Language proficiency in Chinese is an invaluable skill that will serve your child well in many aspects of their life. They will attain a deeper insight into a rich and storied culture and gain many opportunities around the world. With Singapore being a country that primarily speaks English, it can be challenging to establish the importance of the Chinese language – especially among children. Read on for some useful tips on how you, as a parent, can create a learning environment for your child that encourages a love for the Chinese language.
1. Start early
Research has shown that children are masters at learning languages and the earlier they are introduced to different languages, the more they comprehend throughout the rest of their lives. Hence, it’s beneficial to introduce Chinese to your children early so that they can not only have a solid foundation but also be more receptive to the Chinese language as they grow older.
It is important to provide ample opportunities for children to be immersed in the language to let them gain confidence and motivation to learn. By sending them to a kindergarten or preschool with a robust bilingual curriculum and speaking more Mandarin at home, you can encourage your children to subconsciously pick up the language and get used to it faster. Soon, learning the Chinese language will feel more instinctual and less like a task.
2. Make it fun
For children, it is always easier to learn through fun and meaningful play. You don’t want your child to get bored of the Chinese language before they can explore and immerse themselves in it. The best thing you can do in this situation is to attempt to make it as fun for them as possible.
There are plenty of ways to do this. From cartoons to comics, songs to books, there is a huge variety of entertainment available for children to pick up languages easily. By incorporating the Chinese language into their play time, you may be surprised by the amount of Chinese your child can learn at the end of the day.
3. Teach them about Chinese culture
Chinese culture embodied the storied history of thousands of years. As such, it’s undeniably rich and endlessly fascinating. Utilise this aspect of Chinese language learning instead of focusing on rote memorisation and technicalities. For instance, you can go in-depth about the origins of certain Chinese characters, so they know the exact reasons why they are written that way and the multitude of meanings behind it. With these comprehensive memories attached to the character, they’re sure to be able to identify it more quickly and efficiently when given a chance.
4. Be patient
Learning takes time, effort, and patience from all parties involved. Children’s learning outcomes and achievements are often directly influenced by parental expectations. Instead of being harsh and having unreasonably high expectations, try a more understanding and holistic approach. You can try setting achievable goals that are aligned to your child’s learning abilities and if you can, be involved in their studies to support them through active learning.
Whether you are new or familiar with the Chinese language, showing that you have a keen interest in it will greatly encourage your child to enjoy the process of learning. This makes them want to speak the language, which is a much better incentive than doing it because they were told to do so.
Conclusion
Cultivating your child’s interest to learn the Chinese language can be a long and challenging process. However, it’s undoubtedly worthwhile with all the advantages they stand to gain from being a fluent speaker.
At Raffles Kidz, we actively work to ignite a passion for the language through our comprehensive and multi-award-winning bilingual curriculum. Being one of the best bilingual childcare centres in Singapore, our students get to immerse themselves in the Chinese language with experienced teachers leading the way. Book a tour with us today to find out more!
