As parents, assisting kids learning different skills is still highly crucial to help build a stronger connection with one another. The same goes with learning Chinese, where parents’ involvement can help kids reach fluency better. However, many parents face difficulties and make mistakes that can hinder their kids’ progress. This common challenge is usually experienced by non-native parents, where Chinese is not the main language they grow up with. The good news is, parents can still help their kids learn Mandarin for children, especially by avoiding these common mistakes and finding the right Chinese classes for kids in Singapore. 

Many parents in Singapore enroll their children in Chinese classes to complement what they learn at local schools or MOE-approved programs.

Kids naturally need guidance in learning, which includes finding motivation to learn Chinese. Finding motivation can help kids achieve better results and find enjoyment in what they’re doing. If you’re a parent wishing to help your children learn Chinese, here are a few practical ways to motivate them. 

Set a Good Example

Even without us noticing, younger kids have the habit of imitating what their parents or closest people do. This behavior is totally common since kids need role models for them to learn certain behaviors. As starters, you can encourage your children to learn Chinese by using the language on several occasions and introducing them to related media. If you’re a non-native parent, you can also set an example by beginning to learn Chinese yourself and encourage your kids to do the same. 

Celebrate Learning Progress

Learning Chinese is a long term commitment and children might be overwhelmed if they’re constantly pushed to achieve better fluency. To motivate them to keep learning, you can start by acknowledging their learning progress. For instance, you can ask them about their progress, what they’ve learned and which part they struggle with. Praise them for each small milestone and show your appreciation for this effort in getting better at Chinese.

Help Create a Routine

Another step that you can try with your children is forming a study habit with them. Creating a routine is highly effective in terms of promoting productivity. Young kids often find it hard to commit and need extrinsic motivation to achieve an efficient schedule to work with. To achieve this, you need to have a thorough understanding of your kids’ schedule and select the best time slot for them to learn Chinese. For younger kids, this duration shouldn’t be too long to avoid them from getting bored or burnt out by the constant studying.

Encourage with Rewards

Another effective way to help motivate your kids is by setting small, achievable goals that they can work with. These goals can vary greatly depending on your kids’ needs. For example, you can set kids’ score at their assessment as their goals. This way, they will be motivated to review their Chinese learning materials to further their understanding. If they manage to reach the goal, you can give them rewards depending on what they like or their interest.. 

As parents, you are often the first role model kids can look into. As previously mentioned, kids often imitate what their parents do. Therefore, it is highly recommended for parents to start teaching their children Chinese to help them acquire better fluency. To teach effectively, here are 5 common mistakes that parents should avoid while teaching Chinese to kids. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 5 Common Mistakes Kids Make When Learning Pinyin–And How to Fix Them

Starting with Writing and Reading

A common mistake that non-native parents often make is selecting which material to start with. Parents with no background in Chinese may think that kids need to start learning by reading and writing vocabularies. However, this method is not entirely effective, especially if your kids are complete beginners. Instead of jumping right into writing and reading, kids with no prior experience should start by getting used to Pinyin and pronunciation. As starters, you can teach your children about the different Chinese tones, initial, and finals. 

Beginning Too Late

For many kids, Chinese is not a mandatory subject that you need to take upon enrolling at school. These circumstances make a lot of kids begin to learn Chinese a bit too late, making it harder for them to reach fluency. Although learning language can be done at any age range, many experts have suggested that kids start learning a second language before 10 years old. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: What’s the Best Age to Start Learning Mandarin and Why It Matters

Focusing on Memorization

Chinese is well known for its different writing system from English, making it a great challenge for non-native who wish to be fluent in using this language. Due to its writing system and many Chinese vocabulary to learn, many parents believe that memorisation is the most important aspect to master. Although memorising can help kids speak Chinese quicker, the most effective way for long-term is to promote understanding instead of memorisation. This means, kids are not only memorising without further context, but they will find relations between learning materials and real-life connections. 

Paying Attention to Result

Fluency in communicating with Chinese is not something that can be achieved with just several days or weeks. Therefore, it is completely normal if your kids are not able to carry a full conversation in Chinese after a few sessions of learning the language. Given this situation, expecting too much, especially for complete beginners, can hinder their motivation. Instead of focusing on results, parents should focus on kids’ smaller progress. 

Relying on Self Study

A lot of people believe that language learning can be done 100% independently, especially with the many resources available on the internet. Although this arrangement is plausible, one difficulty that you may encounter is finding the best and trustworthy resources that can assist your kids effectively. This challenge is commonly faced especially among expat parents, where Chinese is not their forte. Many parents in Singapore eventually choose Chinese classes for kids Singapore to help their Mandarin learning journey progress faster.

As previously mentioned, enrolling in Chinese classes can help provide extra resources and meaningful insights for kids. Given this information, the next step that you can take is to find the best Chinese class for your kids. Chinese classes’ suitability vary greatly between one another since each kid has their own unique learning style and preferences. In order to help you find the best Chinese class for your kids, here are several practical aspects that you should consider. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: What to Look for in a Good Chinese Enrichment Class for Kids

Progress Tracking

A good Chinese class will provide your kids with assignments and activities that can help measure their progress. Unlike formal curriculum, these assignments are not meant to grade them based on their achievements, but to understand which part needs improvement and how to help increasing effectiveness in learning Chinese. 

Offer Tailored Courses

Not every parent will enroll their kids in the same course, especially since each child will likely have different abilities and prior knowledge. A great Chinese class should provide different courses that aim to sharpen a set of skills. For example, Chinese classes may offer structured curriculum for exam takers or students. 

Active Participation

Children are full of curiosity and love being involved in different activities. This behavior aligns with language learning that can only be achieved through participation and constant implementation. Learning by doing is utterly important for learning Chinese to provide insights and feedback. Active participation can be implemented in different ways, such as connecting them with peers to roleplay, letting kids pick their favorite Chinese picture books, or even involving them in Chinese related cultures. 

Many parents unintentionally make mistakes that hinder their kids’ ability to learn Chinese. Although making mistakes while learning Chinese is inevitable, parents should be aware of common misconceptions to help kids progress significantly. Aside from assisting kids in self-learning, another method that you can try to help boost your kids’ ability in Chinese is by enrolling them in Chinese classes. Finding the best Chinese classes might seem like a challenge, but selecting the right course is essential to motivate your kids. In Elitekid, we provide your children with different curriculums depending on their needs. Visit our site to learn more about our available Chinese classes for kids.