Teaching Chinese at Home

[tamarind]

porcupine12trade:

Alamak, dont know when is my turn all my 3 kids can be good in eng/chinese and read independently in eng/chinese and ...hope my \"enthusiasm\" doesnt die before they can achieve that heh


BTW leapfrog is such great aid for learning to read in eng...is there an equivalent in chinese? easier way out haaa

I also wish there is the equivalent of leapfrog DVDs in Chinese

You can definitely achieve that, just focus on the important things and don't try to do too much. Try to spend 20-30 mins a day with each child, let them read out loud from good picture books. When you get the Si Wu Kuai Du series, finish the 6 books first then go on to read picture books. If you can persist for 1 to 2 years, you should see a lot if improvement, not only in word recognition, but also in comprehension skills and oral skills.

This is what I have done because I am really busy with work and I can only focus on teaching them to read books.

[zcl1712]

hi, can i know which branch (berries) did u send your child to? Is it good?

[laughingcat]

zcl1712:

hi, can i know which branch (berries) did u send your child to? Is it good?

Hi zcl1712, you should post your question at the other forum instead http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416&start=1190 coz this forum is teaching chinese at home. :lol:

generally all beries branches are the same just which timeslot is suitable for you and which educator provider and class environment is suitable for your child. Not so much on the which branch.

[porcupine12trade]

daddybear:

Here are some samples originally from phankao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl3o11A2vzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylMUmHV4oGk

I bought the package containing tang poetry, San Zi Jing and Di Zhi Gui. Contains both VCD and CD to play in the car. Total cost was RM68 from Harris. I drove up to JB just to check out the choices. I am sure its available in popular as well.

Wah the music very nice :)! Very cute videos! But may I ask, what is the benefit of introducing such to kids? My #1 Pri school teaches them these, she loves reciting and memorizing but i just wonder what is the intent of such? Thanks!

but i v keen to buy (itchy hands la) coz the music v nice and the recital v cute :). Btw how does the cover look like? I tried google for image but cant find much, if popular has, mayb i go take snap shots hee. I am thinking of getting a friend get from JB for me, they go there real often. Is it legal to bring back :p?

Really paiseh to say i dont know what exactly is San Zi Jing and Di Zhi Gui, though I heard about san zi jing. I can speak ok/proper chinese but not so powerful to know all these :oops:

[porcupine12trade]

tamarind:

porcupine12trade:

Alamak, dont know when is my turn all my 3 kids can be good in eng/chinese and read independently in eng/chinese and ...hope my \"enthusiasm\" doesnt die before they can achieve that heh


BTW leapfrog is such great aid for learning to read in eng...is there an equivalent in chinese? easier way out haaa

I also wish there is the equivalent of leapfrog DVDs in Chinese

You can definitely achieve that, just focus on the important things and don't try to do too much. Try to spend 20-30 mins a day with each child, let them read out loud from good picture books. When you get the Si Wu Kuai Du series, finish the 6 books first then go on to read picture books. If you can persist for 1 to 2 years, you should see a lot if improvement, not only in word recognition, but also in comprehension skills and oral skills.

This is what I have done because I am really busy with work and I can only focus on teaching them to read books.

Hi Tamarind,

Your methods sound very logical and time efficient. However I have some questions, what if the child prefers me to read and not reading it out herself/himself (usually i mean my #2 n 3 coz my #1 is v teachable, how i wish her sis/bro are like her, but I know I cannot compare). My #2,3 enjoy reading with me alot (both eng n chinese), in a single day we have many a few reading sessions and if I dont put a stop, they will not request to stop. I try to get #2 to read out loud, but her reading will get softer and softer....hmm overall just not \"loud and clear\" and she always say she prefers me to read for her. As for my #3, he cant read!! but he will want to read :s.... he will read from memory or base on pictures so obviously he can only get abt 50% right... how how how

but I will definitely try to persevere like what you say... continue for 1-2 yrs and I do believe it will show results

[daddybear]

porcupine12trade:

Wah the music very nice :)! Very cute videos! But may I ask, what is the benefit of introducing such to kids? My #1 Pri school teaches them these, she loves reciting and memorizing but i just wonder what is the intent of such? Thanks!

but i v keen to buy (itchy hands la) coz the music v nice and the recital v cute :). Btw how does the cover look like? I tried google for image but cant find much, if popular has, mayb i go take snap shots hee. I am thinking of getting a friend get from JB for me, they go there real often. Is it legal to bring back :p?

Really paiseh to say i dont know what exactly is San Zi Jing and Di Zhi Gui, though I heard about san zi jing. I can speak ok/proper chinese but not so powerful to know all these :oops:

Actually, i found it very useful as a parent as well as a person of chinese origin. The values and the concepts are actually foundations of the chinese culture. The CD plays the words but also provides explanation. So convenient!!! :lol:

There is a useful translation at the following site. Between the chinese explanation and the english translation, its very easy to understand. And you don't have to do it all at once. Right now, what I learn, I \"transfer\" to my kid 24 hours later. Must absorb, digest and then transfer in kids language mah...

http://www.yellowbridge.com/onlinelit/sanzijing.php

Should be legal lah... The discs were on the front seat but the customs also just wave me along. The packaging is just a plastic cover. But i think its quite famous. When the salesgirl play it for me (must test mah), all the kids magically crowd around and can recite! :shock:

[hquek]

laughingcat:

Anybody have any info on pictorial San Zi Jing or Tang poetry?

