Learning Chinese (Primary/Preschool)

[Artbeaucoup]

That's a buddy language programme mooted by MOE some years back.

Now it's called Basic Conversational Chinese/Malay/Tamil Language. It's FOC and serves as a platform for fostering social cohesion and racial harmony. Nandiri

ArtBeauCoup

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

Thanks Artbeaucoup. Yes, the programme is called Basic Conversational Chinese/Malay/Tamil Language. Sounds like fun. She told me she wept buckets after watching Mandarin drama in school. I was like :?


She explained to me that it is part of the programme. Keke.

[Artbeaucoup]

You're welcome, EN. The take up rate is not high though, usually less than a quarter of the class will enrol themselves in it. All those pragmatic calculations about its academic importance, etc., made most steer clear of it. Glad your daughter enjoyed herself.


ArtBeauCoup

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

I have forgotten to add another important point.


Parents who are also learning the same language can act as a guidance and motivator to the child, like Schellen and family.

[Emelyn]

Hi,


Can parents share how you coach your child in Chinese ?
I am refering to children in P3 and above. Not preschool.

Regards

[mckenzy]

…how else do you guys get your kids interested in Mandarin?


my P5 boy has gone to Berries and Tien Hsia but has recently shown signs of resistance (we speak no mandarin at home) to attending his class…

- boring
- teachers keep changing
- etc. etc

we tried speaking (half baked) mandarin at home but he just kept replying and conversing back in English… getting abit stubborn i admit… but i think its the P5 boys way of exercising independence…

so pushing won’t help…

some thoughts that come to mind are:

- watch plays/teochew opera (its not so much mandarin but to gather interest)
- get him to watch Mandarin drama serials
- get DVD of shows and launch them in Mandarin with Mandarin subtitles…

any ideas…?

[mrswongtuition]

My boy is very resistant to chinese but recently is showing interest.


I got alot of nice colourful books in chinese. At first I show him the pictures only, then when he started to like the pictures in the book, I read it to him in chinese and told him the chinese name for the different objects/people in the book. Ask him to repeat after me & praised him like mad when he got it right

My boy works well with positive praises. Maybe you can try?

BTW, my boy watches Disney Channel & I play it in Chinese audio mode. No subtitles, so he's forced to listen, else I'll switch it off.

[mckenzy]

Hi mrswongtuition, thanks for your reply.


He’s already 11 going on 12 years old…

Should i subscribe to cable? Can change language? i don’t really know cause i only recently bought a TV…

[mrswongtuition]

mckenzy:

Hi mrswongtuition, thanks for your reply.


He's already 11 going on 12 years old...

Should i subscribe to cable? Can change language? i don't really know cause i only recently bought a TV...

Cable is good if you get the right channels.

Make them watch Chinese news, Chinese dramas (without subtitles), etc.
Has National Geographic and Discovery Channel too.

I'm a cable TV lover, nothing will stop me from subscribing I actually improved my spoken Mandarin by watching Chinese News (some Taiwanese network)

[daisyt]

hi mckenzy, I personally feel that watching Chinese drama, listen to Chinese pop songs, help to cultive the interest. Morever, HK Chinese dubbed dramas are more educating and positive than Singapore ones. However, the recent drama showing on Ch 8, Daddy at home, not bad. Local Ch 8 and Ch U Chinese news is good too.


Actually, his school environment, teachers and friends play an important part too. My girl's interest in Chinese increase tremendously when she is in Sec 1, with good Chinese teacher, a group of clique who speaks Mandarin and like Chinese pop singers.

A few other suggestions
1) Chinese drama class http://www.yppae.org/portal/
2) Attend exhibitions about Chinese culture, eg. museums, national library
3) Watch Chinese performance and plays. Check out sistics
4) Watc Chinese movies, since he is a boy, maybe he would like those history war movies eg. 赤壁 ？