The percentage of dual-income families has been growing steadily in Singapore. This has been a challenge for parents because they spend less time with their kids, especially if they want to learn Chinese.
Fortunately, Chinese enrichment classes provide a rare opportunity for parents to keep providing for the family. At the same time, the child takes vital Chinese lessons.
There are several reasons why your child should learn Chinese.
It Is the Second Most Prominent Language in The World
Over 1.1 billion people speak Chinese globally, making it the second most spoken language after English. If your child speaks both English and Chinese, they naturally have an advantage likely to bear fruit later in life.
Your child will have more career opportunities being bilingual. They can also decide how to use the languages learned to their advantage.
Chinese Is Musical
When speaking Chinese, it sometimes feels like the words are interlinked to create a perfect melody. When children learn Chinese, they are more likely to achieve a perfect pitch, not just in their speech but also in singing.
Since Chinese enrichment classes in Singapore use play to teach children Chinese, your child will undoubtedly become musical. Your child will also become more sensitive to different sounds and will likely easily differentiate sound from a tone.
Better Symbol Interpretation
Unlike English, which uses a phonetic alphabet, the Chinese language has thousands of symbols, making it a very different language to learn. As your child learns Chinese, another part of their brain is unlocked, where they must associate symbols with sound.
Your child will be keen on visual communication and the interpretation of symbols. This unlocks your child’s potential in other areas of academics where they will need to use critical thinking to solve problems.
Stronger Math Skills
Children learning Chinese tend to have more vital math skills because they look beyond the surface. When they study symbols in the Chinese language, children must be keen to tell the difference between one symbol and another.
Chinese characters also reinforce counting for young children. Additionally, your child develops spatial memory because they have to focus on shape recognition when learning Chinese. So, when your child attends Chinese enrichment classes, they gain skills that will benefit them in other classes.
Enhance Hand-Eye Coordination
English is a one-direction language, while Chinese has strokes facing different directions. Even if you do not understand Chinese, it is easy to see that the pen strokes follow multiple directions. This is one of the aspects that adults struggle with when learning Chinese.
Conversely, children find it easier to learn Chinese because they notice the different strokes. They also easily differentiate pen pressure as they are still developing fine motor skills.
A bilingual child is more sensitive and perceptive of different cultures. When you expose your child to Chinese, you will give him a glimpse of Chinese culture. Since children absorb information faster, you can introduce multiple languages and boost their reading and writing skills very early.