True Bilingualism Starts At Pre-school

Being bilingual in English and Chinese is essential for your child's future with China's growing economic power.

Even enlightened Americans and Indians are enrolling their children in bilingual schools to learn these two languages.

We all know that passing our Chinese examinations does not necessarily mean that we are truly bilingual. We can order chicken rice in Chinese, but are we comfortable conversing with a business counterpart or negotiating a deal in Chinese? The reality is that even though we have been through a bilingual education, most of us are not truly bilingual.

Dual Language Environment
The most important factor for true bilingualism is a dual language environment. Significant exposure time to a language is crucial to facilitate language acquisition. If both parents are English speaking, the best option is to then enrol your child in a pre-school that teaches half the day in English and half in Chinese.

Language Development Sequence
As a baby, your child learns English by listening to you. Later, your child will speak English. When the spoken language is mastered, reading and writing becomes meaningful to your child. This same sequence of listening, speaking, reading and then writing, must be applied to learning Chinese.

Love for the Language
Children must have fun learning to develop a love for the language. Speech and drama is a fun way of learning. A spacious set-up for role play in various real-life scenarios will build your child's confidence in using the Chinese language.

Word Recognition Made Fun
Recognising Chinese characters should also be made fun so that the characters will be etched in your child's memory. Do you recognise these two characters

“炎” and “灭”? If you were shown an animation that “炎” is formed by adding “火” (fire) on top of “火” and it means extremely hot, would you remember it better? What about an animation that shows water being doused on “火” to form “灭” which means extinguish? Would you recognise “灭” next time?

Different Learning Styles
Each child is unique. Some learn best through singing. Others learn best by movement or by interacting with others. This is the key principle of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) by Professor Howard Gardner of Harvard University. A good curriculum, be it English or Chinese, must engage children with different learning styles.

Constant Exposure
Language is a skill, and like any other skill, it will only improve with constant exposure and sufficient practise. Create a solid foundation and interest in Chinese from young to give your child the advantage of being truly bilingual.

“火” (fire) on top of “火” forms “炎” which means extremely hot.

Water doused on “火” forms “灭” which means extinguish.

“木” means wood. Two “木” together form a forest “林”

Three “木” together form a large forest “森”.

“七” (seven) plus “刀” (knife) forms “切” which means cut. The animation shows the butcher making seven cuts in the beef.

The seven cuts separate the beef into eight pieces. “八” (eight) plus “刀” (knife) forms “分” which means separate.