Common challenges Singaporean parents may face when teaching their kids Mandarin

As a loving and caring parent, you are ready to do whatever it takes to give your little bundle of joy a head start in life. One of the best ways you can do this is to teach your kid a second language. If you live in Singapore and your child already knows how to speak English, then you should consider teaching him how to speak Mandarin.

Keep in mind that your child’s journey to fluency in a second language is not going to be all sunshine and rainbows. You kid is inevitably going to face some challenges, regardless of how fast he learns. From frustration to lack of interest in the language, you must be ready to help him when the time comes. And to most, help comes in the form of joining a Mandarin class at a language school.

 

The following article by Etonhouse explains more on some of the challenges Singaporean parents are likely going to face when teaching their kids how to speak Mandarin Chinese.

Coping With Learning Mandarin: 5 Challenges Singapore Parents Face

I thought that my days of learning Mandarin were far behind me, but then I became a mum and I found myself thrust back into a world of Chinese characters and hanyu pinyin,” shared Mdm Tan, mum of a Primary 2 daughter, candidly. Read more here.

Now that you have a clearer understanding on the challenges you may face in teaching a second language, you must remember to maintain a positive attitude and never give up no matter how tough it get. One thing you can do to help overcome these challenges is to sign up your kid for Mandarin classes.

 

This article by Ng Keng Gene unveils some special Mandarin classes in Singapore.

Tailoring Mandarin classes to pupils’ needs

Sometimes, they are required to walk around class and ask each other questions about their families or their hobbies to get to know each other better and practise their speech,” she told The New Paper in Mandarin. Read more here.

You likely now know a thing or two about some special Mandarin classes that can address the needs of your kid. Another step you can take to ensure that your kid becomes fluent in Chinese is to enroll him in an enrichment center focused on the Mandarin language.  There, special tools and fun games will be used to teach your kid how to speak Mandarin.

 

Here Openschoolbag specifies 6 enrichment centers that can teach your child how to speak Mandarin fluently in Singapore.

6 Enrichment Centres for Singapore Kids focused on Chinese Language

We remember that besides enrichment classes for English Language which we previously introduced under 6 Enrichment Centres for Singapore Kids focused on English Language, there are also enrichment classes specially meant for the Chinese Language.  Read more here.

You likely now know some of the best Chinese enrichment classes in Singapore like Chengzhu Mandarin Centre, Kidstartnow, Apple Pie, Berries, Tien Hsia Language School, and Skylace Language School among others. Before enrolling your kid into any of them, it is important that you first learn as much as you can about them.

 

Final note

Teaching your child a complicated language like Mandarin is by no means going to be a walk in the park. You are going to meet with some challenges. To scale through them, you have to be flexible in your approach, patient and positive. Also it is advisable to consider enrolling your child into a Mandarin language class. Most Mandarin enrichment classes are dedicated to making language learning as fun as possible.

So, do your research to find a good one or alternatively, choose among the best or high rated Mandarin language schools for children in Singapore.

 

Super easy ways to help your kids learn Chinese

Super easy ways to help your kids learn Chinese

As a Singaporean parent, don’t you just wish that your child could become a fluent Chinese speaker overnight? Regardless of how skilled you are or how effective your teaching techniques are, you won’t be able to teach your kids how to speak Chinese fluently within a short time span. The reason for this is that learning a new language takes time and consistent effort.

Presently, there are a handful of strategies that can effectively help parents to teach kids Chinese without stressing their self out.

The following article by Dr Chung Tzemin shed light on some fun ways to help your kids learn how to speak Chinese.

The Fun Way to Help Your Child Learn Chinese – and Love It!

Imagine you’ve just come home from a long day at work and as soon as you step into the living room, your son runs up to you with a book in his hand and says: Read more here.

You surely now know some fun and effective ways to teach your kids how to speak Chinese fluently. Regardless of your best efforts as a parent to help your child become a fluent Chinese speaker, your child may still fall behind. Well, if that is the case, you should do some research to learn what is holding them back.

The following article by connectedlearnig shed light on five reasons why your kids may be struggling to learn Chinese.

Five reasons why Singaporean kids struggle to learn Chinese

It’s no secret that Chinese has become more important in today’s economic situation. However, our children’s attitudes have not changed much! Mandarin is still a major hurdle for our mostly English-speaking youth. Read more here.

You now know some five reasons why your child may be struggling to learn Chinese. Regardless of the reason why your child may not be interested in learning Chinese or having a hard time remembering what he has learned, you need to keep in mind that there are ways to salvage the situation and make your kids fall in love with the language.

The following article by youngparents discusses how one parent that was able to teach her kids how to speak Chinese.

Diana Ser’s top tips for teaching kids Chinese

Diana Ser may be effectively bilingual, but like many parents in Singapore, she struggles to get her kids to love Mandarin. Jake is 12, Christy is 10, and Jaymee, seven. Read more here

You likely now know some tips that can spur your child’s interest in learning the Chinese language. You also now know some things you must never do when teaching your child how to speak Chinese. If your child is struggling with the language, then you should change your approach. For example, if you have been using books to teach your kids but aren’t getting any result, then you should try videos, apps and other learning tools for a change.

Final note

As a parent, if you aren’t a fluent Chinese speaker, it is likely going to be easy to conclude that it is going to be difficult or impossible to teach your kids how to speak Chinese.

While this may be true to an extent, you need to keep in mind that there are super easy things you can do to rekindle your child’s interest in the language. For example, you can use fun videos, games, apps and so on instead of boring books and courses.

Despite how effective your approach to teaching the language may be, your child may still struggle. Well, if that is the case, then you should learn from how one successful parent in Singapore was able to do this.