How Best to Say ‘Ni Hao’

1.3 billion people in the world speak Chinese. Seeing as there are approximately 3,000 common Chinese characters to learn, give or take a couple hundred, right about now seems like a good idea to get your child on board the Mandarin ship. According to neuroscientists, the earlier you expose a child’s uncluttered brain to a second language, the more prone he is to develop it into a natural way of speaking. But which is the best way to expose your young one to the intricacies of this 6,000 years old language? Enrichment classes, tuition centres, private tutors oh my. Here’s to pointing you in the right direction.

Berries World of Learning
Just like its namesake, Berries has many benefits. One of the most popular tuition centres, Berries takes in children as young as three years old and up until 12 years. Students in Nursery and Kindergarten are encouraged to learn the foundation and develop a natural interest in the language through interactive storytelling and game sessions. Teachers are on board to support P1-P6 students in becoming more confident about delivering oral and written assignments accurately.

Hua Language Centre
Ok what are you supposed to do once your children understand the A B C of Mandarin? You take them to Hua Language Centre who will ensure that your child masters it. Open to students attending Primary 1 all the way through Secondary 4, Hua Language Centre enables students to hone their skills so they are prepared for their Chinese oral and written exams.

Molin Tutorial Centre
This one’s for them Tiger moms! Registered with the Ministry of Education since 1989, Molin is one of the more established “Chinese Specialists” out there. The centre caters to children from nursery to secondary levels. They have a Foundation Programme where K2 students are specifically taught Hanyu Pinyin to prepare them for Primary 1 Chinese.

AOTU Language School
It may be a bit difficult to roll off the tongue but its meanings holds significance. AOTU is derived from two Chinese characters translating to “unevenness” which is the school’s understanding of how each child learns at a different pace, and has different learning requirements. The school offers a more philosophical take in its teaching methods ensuring its students nurture a natural interest in the language and its importance.

Jiang Education Centre
Basically, it’s like the black belt of Chinese enrichment classes. This centre was founded by Master Trainer, Mdm Kong, a highly sought after Master Trainer who is well known among practitioners and academic heads in the field of Chinese teaching. Jiang Education covers everything related to the knowledge of Chinese from kindergarten all the way through Junior College.