Change is in the air for Chinese language tests and exams in Singapore's schools

to cater to a growing group of students from predominantly English-speaking homes.

In this article how best to teach Chinese to children is debated. Is dual immersion the answer? And how to you adapt your instructional strategy /pedagogy as children get older?

USA based 2009 teaching conference reveals...

how Chinese is becoming mainstream in schools. School visits to Chicago schools, music, ealy language learning workshops, supply of Chinese teachers - it was all covered and more. Use the link to find out more.

How are perfect pitch and learning Chinese associated?

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America has published a study showing fluency in a tonal language such as Chinese helps develop perfect pitch.

"In my experience, musicians in China don't regard perfect pitch as anything remarkable because it's very common," says Deutsch the pyschologist author of the research.

How are perfect pitch and learning Chinese associated?

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America has published a study showing fluency in a tonal language such as Chinese helps develop perfect pitch.

"In my experience, musicians in China don't regard perfect pitch as anything remarkable because it's very common," says Deutsch the pyschologist author of the research.

Research on Learning Chinese in Australian Schools reveals more expert knowledge needed

See both the full report and the summary on www.learnosity.com

Mandarin Chinese does need good oral and aural practice. Unlike for French, German and Spanish, pronunciation is key. Without good pronunciation you cannot be understood; it is not just a matter of having a bad accent. Curricula, teacher training and resources for children learning Chinese must take this into account. Contact us for suggestions, we know how to tackle the problems detailed in this report.

Research on Learning Chinese in Australian Schools reveals more expert knowledge needed

See both the full report and the summary on www.learnosity.com

Mandarin Chinese does need good oral and aural practice. Unlike for French, German and Spanish, pronunciation is key. Without good pronunciation you cannot be understood; it is not just a matter of having a bad accent. Curricula, teacher training and resources for children learning Chinese must take this into account. Contact us for suggestions, we know how to tackle the problems detailed in this report.

Praise for pre-school Chinese programme one year on, but the non-interactive approach is questioned.

Animation Insider worries about the pedagogy of Ni Hao Kai Lan. January 26 2009

Although Ni Hao, Kai-lan still has a tendency to feature characters who speak fluently in Chinese yet whose dialogue remains entirely untranslated, but only on occasion, the terminology that is translated ties well into the episode's central story. At first I thought this balance was a breakthrough in preschool television, refusing to baby its viewers and allowing them connect the dots on their own; but I'm starting to wonder if there's a limit to what you can offer a viewer to take in on his own, before he simply shuts out any information he deems as partially incomprehensible. Ni Hao, Kai-lan does a good job in blending the everyday with the multicultural, but the series frequently puts itself at risk of being too good for itself. The risk isn't always necessary, but when it is, children's television is usually better off for it.

Praise for pre-school Chinese programme one year on, but the non-interactive approach is questioned.

Animation Insider worries about the pedagogy of Ni Hao Kai Lan. January 26 2009

Although Ni Hao, Kai-lan still has a tendency to feature characters who speak fluently in Chinese yet whose dialogue remains entirely untranslated, but only on occasion, the terminology that is translated ties well into the episode's central story. At first I thought this balance was a breakthrough in preschool television, refusing to baby its viewers and allowing them connect the dots on their own; but I'm starting to wonder if there's a limit to what you can offer a viewer to take in on his own, before he simply shuts out any information he deems as partially incomprehensible. Ni Hao, Kai-lan does a good job in blending the everyday with the multicultural, but the series frequently puts itself at risk of being too good for itself. The risk isn't always necessary, but when it is, children's television is usually better off for it.

Read the programme. Come to learn more about teaching Chinese in primary and secondary schools.

How to introduce Chinese?
How to teach Chinese at primary and secondary level.
Curriculum development.
What is different about Chinese and does it matter.
The importance of correcting pronunicaiton early.
Oracy and literacy - gaining a balance.

http://www.brightoncollege.org.uk/documents/National%20Chinese%20Teachin...

The importance of cultural connections and learning to learn ....

This article writes about bi-lingual preschools. It emphasises the advantages of learning a second language young including Mandarin Chinese. It talks about making cultural connections between languages and how learning a second language improves general literacy and awareness of how communication works.

January 3 2009