When we started teaching the Mandarin language to children at Little Owls Learning Center, our expectation is not that Mandarin will surpass English as the “world language,” but we understand its indispensability in the changing landscape of global economics.
Put plainly, we believe that, along with English, kids today should eventually gain fluency in conversing in Mandarin.
In a previous post, I mentioned how our country is home to millions of Chinese-Filipino families and a couple of hundred Chinese schools.
Yet, despite this, we still face a shortage of fluent Mandarin speakers.
One reason for this is the ineffective teaching methods that merely use rote memorization to stuff as many Chinese words and characters into a student’s brain.
Aside from that, there’s also the lack of appreciation for Chinese culture, a likely consequence of the overwhelming influence of Western media.
How we want to change Mandarin learning in the Philippines
The Mandarin language learning journey should start at a young age.
Our center specializes in teaching children aged 3 to 12, capitalizing on the optimal window for absorbing information.
During these formative years, children exhibit a remarkable ability to assimilate knowledge without the hindrance of self-doubt and anxiety that often accompanies adulthood.
This lack of inhibition enables them to wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to the process of language learning.
However, it’s not just about starting young; teaching a difficult language like Mandarin to children requires creativity – a lot of it.
This is because, while older students are much easier to teach since they are able to pay attention more, trying to capture the attention of young children to the point where actual learning can take place is the challenge.
That’s why at our learning center, we try to change this as much as possible. We want kids to enjoy and have fun so they are engaged in the class.
We incorporate games, stories, songs, dance, play, and other fun activities.
The reason for this approach is kids undergo real knowledge assimilation when the information shared to them is associated with something that interests them.
Forcing them the contents of each lesson would only yield the same results as traditional schools.
What do we offer?
All the enjoyable and engaging activities we offer are integral parts of each program we provide.
In our Parent-Baby Mandarin Playgroup (PBMP)—yes, we also offer a program for children under 3 years old—our instructors incorporate Chinese songs and use Mandarin to communicate with the infants.
This is a one-of-a-kind language immersion that truly allows our baby students to passively absorb much of the language—and with parents joining in the fun too.
Our Mandarin Language Early Immersion (MLEI) program follows a similar approach, with the inclusion of activities designed to fully immerse children in the language.
For instance, the time block allocated for free play is still supervised by our teachers, who actively engage with the students using Mandarin.
Between the ages of 17 months and 3 years, a critical period when children are still forming their language skills, we believe it’s crucial for them to develop the ability to listen to and respond to the language.
Lastly, our flagship Structured Mandarin Classes (SMC), aimed at guiding each student to fluency in reading, writing and speaking, have games, art, songs and dance embedded in each lesson.
These activities are aimed at fostering an appreciation for the language, which we intend to enhance the learning experience.
More than language learning
Beyond teaching a language, we are committed to nurturing holistic development in our students at our center.
Ever heard of baby acrobats?
Take a look!
It’s not only adorable and thrilling but also contributes to establishing a robust physical foundation for infants.
This activity strengthens their bones, enhances flexibility, improves coordination, boosts strength, and offers numerous other benefits.
We also enhance social skills and ignite creativity through our MLEI and SMC programs—vital skills to have, particularly in an era where genuine human interaction is dwindling.
We are molding individuals who can not only articulate ideas effectively but also demonstrate social adeptness and unleash their creativity.
What are our results?
By infusing fun into each lesson, what truly warms our hearts us is that our outcomes stand as a testament to our unique approach.
Our students not only enjoy our classes but also become enthusiastic advocates.
In fact, some of our students are the ones who persuade their parents to attend our class rather than the other way around.
One of our student’s parent told us that her daughter prefers attending our classes over her regular school, and another student wished for more sessions per week.
We’ve seen great progress among several of our MLEE students as well.
In the first few days, some spent nearly half an hour crying and were unparticipative in class.
But, over time, these kiddos transitioned into more active and engaged students.
It’s equally delightful to observe subtle advancements in our infant students too, as they begin to mimic, take their first steps, and exhibit signs of improved social skills as they gradually enhance their verbal abilities.
We are happy and proud of the growth, development and the fun experiences we share with our students and dedicated teachers.
As we reflect on these positive moments, we are eager to continue nurturing and enriching our students’ skills over time.
Join us at Little Owls Learning Center, where the journey to language proficiency and holistic development for children begins.
