How is your counting activity with your child for the past week? Can they count 1 - 3 already? or maybe more...? Keep up the good work. No matter how slow the progress is, make sure you keep moving! Consistency and commitment is the key.
Again, I suggest verbal counting only to younger kids below 4 years old, while you can point or show them the Chinese character while counting.
By doing this there is chance that your child might be able to read the words in the long run. However, if they can't now, do not get frustrated. It is okay. Focus on counting fingers. Lead by example! You have to show them how to count using your fingers as assistants. They will copy you for sure. This helps the fine motoric skill for the young :)
Anyway... Always find the chance to practice the counting, anytime and anywhere.
You can even do it in 2 or 3 languages.
yī, one, satu
èr, two, dua
etc...
Moving on..
One of the most important part in learning language is to know as many vocabularies as you can. Same thing applies here. Since we are not rushing for anything. You can mix the Chinese lesson with some art. The most basic art that anyone can do is COLORING. Coloring (with crayons or any other wide tip coloring pencil) may also help children to train the strength of their grip, this will come useful when it is time for them to really hold pencil and write letters/words. If you are asking why and how? Try to hold a pencil now, do you need strength to do it? Yes, you do, we all do. That's why we get tired of writing sometimes. If your hand is weak, you can't even hold the pencil properly, let alone trying to form shapes of alphabets. That's why and That's how Coloring may help your little ones.
So, what I used to do with my preschool (age 3 - 5) is ask them to color 1 or 2 things in every session. KEEP the final result and FILE them. DO NOT chuck it away. One item a day means one new vocab every day. Imagine doing it everyday for a month. Voila!
Here is the thing that you need:
1. Blank Paper (A4 is fine), always use the same size for neat filing.
2. Crayon or coloring pencil of your choice (don't choose the thin/slim type, choose the crayon which is "fat", wider in diameter (easy to hold) and wide tip (finish coloring faster, since most kids get bored fast, or rather have shorter attention span)
3. Printer (you may need or not need this). I used to hand draw the items. Keep it SUPER simple. Not too much detail on the thing:
Here is the sample of the page that you need to create for your kids before let them start the coloring:
Aim for them to master this in a week along with the counting. :)
So this is how you do it:
1. First day:
- Let them color a book and then ask them to say the word "shū"
- When they are finish coloring, show them the final product and ask them to say the word "shū" again
2. Second day
- Before start, show the book picture that they colored yesterday and then say the word in Chinese. If they forget, help them!
- Then let them color pencil and teach them the word in Chinese. Ask them to repeat after you or repeat after the audio in Pleco. :)
- When they are done, show them the pencil and ask them to say it in Chinese. Then, refreshing memory on book + pencil.
They now know 2 new words :)
3. Third day
- Refresh memory of "pencil" and "book"
- Color a bag (remember to keep the drawing simple) and not too big. Something that they can finish in 10 - 15 mins max. You know your child best! If they are the type who get bored easily, aim for something super simple! :)
- Show them the picture and ask them to say the Chinese word for "bag"
- Refresh "book" + "pencil" and "bag"
4 & 5. Fourth & Fifth day
Apply the same things.
So each day, they will have more "flash card" to recognize and read from.
If you would like to add more words, since your kids is a fast learner and not able to wait for my next lesson for children, then, please feel free to find the words in Pleco. :)
Drop a comment or email me if you need printable materials that you can use for the above activities.
Fun Learning,
Linda Tan
Again, I suggest verbal counting only to younger kids below 4 years old, while you can point or show them the Chinese character while counting.
By doing this there is chance that your child might be able to read the words in the long run. However, if they can't now, do not get frustrated. It is okay. Focus on counting fingers. Lead by example! You have to show them how to count using your fingers as assistants. They will copy you for sure. This helps the fine motoric skill for the young :)
Anyway... Always find the chance to practice the counting, anytime and anywhere.
You can even do it in 2 or 3 languages.
yī, one, satu
èr, two, dua
etc...
Moving on..
One of the most important part in learning language is to know as many vocabularies as you can. Same thing applies here. Since we are not rushing for anything. You can mix the Chinese lesson with some art. The most basic art that anyone can do is COLORING. Coloring (with crayons or any other wide tip coloring pencil) may also help children to train the strength of their grip, this will come useful when it is time for them to really hold pencil and write letters/words. If you are asking why and how? Try to hold a pencil now, do you need strength to do it? Yes, you do, we all do. That's why we get tired of writing sometimes. If your hand is weak, you can't even hold the pencil properly, let alone trying to form shapes of alphabets. That's why and That's how Coloring may help your little ones.
So, what I used to do with my preschool (age 3 - 5) is ask them to color 1 or 2 things in every session. KEEP the final result and FILE them. DO NOT chuck it away. One item a day means one new vocab every day. Imagine doing it everyday for a month. Voila!
Here is the thing that you need:
1. Blank Paper (A4 is fine), always use the same size for neat filing.
2. Crayon or coloring pencil of your choice (don't choose the thin/slim type, choose the crayon which is "fat", wider in diameter (easy to hold) and wide tip (finish coloring faster, since most kids get bored fast, or rather have shorter attention span)
3. Printer (you may need or not need this). I used to hand draw the items. Keep it SUPER simple. Not too much detail on the thing:
Here is the sample of the page that you need to create for your kids before let them start the coloring:
Write the Chinese Character, the Pinyin, the English/Indonesia on the paper with the picture
The reasons for keeping are:
1. You can use them like a flash card (just bigger in size)
2. With the Chinese character written on the paper, they will get exposure to the shape of the character, every time you "flash" this paper to them. One day you will be surprise to know that your child is reading the character in addition to recognizing the object.
I usually start introducing the vocabularies that are going to be used often in our daily life. In classes, they will have lots of encounter with books, pencils, bags, tables, chairs, etc. So learn those words first. Remember to stick to NON abstract object, something that you can actually show. "Table" is easy to show, but "kind" is not, "Pencil" is tangible, while "heavy" is not. So stick to common nouns for now.
Here are 5 words that I want you to create for your child:
1. 书 shū Book / Buku
2. 笔 bǐ Pencil / Pensil
3. 书包 shū bāo Bag / Tas
4. 椅子 yǐ zi Chair / Kursi
5. 桌子 zhuō zi Table / Meja
Aim for them to master this in a week along with the counting. :)
So this is how you do it:
1. First day:
- Let them color a book and then ask them to say the word "shū"
- When they are finish coloring, show them the final product and ask them to say the word "shū" again
2. Second day
- Before start, show the book picture that they colored yesterday and then say the word in Chinese. If they forget, help them!
- Then let them color pencil and teach them the word in Chinese. Ask them to repeat after you or repeat after the audio in Pleco. :)
- When they are done, show them the pencil and ask them to say it in Chinese. Then, refreshing memory on book + pencil.
They now know 2 new words :)
3. Third day
- Refresh memory of "pencil" and "book"
- Color a bag (remember to keep the drawing simple) and not too big. Something that they can finish in 10 - 15 mins max. You know your child best! If they are the type who get bored easily, aim for something super simple! :)
- Show them the picture and ask them to say the Chinese word for "bag"
- Refresh "book" + "pencil" and "bag"
4 & 5. Fourth & Fifth day
Apply the same things.
So each day, they will have more "flash card" to recognize and read from.
If you would like to add more words, since your kids is a fast learner and not able to wait for my next lesson for children, then, please feel free to find the words in Pleco. :)
Drop a comment or email me if you need printable materials that you can use for the above activities.
Fun Learning,
Linda Tan
No comments:
Post a Comment