George H.W. Bush, former United States President, during his time as the U.S. Ambassador to China, took a significant journey, learning Chinese. For Bush, learning Chinese was more than just acquiring new vocabulary; it was a way to bridge gaps and build lasting friendships. He said in The China Diary of George H.…
In today’s globalized world, learning Chinese is not only an enhancement of language skills but also an important bridge for cultural understanding and international communication. However, people from different cultural backgrounds may have difficulties understanding and using certain Chinese vocabularies, idioms and sentences due to cultural differences.…
As widely known, creating an appropriate language environment is one of the most effective ways to promote language learning. However, when learning a second language, it is often challenging to obtain the right environment, especially when it comes to learning a language as metaphorically rich as Chinese.…
Five-year-old Liam lives in Hong Kong with his family. His parents don’t speak Mandarin, but they know how important it is for him to learn the language while living there. To help him, they signed him up for eChineseLearning’s online classes. After a few months of study, Liam had learned basic characters and simple phrases.…
Liam, an 8-year-old boy from Australia, recently started learning Chinese. He was excited but quickly discovered that Chinese tones were more challenging than he expected. Whenever he tried to say a word, it was either too high or too low, leading to funny but frustrating mistakes.…
Learning Mandarin is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, and many families are eager for their children to master this vital language. However, non-Chinese families often face challenges in maintaining their children’s motivation. Without strong drive, students might struggle to persist in their studies. Therefore, motivation plays a critical role in language learning, especially for Mandarin due to its complexity and the time needed to achieve proficiency.…
The Rodriguez family moved from the Philippines to Hong Kong in early 2022 due to the father’s job relocation. They have two children: 6-year-old Sofia and 10-year-old Alex. Before the move, Sofia had never been exposed to Mandarin, while Alex had attended a Chinese school in the Philippines where he learned basic Mandarin, but his level was quite basic low.…
In Madrid, Spain, there lives an eight-year-old girl named Iris. With her golden curls and bright blue eyes, Iris is full of curiosity about the world around her. When she was just five, her mom decided it was time for Iris to learn Chinese—a language completely unfamiliar to their family.…
Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the eldest daughter of King Philippe, is known for her linguistic abilities. In addition to being fluent in French and Dutch, she can also speak Chinese. Beginning her Chinese language studies at the age of 10, Crown Princess Elisabeth has mentioned that it is the most challenging language she has attempted to master.…
As a parent of a non-Chinese-speaking child in Singapore, you might be concerned about whether your child can learn to speak Mandarin with a standard accent. This article provides parents with several methods to help their children develop a standard Mandarin accent. By following these systematic approaches, you can guide your child towards speaking Mandarin accurately.…
Many non-Chinese children in Singapore feel hesitant to speak Mandarin, primarily due to their perception that their spoken Mandarin is not as authentic as that of native speakers. Even if some kids have a good grasp of the language, they often struggle to keep up with conversations, failing to understand or respond swiftly.…
In Hong Kong, as Mandarin becomes increasingly integrated into school curriculums, non-Chinese students often face significant challenges in learning the language. In non-international schools, many Chinese language programs are designed with native Chinese speakers in mind, making them less accessible for non-Chinese students. Given that Cantonese and English dominate the linguistic landscape in Hong Kong, learning Mandarin can be especially difficult for these children.…
In Singapore’s bilingual education system, many children whose first language isn’t Chinese may lack the desire to continue learning Chinese. Without the pressure of having to take Chinese exams, they might be tempted to give up on learning the language. To address this issue, this article outlines 4 effective strategies to help children find the motivation to learn Chinese.…
Many parents worry when their children quickly forget what they’ve learned in their Chinese lessons. Despite taking numerous courses and initially grasping a lot of information, it can feel like they’ve learned nothing if they can’t retain it. This article compiles the most effective techniques used by top students to help children retain their Chinese language knowledge for the long term.…
Irene, a bright 9-year-old girl from Singapore who embarked on a Mandarin learning journey at just 7 years old. Fascinated by the Mandarin language from a young age, Irene’s interest was sparked by watching Mandarin cartoons and listening to Mandarin songs on TikTok. Her parents, recognizing the potential benefits of learning a new language, signed her up for an online Mandarin course with eChineseLearning.…
For non-Chinese children living in Hong Kong, learning Mandarin is not only about acquiring language skills, but it’s also crucial for integrating into the community and understanding the culture. In this diverse city, parents can use specific methods to help their children develop an interest in learning Mandarin, enabling them to enjoy the learning process and apply what they’ve learned in daily life.…
During the on-going Paris Olympics, Chinese-made souvenirs, mascots, and equipment were ubiquitous. On the eve of the opening ceremony, over 1,000 drones from Chinese companies lit up the Paris sky in a spectacular show. More than half of the Paris Olympics broadcasters utilized Alibaba Cloud technology, enhancing the viewing experience.…
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Danish badminton star Viktor Axelsen, currently the top-ranked badminton player in the world, secured a 2-0 victory over his Irish opponent in the third men’s singles group stage match on July 31 at 2:30 PM Beijing time. This win placed him at the top of his group, advancing him to the round of 16.…
At the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chinese was prominently featured as one of the six official languages, underscoring its significant role on the global stage.
In the segment showcasing sculptures of ten great women at the Paris Olympics, six languages was used, among which was Chinese. …
This is an inspiring story about Thinaah Muralitharan, a Malaysian female badminton player in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite never attending a Chinese school, Thinaah can fluently communicate in Mandarin, a skill she acquired through self-study. Remarkably, Thinaah has never received formal Chinese education. Most of her classmates at Bukit Jalil Sports School were of Chinese descent, presenting her with numerous challenges.…
