Touch_me_not\" post_id=\"2124816\" time=\"1702611268\" user_id=\"187786:

Thanks for the recommendation. A friend also just told me her son goes to Berries and asked me to check out the P1 curriculum. The one near my place is apparently always full 😲

DCA\" post_id=\"2124774\" time=\"1702521160\" user_id=\"200635:

I feel berries provide some fun/play online cartoons that create the interest for the kids to follow the lessons...at least this is what I noticed, so a plus point for berries for k1/k2...

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2124792\" time=\"1702542827\" user_id=\"3:

I have reservations for starting kids too early with formalized learning as it might kill their interest in the language too early.

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2124767\" time=\"1702515786\" user_id=\"3:

I think he's a little young to form any likes or dislikes of languages, but it is indeed important not to push his current dislike of the language at this young age. If he doesn't like going to class, he doesn't like going to class, and that's that. Maybe it's the way the Wang education is done, or maybe it might be the teacher, or students, etc. You need to determine this and make remedies, or just try your luck with another centre (there are hundreds in Singapore!), until you try one that fits. Alternatively, if you know of something he likes, make it available in the form of a Chinese book, and he will automatically read the book and hopefully this can trigger a love for the language as he progresses.

DCA\" post_id=\"2124774\" time=\"1702521160\" user_id=\"200635:

I feel berries provide some fun/play online cartoons that create the interest for the kids to follow the lessons...at least this is what I noticed, so a plus point for berries for k1/k2...

happydaddy32\" post_id=\"2094237\" time=\"1672907802\" user_id=\"192180:

Hi, we speak mandarin at home, but writing, not so much....
Ok point taken, thanks!

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2094235\" time=\"1672905911\" user_id=\"3:

The question is not whether you are kiasu, but whether your kid is exposed to Chinese at home regularly. If yes, then the need to send him for enrichment is less important. Otherwise, it is good that he is starting early.

happydaddy32\" post_id=\"2094234\" time=\"1672905652\" user_id=\"192180:

Hi,

My kid just started K2 and I am thinking of enrolling him at Tien Hsia.
Am I too kiasu to start so early for him at such an age and will it stress him up?
Happy to hear feedback and advice from experienced parents here....
Thanks!

coast\" post_id=\"2024769\" time=\"1621492836\" user_id=\"38933:

Hi!

There will be focus on hanyu pinyin for several months in P1 so it makes a smoother transition for kids who already have a good foundation. For English, kids who are strong in phonics usually needs less time for Spelling and it helps for Oral too. IMO, it is important that kindergartens cover these 2 components (phonics and hanyu pinyin) adequately.

I like the textbooks My DS will read the stories at home and we will discuss about the morals in some of these stories.

Many friends sent their kids to Berries and they seemed to enjoy the lessons there. But eventually they switched to other centres in Mid Primary or earlier.

Resources are important (especially for Science). But for Chinese, I looked at some resources from a few enrichment centres and there was not much distinction between them. I think teachers play a more important role. I went to a parents’ briefing at one enrichment centre when my DS was in lower Primary. I was impressed by the teacher. I enrolled my DS and he joined her class. Although my DS enjoyed the lessons, 2 main reasons why we quit after 2 years:

1) Weekly 3 hours class + Tuition Homework + Travel
It took up too many hours weekly. My DS is a fast worker but it would still take him around 2 hours to do the tuition homework. I told the teacher nicely that I would decide how much tuition homework for my DS. She agreed So we spent less than 1 hour on the homework and skipped the rest. We also skipped the tuition class whenever my DS was busy even though the fees were paid.

2) Many teachers teach 1 or 2 levels only. When I know the tuition teacher will not be teaching the next level, we stopped the tuition at the end of the year.

We did not go for tuition since then. So happened that his school Chinese teacher the next year was very good! But alas, the teacher taught him for one year only. However it gave us the confidence that school resources were sufficient as he did very well for school exams. We spent 1 or 2 hours on school resources weekly during school term and more hours closer to exam dates. For certain components like Oral and Compositions, we seldom touch them during school term but instead spend little time here and there during school holidays. He did very well in school exams and PSLE.

Have a nice weekend.

sky minecrafter\" post_id=\"2061455\" time=\"1647194821\" user_id=\"130531:[quote=\"sky minecrafter\" post_id=2061455 time=1647194821 user_id=130531]
chenlaoshi 万岁👍!

I speak to my dd in mandarin all the time, but she'd only reply in english (reason given was that we are not in china...). This year p5, her school chinese teacher is strict, & the kids can only speak chinese during class. After 1 term, I listen to her oral self-practices - she can finally conduct un-awkward conversations 🍀[/quote]

sky minecrafter\" post_id=\"2061455\" time=\"1647194821\" user_id=\"130531:[quote=\"sky minecrafter\" post_id=2061455 time=1647194821 user_id=130531]
chenlaoshi 万岁👍!

I speak to my dd in mandarin all the time, but she'd only reply in english (reason given was that we are not in china...). This year p5, her school chinese teacher is strict, & the kids can only speak chinese during class. After 1 term, I listen to her oral self-practices - she can finally conduct un-awkward conversations 🍀[/quote]

chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"2061454\" time=\"1647189034\" user_id=\"162894:

...Learning environment and frequency of use is really important for effective learning of languages...

phaedus\" post_id=\"2061307\" time=\"1647052779\" user_id=\"197453:

My mandarin is terrible and my wife doesn't speak mandarin at all. I have been sending my child (Primary 1) to the basic mandarin classes in mandarin but for some reason, we are having to pull out from there and to look for another centre for his mandarin classes.

Honestly, we do not have high expectations in terms of results as we just want my son to maintain a certain level of competence so that he can keep up in school with the syllabus. Do you guys have any recommendations for tuition centres? Which are the popular tried and tested ones?

ChiefKiasu\" post_id=\"2061336\" time=\"1647070454\" user_id=\"3:

Competence in language depends on one's need for it. I know of someone who has very poor chinese skills in school but he went to China for business and when he comes back 3 years, you wouldn't be able to distinguish his command of Chinese from a true blue person from China.

You will need to find something he is interested in, but can only be made available through Chinese. For example, I was very interested in The Water Margin (水滸傳) as a kid, and forced myself to go through the novel painstakingly myself, going through line by line. I'm sure if there was someone who could interest me with more Chinese titles, I would be well versed with Chinese now... but alas, there wasn't.

@chenlaoshi, do you have any suggestions for him?