A Grade 6 student earned full marks in his school Mandarin speaking assessment — by memorising. Why that isn’t a shortcut, and how weekly recitation and dictation quietly build a child’s language for life.

Does your child still lean on pinyin to read Chinese? A Melbourne Mandarin teacher on why you cross the river first, then take down the bridge — and how reading really develops.

The ancient Dai legend of the Peacock Princess — and why old stories are one of the best ways for children in Australia to fall in love with Mandarin.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.