If you want to help your children understand Mandarin better than before, enrolling them in Chinese tuition can be a great option. This practice is commonly recommended since children will be connected with experienced teachers. As parents, choosing the right Chinese tuition for your children may come as a challenge, especially if there are many options available. Before registering for Chinese tuition for your kids, let’s find out what needs to be checked and how to find the best Chinese tutor!

The first step to enrolling your child in Chinese tuition is to understand how to find the best learning centre for them. This means, parents should know what Chinese tuition includes in its overall learning activities. As a comparison, a good Chinese tuition usually includes these following aspects. 

Include Different Curriculums

A good Chinese tuition will provide you with different curriculums. Some might focus on learning foundations of Mandarin, such as learning Chinese Pinyin or introduction to Chinese characters. On the other hand, other curriculums might have a stricter format aimed to help children to succeed in exams. This kind of Chinese courses may include MOE aligned Chinese courses or YCT courses. This variation can help children to switch classes depending on their ability and their goals.  

Engaging Learning Activities

Children are more likely to suffer from boredom while learning something new, including learning Chinese language. To overcome this, a good Chinese tuition should include different learning activities aimed to help children feel engaged. This activity may include quizzes, learning through music or video, and incorporating Chinese storybooks to assist a holistic Chinese learning experience. 

Consider Children’s Needs

A good Chinese tuition for children should have the flexibility of adjusting to children’s needs. This can be reflected by the ability to customize Chinese courses depending on children’s learning goal and current knowledge. Furthermore, a good Chinese tuition may also provide private class options for children who prefer learning individually. This class is also usually more flexible in terms of learning styles and materials. 

Before applying for Chinese tuition, there are aspects, other than learning styles, that you need to consider. Understanding these aspects can help you choose the right Chinese tuition for your children to make sure that they’re learning Chinese effectively. Here are some important aspects of Chinese tuition that you may want to check before registering into one. 

Learning Goals

The first thing that you need to check before enrolling into Chinese tuition is your children’s learning goal. Many parents are unaware of acknowledging goals and enroll their children in general Chinese courses that hinder their performance. Therefore, try to ask yourself why you want your children to learn Chinese. For example, many parents only need their children to have fluency in speaking Chinese, while others might want their children to achieve better results in exams. These situations require different Chinese courses to ensure that learning can be done effectively. 

Core Skills and Learning Materials

Understanding which core skills a Chinese course highlights is another aspect that you may like to consider. Generally, there are 4 different core skills that Chinese tuitions focus on: listening, speaking, writing, and reading. Therefore, you can pick which core skills that your children want to develop. Aside from core skills, knowing learning materials and sources is also equally important. If possible, you can try asking Chinese tuition centres about their learning resources to ensure that your children are learning from reliable materials. 

Price and Duration

Aside from knowing what a Chinese tuition centre offers, understanding their costs is also an important part, especially if you’re working on a tight budget. Before applying, you can try comparing similar classes’ prices and understand what they offer in return. You may also check on classes’ duration to ensure that the class duration works well with your children’s schedule. 

Availability

Classes availability is not only about remaining quota per course, but also about their schedules and learning options. For example, many Chinese tuitions only provide offline learning sessions, which are not effective for students with limited mobility options. Therefore, make sure you’re checking on what kind of classes they provide. If commuting time often troubles your children, you can try looking for an online classes option that suits the children’s timetable. This type of information is usually available on Chinese tuition centres’ websites or flyers so you can evaluate its suitability before reaching out for further inquiries. 

Finding the best Chinese tutor for your children is another long journey that often includes trial and error. Although Chinese tuitions provide many experienced trainers, not every child has the same opinions and thus their experiences may differ greatly. Although this step is almost inevitable, here are some practical aspects that you need to pay attention to before choosing your children’s Chinese tutor. 

Understand Children’s Learning Style

Children have varying learning styles that parents need to pay attention to. Many children fail to learn Chinese language effectively due to their inability in adapting to certain learning environments. Therefore, parents can start paying attention to their children’s preferences, such as their habits, their preferred social circle size, and other important factors. If you’re not sure on what your children’s learning style is, you can also consult a professional for an accurate result. 

Understand Teacher’s Profile

Before choosing a specific tutor, make sure you have previously checked their profile and past experiences. There are a few things that you may want to confirm, such as their educational background, expertise fields, and teaching styles. For further reference, you can also seek testimonials from their students. These testimonials will not only help to provide an objective review, but also help you understand Chinese tutor’s teaching methods. 

Communicate with Your Children

Communication is key to finding the best Chinese tutor. Although your children may not be able to make their own decision, it is important to let them know about what kind of Chinese tuition you’re planning to offer. Furthermore, the same effective communication should still be implemented upon enrollment. Try asking your children about their opinions about their current Chinese courses and how they feel about continuing their lessons. This way, you can create an enjoyable learning environment while actively involving your children. 

Check Your Children’s Progress

Children’s progress can also be another measurement worth noticing. This aspect becomes crucially important if your children are struggling to meet learning objectives. If you notice your children show slower progress than expected, you can try to evaluate their current lessons and adjust it to suit their needs.

Finding the best Chinese tuition is not only a matter of popularity, but also how a Chinese lesson can be suitable for your children. This means, Chinese tuition should be able to provide engaging learning experiences to help children understand Chinese effectively. In Elitekid, we provide children with a different curriculum to choose from, letting them explore Chinese independently through theme-based learning or even structured programs based on existing curriculum. Learn more about our different Chinese tuition programs by visiting our site.