Igniting Interest?

Many have emphasized that cultivating an interest in Chinese is crucial for sustained language learning. I often wonder how parents can foster this interest in their children, especially within bilingual families. I suppose consistently providing resources may spark some interest in the language.

Lately, I’ve been contemplating this topic more deeply, particularly after hearing varied perspectives on how some individuals are naturally more drawn to Chinese than others. This led me to ponder: what exactly ignites a child’s interest in learning Chinese?

For us, a few strategies seem to be effective. Trips to Taiwan appear to be the most motivating for our kids to continue using Chinese. The twins have even asked why we don’t live there. Positive memories of a place undoubtedly encourage them to keep learning unconsciously( I say unconsciously because I don’t think they’re intentional using Chinese because how much they love Taiwan but I do think their visits have some positive impact on them using Chinese).

Another observation starts with Little Long Bao’s burgeoning curiosity about science. Since Chinese lessons don’t typically cover science topics, I purchased Chinese books related to science. We got this set 10萬個為什麼(彩色注音大字點讀版) last year. The whole set can be used with a reading pen, allowing him to pick up a book and use the pen to read.

The other set, half of the set 寶寶第一套科學繪本 (US) or the full set 寶寶科學繪本12冊套組：培養好奇心，探索科學新知 comes with CDs for each book. Although CDs may seem old-fashioned, after setting up a designated area for him to play CDs independently, he now enjoys selecting a book, playing a CD, and listening to various topics such as weather, the human body, space, and air. I see this as a fantastic opportunity for him to explore subjects he’s interested in while using Chinese as a medium for learning.

Besides these two effective methods I’ve discovered for my kids, I haven’t found other ways that have a lasting impact. This is one of the toughest challenges in this journey. You never know what your kids will be interested in next, and sometimes it’s difficult to find resources in Chinese. Additionally, it can be challenging to find resources that align with their interests in Chinese material.