For san ji zing - line by line translated in english and explained, http://www.yellowbridge.com/onlinelit/sanzijing.php

[tamarind]

porcupine12trade:

Your methods sound very logical and time efficient. However I have some questions, what if the child prefers me to read and not reading it out herself/himself (usually i mean my #2 n 3 coz my #1 is v teachable, how i wish her sis/bro are like her, but I know I cannot compare). My #2,3 enjoy reading with me alot (both eng n chinese), in a single day we have many a few reading sessions and if I dont put a stop, they will not request to stop. I try to get #2 to read out loud, but her reading will get softer and softer....hmm overall just not \"loud and clear\" and she always say she prefers me to read for her. As for my #3, he cant read!! but he will want to read :s.... he will read from memory or base on pictures so obviously he can only get abt 50% right... how how how

but I will definitely try to persevere like what you say... continue for 1-2 yrs and I do believe it will show results

Are you using the Sage Basic Chinese 500 books ? These books repeat the same words in different sentences throughout the series, and every page has different pages. You will know whether he remembers the word or is he reading from memory by looking at the pictures.

Also, try not to let him read the same books over and over again, keep reading new books, so that it is less likely for him to remember the sentences related to the pictures.

For your #2, its OK for her to read softly, just make sure that she pronounces every word correctly. It is fine to read to her, if you can make sure that she is looking at every word, and she can remember new words that you have read to her before.

[tamarind]

I just read this :


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/electronic-chinese-dictionaries-psle

The Ministry of Education has allowed the use of electronic CL-CL dictionaries during examinations for all levels from PSLE to pre-University starting 2007. However, only handheld electronic dictionaries that are approved by the Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board (SEAB) will be allowed for use in the CL composition component of national examinations. Here is a guide to getting one of these e-dictionaries for your child.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2005/pr20051025.htm
Currently, print dictionaries approved by SEAB are allowed in ‘O’ level Mother Tongue and Higher Mother Tongue composition examinations. From 2006, print dictionaries approved by SEAB will also be allowed in PSLE Mother Tongue and Higher Mother Tongue composition examinations.

I am pleasantly surprised to learn about this, because I have been training my girl to write compositions by checking the Chinese dictionary since she was in P1, and she is able to do so independently now at P2. She knows how to write most of the commonly used words, but she can recognize far more words than those, so she will check the dictionary whenever she wants to use a difficult word. Looks like I have been doing the right thing !

That means parents should focus on character recognition, and stop asking your kids to practice writing many pages of Chinese characters !

Also, I want to emphasize that the only way to learn Chinese effectively is by reading as many picture books and story books as possible. It is not necessary to memorize anything. MOE is doing the right thing, and parents can now focus on letting kids learn Chinese in a fun and enjoyable way.

I highly recommend this dictionary :
http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2011/01/learning-chinese-independently.html

When my girl is looking up a word, I find that she is learning new words by looking at other words in the same page !

[phankao]

tamarind:

I just read this :


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/electronic-chinese-dictionaries-psle

The Ministry of Education has allowed the use of electronic CL-CL dictionaries during examinations for all levels from PSLE to pre-University starting 2007. However, only handheld electronic dictionaries that are approved by the Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board (SEAB) will be allowed for use in the CL composition component of national examinations. Here is a guide to getting one of these e-dictionaries for your child.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2005/pr20051025.htm
Currently, print dictionaries approved by SEAB are allowed in ‘O’ level Mother Tongue and Higher Mother Tongue composition examinations. From 2006, print dictionaries approved by SEAB will also be allowed in PSLE Mother Tongue and Higher Mother Tongue composition examinations.

I am pleasantly surprised to learn about this, because I have been training my girl to write compositions by checking the Chinese dictionary since she was in P1, and she is able to do so independently now at P2. She knows how to write most of the commonly used words, but she can recognize far more words than those, so she will check the dictionary whenever she wants to use a difficult word. Looks like I have been doing the right thing !

That means parents should focus on character recognition, and stop asking your kids to practice writing many pages of Chinese characters !

Also, I want to emphasize that the only way to learn Chinese effectively is by reading as many picture books and story books as possible. It is not necessary to memorize anything. MOE is doing the right thing, and parents can now focus on letting kids learn Chinese in a fun and enjoyable way.

I highly recommend this dictionary :
http://tamarindvillage.blogspot.com/2011/01/learning-chinese-independently.html

When my girl is looking up a word, I find that she is learning new words by looking at other words in the same page !

You didn't know this? They introduce in compo exams from p3 or p4 onwards in school to train them. And your daughter in around that level now, right?

My eldest was in the 1st 2006 batch that used dictionaries for psle CL compo.