heart will be scared (feel fear). Only when 触目,it will 惊心. “触目” and ”惊心” are of relationship in consequence. See, isn’t it easy and easy to remember?

I think teaching and explaining in this way, is more alive and present the real meaning. Kids are boring with mechanic memorizing. Only when they knows how the Set Expression form, they can actually grasp it.

Your thoughts?

[inSing SuperDeals]

been trying to get my child to go for chinese tuition classes but its so tough! was wondering if anyone of you parents have this http://tiny.cc/p9yt9 and was it useful??

[HeSheMe]

The best ways to improve Chinese are to read newspapers daily or weekly for a start, listen to Chinese songs, watch Chinese dramas and listen to Chinese news and even reciting Chinese poems. Don’t see this as not-important factors, they actually are IMPORTANT! Not by sending your DD/DS to tuition because Chinese tuition won’t last or help … all it takes to improve is by starting to get interacted with Chinese stuff. Speak Chinese.

[Chenonceau]

Here is a blogpost on building a cognitive infrastructure for learning Chinese... http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/learning-chinese-potato-way

[pixiedust]

Chenonceau, it is such a pleasure to read your articles. You write so well !


I admire your perseverance and efforts to help your son. Above all, I really saluate your selfless sharing and having an open mind that different methods work for different kids/environment - there is no one so-called "RIGHT" way nor the "expert" way.

I grew up in rice environment now trying to help a potato kid.
I’ll need some more time to "digest" your methods, and hopefully implement some.

Keep your updates and sharings on this topic coming. Regardless of whether I am able to even achieve half of what you did, I feel very encouraged and motivated to see/hear your progess. Chinese is such a beautiful lanaguage…but so hard to teach !

[Chenonceau]

pixiedust:

Chenonceau, it is such a pleasure to read your articles. You write so well !


I admire your perseverance and efforts to help your son. Above all, I really saluate your selfless sharing and having an open mind that different methods work for different kids/environment - there is no one so-called \"RIGHT\" way nor the \"expert\" way.

I grew up in rice environment now trying to help a potato kid.
I'll need some more time to \"digest\" your methods, and hopefully implement some.

Keep your updates and sharings on this topic coming. Regardless of whether I am able to even achieve half of what you did, I feel very encouraged and motivated to see/hear your progess. Chinese is such a beautiful lanaguage...but so hard to teach !

:thankyou:

[tamarind]

I absolutely agree that Chinese tuition is not helpful, and if you get a bad teacher who makes the child memorize a lot of things, your child will end up hating Chinese. HeSheMe has given good advise about the ways to learn Chinese.


For young kids who are starting to learn Chinese, the easiest and most effective way is to make sure that he reads Chinese story books without hanyu pinyin every day for about 30 mins. Ask him to read every word out loud. This is also excellent for improving his oral skills. Even kids from English speaking families can excel in Chinese this way. This method is also good for primary school kids who cannot read chinese story books independently. When a child has read enough books outside of the textbooks, he will have no problems with Chinese.

Check out my blog for more information:
http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2011/06/reading-long-chinese-novels-by-7-years.html

[MandyMummy]

课外阅读， 读书， 读好书 are ways to improve Chinese. Get your child to starting reading Chinese books apart from speaking and listening.

[metz]

inSing SuperDeals:

been trying to get my child to go for chinese tuition classes but its so tough! was wondering if anyone of you parents have this http://tiny.cc/p9yt9 and was it useful??

How old is your child? Depending on the age, your child may require different forms of help.

If you are a hands-on parent, the following two threads will give you some ideas on how to improve Chinese in various interesting ways. Though most of the sharing are by parents with kids in upper primary, you can still modify the ideas to suit your child's level. But bear in mind, they would require parents' active participation -

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=17003

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=20691 Some parents have provided feedback on the Creative Chinese tablet in this thread. More info can be found in http://www.playchinese.com/newsandevents/pedagogysystem.

If you are looking to outsource the teaching/guiding, then look up the various threads on Chinese enrichment centres for recommendations. Chiefkiasu has also shared his experience with one centre in http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/mother-and-educator.

For software that corresponds with the school textbook, try http://www.panpaceducation.com/contentview.aspx?article_id=17.