Where Mandarin Is Something Little Ones Feel, Not Something They Study
A gentle Mandarin playgroup for children 0–5 in Ashburton — ten years of stories, songs and garden play at Craig Family Centre. Come and have a look.
The Day Our Class Discovered “睡觉” — What Dialects Taught Us About Belonging
One ordinary Mandarin class wandered into a conversation about our families’ dialects — and showed us why every child’s own version of Chineseness is worth passing on.
Why the start of term is the best time to join a language class
A new school term is the natural moment for a child to start or restart Mandarin or English classes. A Melbourne teacher explains why timing matters, and how to make Term 3 count.
Why “Read More” Isn’t Enough
Chapter books, timed comprehension and short stories each build a different reading skill. How the four types of reading fit together for busy primary and secondary students.
Language immersion: why it isn’t suitable for every child
Immersion is a great method for teaching a language, but it doesn’t always work. A Mandarin teacher explains why, and what children really need to be immersed in to thrive.
What’s the best age for a child to start learning Mandarin?
Too young, or too late? The honest answer is that there’s rarely a wrong time to start Chinese. What matters far more is how your child is taught. Here’s how we think about the right age, and how to find the right starting point for your child.