Children have different styles that affect their way of perceiving the world around them. This fact extends to learning Mandarin, where each child requires a different approach to help them understand the language faster. When many children learn better with Chinese storybooks or videos, others might need a more structured approach to help them excel in Mandarin. 

Generally, there are three main learning styles that your children may have: visual learning, auditory learning, and kinesthetic learning. This style is not only related to how they understand things, but can also affect their actions in everyday life.

This article will provide you with several methods to help your children learn Mandarin based on their learning styles. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The Best Resources to Learn Mandarin for Children

As previously discussed, children learn differently based on their primary learning style. Usually, you can observe this by looking at their preferred actions or by taking a quick assessment to determine children’s learning styles. Understanding children’s learning styles can help them learn Mandarin better for the following reasons. 

• Children often engage better with learning materials when something interesting to them is included. This means, having a Chinese studying method that corresponds to their learning style can help mastering these skills easier for them.  
• Children who are forced to learn something often suffer from stress that can lead to burnout. By adjusting learning materials based on their styles, learning can be much more motivating for children and thus avoiding them from unnecessary stress. 
• Learning Mandarin based on children’s learning styles can increase relevancy. Tailoring your children’s learning method based on their style can help them store information better and recall it easier in the future. 

Children who are grouped under the visual learners category have the tendency to understand and process information better when it is offered through visual cues such as diagrams, pictures, or texts. This group is best suited for classes with a structured learning that focuses on reading and visualizing objects. Here are a few learning methods that can benefit children who fall under the visual learners category. 

Reading Children’s Stories 

Chinese storybooks are one of the most popular studying tools used among younger audiences who want to learn new vocabulary while maintaining an engaging session. Usually, Chinese storybooks include different stories for children to imagine, some of them even have their own pictures as visual appeals. With its varying plots, this tool is suitable for many children with different ranges of age. 

Flashcard with Pictures

If you want to help your children to sharpen their vocabulary acquisition through a learning method that focuses on visuals, flashcards with pictures can be a great alternative. This learning tool is not only perfect for children who fall under the visual learner category, but it is also easier to make and highly customizable. Just by providing pictures and papers with Chinese characters, you can create your own Chinese flashcards to help your children learn Mandarin effectively. 

Diagrams and Charts

Another fun learning method you can use to help visual learners children learn is by making your own charts or diagrams. For example, you can try putting a Chinese character or Pinyin charts in your children’s room. Your diagrams or charts should include visually appealing pictures to help children retain memories better in a longer

Children who are grouped under the auditory learners category have the tendency to understand and process information better when it is offered through verbal cues such as speaking or listening. This category often learns better when active discussions are included in the learning process. Here are a few Mandarin learning methods for children who fall under the auditory learner category. 

Singing Nursery Rhymes

When thinking about learning for auditory learners, studying through songs or music might be the most common thing to mention. With how engaging and fun music can be, especially for auditory learners, this media can turn learning methods into a memorable experience for children. Among the many songs out there, Chinese nursery rhymes are often recommended for younger learners. This song usually features easy-to-understand songs with repeated phrases to help with Mandarin pronunciation and vocabulary acquisition. 

Reading Out Loud

Even if your children is an auditory learner, you can still make use of children’s storybooks and different texts to help them get better in their Mandarin skills. The difference comes from how you deliver the story to your children. Instead of letting them read silently, you can try encouraging them to learn by reading out loud. This way, children can listen to Chinese stories and pick up new vocabulary naturally. You can also take this learning method a step further by encouraging them to mimic your Mandarin pronunciation. 

Interactive Roleplay

Another method you can try to help your auditory learner children is by encouraging them to do interactive roleplay. This can be implemented through play pretend where you and your children will take turns in speaking based on the assigned roles. This will not only help children get more fluent in Mandarin pronunciation, but also help them come up with spontaneous answers to boost their confidence. 

Children who are grouped under the kinesthetic learners category have the tendency to understand and process information by touching, moving, or engaging in hands-on activities. This type of child can find a structured learning environment that focuses on theory to be boring and find it harder to focus. Here are a few Mandarin learning methods that may be suitable for your kinesthetic learner children. 

Playing Games

Interactive and educational games can be a great resource for your children to learn Mandarin if their learning style leans more towards kinesthetic learning. These games can vary from traditional games you come up with yourself or digital games available on different Mandarin platforms. Aside from helping children engaged in learning Mandarin, incorporating games into children’s sessions can also help assess their current skills and decide on what material you need to focus on in the future. 

Write Notes

Children with a kinesthetic learning style find it easier to retain and recall information if they have written it down themselves. Therefore, making use of rewriting notes, tracing Chinese characters, or working on a Chinese worksheet can be highly beneficial for them. When doing their notes, you can also encourage them to elaborate on the points further and provide extra information if they’re not sure with their learning materials. 

Prioritize Daily Usage and Activities

Providing hands-on experience is a great way to help kinesthetic learners understand Mandarin skills better. To learn Mandarin by using this method, you can try bringing your children to a local Chinese festival or engage in cultural activities. These activities will not only give children the opportunity to learn Mandarin from others, but also encourage them to be more immersed and connected with Chinese culture. 

Matching your children’s learning method with their preferred styles can be difficult, especially if you’re unsure on how to provide the best environment for them. Aside from its overall difficulty, finding the best Mandarin learning method requires time and resources that parents may not have all the time. 

If finding a learning method that corresponds to your children’s needs is still too difficult, enrolling them in Mandarin courses can be a great way to provide support as parents. Mandarin courses often offer different learning approaches based on children’s learning styles and age. In Elitekid, we provide theme-based learning with varying activities that can correspond with your children’s learning styles. Book your trial class today and start your children’s learning journey with Elitekid to help them achieve fluency.

Learn more about us by visiting our site.