Teaching kids Chinese
Studies have shown that children have the ability to learn a second or even third language much easier from an early age. This gives youngsters a huge advantage over adults when it comes to picking up on another language. Especially when learning a second language like Chinese, which tends to be extremely difficult for Westerners, the younger you start to learn Chinese language skills, the better. Studies on brain development have also shown that not only is it much easier to learn a new language more quickly and with an increased ability to become fluent, but learning a second language can also help develop a child's brain in other ways, including strengthening a child's understanding and mastery of his or her first language. In a world where communication is a key to success and the world is becoming increasingly global, being bilingual or multilingual has huge advantages in today's world.
Chinese is becoming an ever increasingly important language to know in our globalized economy. Not only do billions of people speak Chinese, but China is quickly becoming an emerging economic and political power in the world. With more and more economic and business alliances growing between the two countries, being fluent in both Chinese and English can definitely prove to be a valuable asset later in life. And, because learning Chinese (or any second language for that matter) is easier from an earlier age, the best chance for bilingualism is to start early.
Because Chinese does not use the Latin alphabet, it may be actually easier to teach a child the language before they start to read. For those that want to start teaching their child Chinese at a super young age, there are language learning software programs like Baby Wow! And Baby Einstein, which are built specifically for toddlers to be able to play on the computer and learn Chinese at the same time. Any tap on the keyboard or mouse, will bring up a new photo or video sequence labeled and spoken in the foreign language.
For children ages 6 and up, software programs like KidSpeak allow kids to interact with the computer and learn language skills at the same time. If you'd rather go a more traditional route that doesn't involving computer software, an audio series called Teach me Tapes, which teach kids popular songs and games in Chinese. For kids who can already read, picture flashcards in a foreign language and playing games in Chinese can also help them acquire some basic language skills. It has been proven that incorporating interactive games, songs and activities in another language is the best way for kids to both learn and retain Chinese skills from a young age.
Chinese is becoming an ever increasingly important language to know in our globalized economy. Not only do billions of people speak Chinese, but China is quickly becoming an emerging economic and political power in the world. With more and more economic and business alliances growing between the two countries, being fluent in both Chinese and English can definitely prove to be a valuable asset later in life. And, because learning Chinese (or any second language for that matter) is easier from an earlier age, the best chance for bilingualism is to start early.
Because Chinese does not use the Latin alphabet, it may be actually easier to teach a child the language before they start to read. For those that want to start teaching their child Chinese at a super young age, there are language learning software programs like Baby Wow! And Baby Einstein, which are built specifically for toddlers to be able to play on the computer and learn Chinese at the same time. Any tap on the keyboard or mouse, will bring up a new photo or video sequence labeled and spoken in the foreign language.
For children ages 6 and up, software programs like KidSpeak allow kids to interact with the computer and learn language skills at the same time. If you'd rather go a more traditional route that doesn't involving computer software, an audio series called Teach me Tapes, which teach kids popular songs and games in Chinese. For kids who can already read, picture flashcards in a foreign language and playing games in Chinese can also help them acquire some basic language skills. It has been proven that incorporating interactive games, songs and activities in another language is the best way for kids to both learn and retain Chinese skills from a young age.
