Introduction
If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of questions about how to get your kids excited about learning Chinese. Trust me, I know how hard it can be to figure out how to engage your kids in their studies without driving them insane or upsetting them too much. So if you’re looking for some tips on making learning fun and interesting (without sacrificing the quality of education), read on!
How to Talk and Get Your Kids to Talk Back
The key to getting your child to speak Chinese is simply by talking with them as much as possible. Don’t worry about mistakes, don’t worry about grammar, don’t worry about pronunciation and definitely don’t worry about vocabulary or fluency. Just keep talking to them in Chinese because the more they hear it, the more they’ll want to speak it back at you!
Keep a strong Chinese language emphasis at home.
You can also keep a strong Chinese language emphasis at home. Consider having a Chinese-speaking family, friends and neighbors. If that’s not possible, then you can make the effort to watch Chinese TV, read Chinese books and magazines with your child, play Chinese games together, talk to your child in Chinese, use Chinese apps and get them connected on social media with other kids around the world who are learning their own version of the language.
Keep accurate records of your child’s progress
Keep accurate records. As your child progresses through different levels and stages of learning, you’ll want to keep track of how well they are doing. If a child is having difficulty with a particular concept or word, it may be helpful to write down the word or phrase and its pronunciation in Mandarin Chinese characters so that you can refer back to it later.
You could also make a list of words or phrases that you think would be useful for your child in daily life; this way when they begin using those words regularly, you will know whether or not they have mastered them correctly!
Make learning fun and interactive.
The first thing your kid needs to do is actually learn the language. While this sounds obvious, it’s easy to forget that your kid isn’t going to pick up a new language by osmosis. And while they may have fun with Chinese class, they’re going to need some guidance and motivation at home as well.
Here are some tips for making it easier on everybody:
- Don’t force them into studying – find out what kind of learner your child is and tailor their study methods accordingly. Some kids learn best by listening or watching videos; others might prefer hands-on activities like cooking together or playing games together in Mandarin.
- If possible, take advantage of local resources such as the library or community center where you can find books, DVDs and toys in Chinese (or any other languages). This will help build up their vocabulary while also giving them something tangible they can relate back too in English later on!
Start with the basics.
To start, you can teach your child the basics of Chinese. Start with numbers, colors, and basic greetings and questions. You can use flashcards or games to help them learn these words and phrases. Then when you’re ready to move on from the basics, introduce the Chinese alphabet (hanyu pinyin) so that your kids can learn how to pronounce all of these new words correctly.
If you want to take things a step further, there are also some fun apps available that teach Mandarin through music videos or interactive books. Kids love these kinds of things—and they may even be more willing than adults will be!
Be supportive, but don’t worry if the lessons don’t go perfectly.
When your child is learning Chinese, it’s important to be supportive of their efforts and not get too hard on yourself. Don’t fret if the lessons don’t go perfectly. The most important thing is that you’re trying to make learning Chinese fun for them and have an open mind about the process so that they can grow as learners.
If your child gets something wrong, don’t worry about it! No one knows everything immediately; sometimes we have to try different things before we find what works best for us. Even if your child doesn’t understand something right away (or at all), give them time to process what they learned before moving on with new material. If necessary, explain things in simple terms until they get it—and remember that repetition is key here!
You may also want to prepare yourself in case your child decides he/she doesn’t want anything more than just this one lesson; some kids are stubborn when it comes down to getting new stuff into their brains! You might do well by setting a timer at first so everyone knows how long each lesson should last and then adjust accordingly from there.”
Get expert help when you need it.
If you feel like you’re floundering, this is where I would recommend getting expert help. Whether it’s hiring a tutor or enrolling your child at a Chinese school, there are plenty of ways to get quality instruction from people who can make sense of the learning process and make it more fun for your children.
Here are some ways to get kids excited about learning Chinese
- Talk to your kids in Chinese
- Make learning fun and interactive
- Start with the basics
- Be supportive, but don’t worry if the lessons don’t go perfectly
Conclusion
Now you have some great tips on how to get your kids excited about learning Chinese. The most important thing is to keep it fun and interactive! If you want to learn more about teaching Chinese as a second language, or if your kid wants to learn AP Chinese or A-Level Chinese check out our latest blog post.
