Learning Chinese (Primary/Preschool)

[edwardkr]

Hi.


Hope someone can help. We have a 5yr old who’s been attending k1 now. We want him to have a Chinese enrichment that’s more immersion than the normal enrichment Centre since we don’t speak Chinese at home.

Is there any parents with same situation and have successfully done something that’s effective for his/her child? Please share what you did, we want to learn how.

Right now we are looking for a daily or 3-times a week Chinese enrichment that we hope will immerse him into the language. If anyone know of such enrichment Centre then please let us know.

Thanks very much in advance.

[edwardkr]

Would really appreciate if anyone can help / advise.


Thanks again.

edwardkr:

Hi.

Hope someone can help. We have a 5yr old who's been attending k1 now. We want him to have a Chinese enrichment that's more immersion than the normal enrichment Centre since we don't speak Chinese at home.

Is there any parents with same situation and have successfully done something that's effective for his/her child? Please share what you did, we want to learn how.

Right now we are looking for a daily or 3-times a week Chinese enrichment that we hope will immerse him into the language. If anyone know of such enrichment Centre then please let us know.

Thanks very much in advance.

[phtthp]

hi edwardkr,


there are a few places that offer minimal (3x to 5x) per week daily (Monday - Friday) Chinese immersion, minimal 2 or more solid hours per session, for K1 and K2 children only (not for N2, too young).

a)
Kinderland at Marine Parade
telephone inquiries for costs ($):-
6348 6734

Kinderland at Marine Parade also welcome outsiders students as well.
ie. pupils not studying inside Kinderland kindergarten can also join in.

note:-
Kinderland childcare centres do not offer this.
only certain Kinderland kindergarten branches offer this daily (3x or 5x) Chinese immersion program. Besides Marine Parade, Serangoon & Pandan Valley branches last time also offered. This year, i not sure. You may them call up to inquire.

my friend's son used to attend the Kinderland kindergarten immersion in the west. When he went P1 Henry Park, my friend feedback it was a breeze for him to tackle P1 Chinese. Subsequently, he went onto study Higher Chinese.

b)
Barker road Methodist church kindergarten (BRMCK) also offer daily Chinese immersion, 5x per week. Many foreigner Japanese, Korean + some local parents sent their kids there. Last time got one Japanese mommy (her daughter sitting inside the same school bus as my girl) sent her K1 daughter there. She feedback that 5x immersion was very good. But heard it's quite ex.

but i not sure if BRMCK allow external, outsider kids to join this Chinese immersion pgm. This, you need to call up BRMCK Principal to check.

http://www.brmck.edu.sg/contact.html

c)
Charis Montessori kindergarten @ Kembangan MRT.

Charis kindergarten also offer Chinese immersion pgm (2x to 5x) per week daily.
Time: 3 pm - 5 pm, 2 solid hours per session.

you can choose the number of times per week to attend.
This K1 / K2 Chinese enrichment Two years immersion is well designed to prepare for P1 Chinese - including Chinese comprehension, Oral, writing, han yu pin yin, recognize Chinese words, vocab, etc.

you may call up to inquire, if they allow outsider kids to join in.
telephone: 749-8928

http://charismontessori.com/contactus.html

d)
Paya Lebar Methodist church kindergarten

here, they offer only once a week enrichment Chinese pgm.
since only once a week - not sure if is effective, esp. if coming from a non speaking Chinese environment.

e)
Marymount Catholic kindergarten

here, they offer 2x per week for K1 / K2 pupils.
you need to call up if they accept outsider kids to join in.

[Minstral]

Apart from immersion classes, you can also buy Chinese story books for your child to read. You can have your child consult the teacher on words he doesn’t know, or look it up in the dictionary. My Chinese used to be really bad and my parents didn’t speak much Chinese at home. Reading did instill interest in Chinese for me and I went on to study Higher Chinese in my sec school days. Do you guys watch Chinese television shows? It’s a good way to improve understanding of Chinese too. Got a few non-Chinese friends who learnt to speak Chinese thanks to these shows.


And just an idea, but you might want to try learning Chinese together with him if you can spare the time and effort. It’s enrichment for you, bonding time with your child, and he will feel inspired to work on the language as well.

[phtthp]

hi edwardkr,


since you’re from a non Chinese speaking environment, it’s better to send yr child for 5x immersion, Monday - Friday. The foundation kindergarten years in Chinese are very important.

if your child attend BRMCK, might as well let her attend that.
$ can be earned back anytime.
But time and tide wait for no man, during K1 / K2 days.

[qms]

phtthp:

...$ can be earned back anytime.

But time and tide wait for no man, during K1 / K2 days.

Yes, time and tide wait for no man. But, once childhood is lost, it's gone forever and this is not something that even money can buy back. :siam:

JMHO.

[edwardkr]

TThanks very much for all your valuable inputs - especially to phtthp for your detailed response.


My son is at BRMCK but he registered very late so we are still trying to get him onto the 5-day enrichment there. That would be ideal although it’s very hard to call Ednovation. They rarely pick up the call.

Cheers,
Edward

[lee2004]

ask this child grandparents to talk with him chinese.

[edwardkr]

lee2004:

ask this child grandparents to talk with him chinese.

Thanks for the suggestion Lee2004.

Problem is both my wife and I are were not born here and our parents are not from Singapore so we don't have this luxury unfortunately. Hence the need to send him to an environment that's more immersive from the Chinese language perspective (compared to his typical peers).

Regards,
Edward

[Just relax]

My sons Chinese teachers always recommended that the children watch the Chinese cartoons on the weekend mornings. Also try and borrow Chinese cartoon series from the DVD rental shop and set aside some time each day for your child to watch these Chinese cartoons. It is a good way to ease the child into understanding that speaking Chinese can be fun.