Learn Mandarin via Kumon Chinese

chong

I heard that Kuman Chinese is taught in Mandarin and to start with pronounciation teaching.  Is it a good way to learn proper Mandarin via Kumon?  Any mom can share their experience please?  Is it boring or interesting for a child at age 6?  

Please help and thanks.

wideworld

Hi chong,
I let my son (age 5) to start studying Kumon chinese last summer. So far I am appreciated with my son's progress. My reason to let him to study kumon chinese is to let him to learn mandarin and chinese writing at the same time (since his school lacks this aspect).
When you starts to learn kumon chinese, you start pinyin and chinese writing at the same time. So no matter the age is, as per my opinion, you should see if your child is "sensitive to" pinyin and chinese charactor.   

chong

thank you very much for your comment.  Does it require a lot of practice and guidance at home?  As i'm a working mom, i need to figure out how much time i shall devote to it in order not to waste the money and time.  Of course, i dont want all the "親子" time become "studying" time in the evening.. .  Which centre does your child go?

By the way, do you also let him study maths and english?  Any further comment on it?

CherylMum

Re: Learn Madarine via Kumon Chinese

[ 本帖最後由 CherylMum 於 09-11-13 14:50 編輯 ]

wideworld

Hi chong,
My son goes to kumon centre in Tsuen Wan. Children need to listen to CD and do worksheets. As my child is very busy throughout the week, I just ask the teacher to give 4 sets of worksheet (total 20 pages) each time i.e. per week.
Chong, if you already got a schedule for your child, may be you can add the kumon section to your exisiting schedule. Talk to your kid about why you let him/her to learn the kumon chinese .... so that your child is ready and happy to follow the schedule. Ask your helper/relatives that takes care of your child to follow this schedule. To be honest, it is quite tough to a child of such a young person because your child need to sit down and do the worksheet.
As I mentioned before, I mainly want my son to learn mandarin and chinese writing. Kumon chinese helps me to achieve these needs. I am not going to learn the other kumon as my son learns english in other ways everyday and good maths skill is not just repeating caculation.   

wideworld

Hi CherylMum,
So far my son read the worksheet and do the corrections on those worksheets as submitted in the last lesson. But you are right, the policy of classroom has just changed that kid will listen to CD and do the exerises in the center.
I am agreed that kid will find boring because of no interaction with kid but not with teacher. The half hour spend in the center is maninly interact with the teacher. This is the characteristic of kumon - it's child-oriented and self-learning.

CherylMum

Re: Learn Madarine via Kumon Chinese

[ 本帖最後由 CherylMum 於 09-11-13 14:51 編輯 ]

wideworld

Hi CherylMum,
Sorry for replying you late.
I think all kumon center in-charge are typical HK people, not native ie. the quality of mandarin speaking various. Besides, there are various assistants in the center to help individual student to check their homework. The assistant that takes care of my son can speak mandarin and point out the wrong pronounication of my son.
CherylMum, I really think that studying kumon is really like you go to school. The child need to practice or repeat the worksheet every day, let the teacher to correct if you have any correction in the center once a week and have assesment for next level.