The ‘do’s and don’ts’ of learning Chinese
Print Edition
LEARNING a new language is very similar to running a marathon — it’s hard work and there are no shortcuts, secret apps, or quick fixes. However, with mental commitment, continued study, and consistent practice, there are ways to help learners successfully “cross the finish line” into language mastery.
In Shanghai, many expatriate parents are eager for their children to learn Chinese, for both its global and cultural significance; though there can be a perception that the language can be difficult to learn, especially as children mature. However, with the right language program, children can be well on the path to fluency at any point in their education.
According to Dr Troy Lui, head of the Chinese Curriculum Research and Development (CCRD) division at Yew Chung International School (YCIS), “In the Chinese language, there is a great deal of logic involved, especially when learning the characters. Once students are able to understand the logic of the language, they find themselves learning quickly.”
Lui himself has spent over 20 years dedicated to researching and developing the principles, curricula, and teaching materials of the world-class Chinese language studies program at YCIS. Below, he offers some suggested “do’s” and “don’ts” for parents eager to have their child master the language.
1. Do practice daily
The US Department of State estimates that it takes approximately 2,200 class hours for a native English speaker to become fluent in Chinese. Although this can seem like a big number, with daily practice this is achievable, especially when the hours are logged starting at an early age. At YCIS Shanghai, all students in the Primary and Secondary programs participate in one hour of Chinese language lessons daily, and children in the Kindergarten program are immersed in a fully bilingual environment. Beyond daily language classes, students in Kindergarten and Primary also gain additional language exposure from their Chinese co-teacher on a variety of subjects each day. Lui explains, “After just a few years in our program, our students can have a solid command over the language. Our strategy includes consistently giving the children a real language environment, constantly encouraging them to speak the language, and always motivating them to try their best to develop a deeper understanding of the language.”
2. Don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all approach
Although a Kindergartener and a Middle School student could be taught the same academic concept, it wouldn’t be developmentally beneficial or practical to employ the same teaching method for both age groups. A similar theory should be applied to language learning — varying the teaching both by age and by ability. At YCIS Shanghai, the school has a tailored approach to teaching the language, with 14 levels of Chinese language learning available for non-native and native speakers.
Lui says, “Based on our research over the past two decades, we have developed textbooks for our curriculum for all different ages within Primary and Secondary, and each of these textbook sets extends from a basic to native level. This means that any child who joins YCIS, even children without any prior Chinese language exposure, can absolutely learn the language. Although the fundamental language learning is the same, the content does vary directly with students’ age and level.”
3. Do engage with the culture
“In many languages, there are expressions that are ‘untranslatable.’ This is not because of the language, it’s because of the culture, so a focus on cultural learning can help bridge that gap,” says Lui.
At YCIS, students not only take daily Chinese language lessons, they also participate in weekly Chinese studies lessons focused on the culture, geography, history, and social structure of their host country. In addition, the school provides a platform for students to interact with the local Shanghai community as well as to travel throughout China with the school’s “Education Outside the Classroom” program. Lui continues, “If we really want students to become a global citizens and learn Chinese, they need to learn about the culture. Therefore, our Chinese program helps children understand both the language and the culture, helping them develop a global mindset.”
4. Don’t give up
In total, there are over 50,000 Chinese characters. Although this can seem like an intimidating statistic for a novice, it’s important to note that the average educated Chinese person knows just around 8,000 characters. Lui adds, “In modern Chinese, if you know the most frequently used characters, around 500, you can actually read about 80 percent of the content in a Chinese newspaper. At YCIS, we have compiled our textbooks so that we first focus on the most frequently used characters. Once students have mastered those characters, they find it very easy to read. So in a way, Chinese becomes easier to learn with each day of study.”
Similar to how participating in a marathon builds physical health and confidence, learning Chinese stimulates the mind, and when paired with a cultural focus, helps children develop a global outlook. Just as marathoners prepare for the big race, learning the Chinese language helps children be competitive in their future. Similarly, language learning also requires a training program, and children who have the opportunity to study both language and culture, as students do in the Chinese language program at YCIS, can “cross the finish line” to fluency at any point in their educational journey.
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