For foreign language learners, the effect of making the connection between a word (abstract concept) and an actual object is more long-lasting than remembering the meaning of the word in English. The connection is easier to make when the object is something that we can imitate it recreate in the class. So our young learners made paper jumping green frogs (青蛙:qīng wā)to remember the features of a frog, as well as how to write and say the word in Mandarin.
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Writing Chinese characters is undoubtedly the most difficult part of learning the language. Repetitive practice to build muscle memory has been long practiced in China for young students to connect the spoken language with the written language.
This week, the 7/8th grade students focused on new vocabulary and getting familiar with the shapes of the characters. "Authentic Material" in the case of language education refers to contents that are created for native speakers instead of foreign language learners.
The elementary Mandarin learners have been working on a Chinese children's story from the last century. We have built vocabulary on features of a common frog and how to describe them. One of the benefits of using authentic material is that it gives a natural context to the teaching. It also contains rich cultural elements for the students to observe. Here is a video link to the story "Little Tadpoles Looking for Mom" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpspc7it3SY Here is a sample of the artistic style of the video. |
AuthorI'm the 1st - 8th Grade Mandarin language and culture teacher at Summers-Knoll School in Ann Arbor, MI. Archives
June 2016
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