learning tool for pre-school kid

[zozzen]

I've seen a Disneyland English programme (like this notoriously expensive one http://www.worldfamily.com.hk/sino/ ) for pre-school kids who learn English. And I'm looking for a similar kit for building native Chinese environment for my cousin.

He's studying in sunday school now, but after talking with some elder kids (maybe 10 years old), I'm rather shocked that only a few I met can speak fluent Chinese. Instead of relying on sunday school, the parents of these kids often speak Chinese in the family. My cousin doesn't have this environment, and we have growing concerns that he won't be able to communicate in Chinese when he grows up.

Do you know any systematic approach to teach Chinese to these kids?

Any suggestion is appreciated!

[Stefani]

Zozzen,

Where is your cousin living? In an English speaking country? How old is he?

Check out betterchinese.com.

I think it takes dedication on the part of the adults for a child to be fluent in a particular language (especially a 2nd., 3rd. etc.). Your cousin goes to a week-end Chinese school, but his parents don't speak Chinese? If he is still preschool, look for a Chinese daycare, or Chinese immersion school.

My son (4 years old) goes to a Chinese daycare, and also a week-end Chinese school. I am learning Mandarin now (very much a beginner) and my husband doesn't speak it at all, so no Chinese environment at home (we live in the US). I would like to take him (our son) to China so he can get the benefit of full immersion.

[choisum]

> He's studying in sunday school now, but after talking with some elder kids

> (maybe 10 years old), I'm rather shocked that only a few I met can speak fluent Chinese.

> Instead of relying on sunday school, the parents of these kids often speak

> Chinese in the family.

Sunday school will be teaching the technical stuff like reading, writing, vocab and pronunciation.

Conversation is an altogether different skill which needs to be practiced outside of class.

Grandparents can be helpful, we bought computers and web cams for ours.

Maybe find someone who wants a language exchange, let the kids mix and speak whatever language they want. Our eldest regularly plays with another bilingual child and they quite happily switch between two languages.

[zozzen]

Thanks for the link and advice! I'm reviewing the demo at betterchinese.com and that it looks quite fit my need. My cousin is at the same age of Stefani's son, living in France. Their parents can speak very weird mandarin with very limited vocab and read only a few chinese characters (almost not be able to write). While we want him to study more Chinese at early age, the dilemma is that they also want the kid more assimilated into French culture and let him study in a local kindergarten. I think hiring a native Chinese speaker seems better choice to go, and trying to find out systematic approach about teaching Chinese to kids.

[Stefani]

Zozzen,

With my son, I see that he likes to take the easy way out, which means that if he knows the other person can speak English, he will just speak English. Only if he is somewhat forced / prodded to speak his other languages (Indonesian with me and Mandarin with his Chinese teachers) then he will switch. With his best friend at school he speaks English. So a lot of exposure is needed to get them comfortable speaking it (at this age I am not after the reading & writing yet).

Getting a nanny who will speak only Mandarin will help expose your cousin to the language in a play environment. Try DVDs / VCDs in Mandarin as well.

Just once a week for a couple of hours is better than nothing, but it is still difficult to get to the level of their first language.

How about taking your cousin to China? For my son with his Indonesian, staying in Indonesia for 3 weeks yearly really boost his language skills up to par to his English. It is amazing what full immersion can do, as probably many people on this board can attest to.

[zozzen]

How about taking your cousin to China? For my son with his Indonesian, staying in Indonesia for 3 weeks yearly really boost his language skills up to par to his English. It is amazing what full immersion can do, as probably many people on this board can attest to.

Only 3 weeks to go up to native standard? That's really amazing. My cousin stayed in China for a week in the summer, but i don't see big changes from him, possibly because people around him spoke dialects instead of Putonghua. Do you know any summer camp programme in beijing for Chinese kids overseas?

[Stefani]

Only 3 weeks to go up to native standard?

I speak Indonesian to him 90% of the time at home since birth and I expect him to reply to me in Indonesian, so for his age, his language skill in Indonesian is probably quite high before going over there. I work outside the house though, so I don't get to spend as much time with him on week-days (he goes to Mandarin daycare).

Zozzen, if your cousin goes to China periodically, how about putting him in Chinese kindergarten? Having people exclusively speaking Putonghua will be the ticket, although a week is probably too short. My son usually start to speak more Indonesian rather than English in about 5-7 days, so a week is just the beginning. As they get older it gets more difficult as their language skill becomes more complicated. I know of Beijing Dragon and Phoenix (lookintochina.com) which has young children's classes but I have not used their service. What I would like to do it just enrolling my son in a regular Chinese kindergarten for a month or so (3 months will be ideal, but I can't stay that long).