Update on my craze to teach the boys Chinese :)

I was browsing online and found a facebook-shop selling the set of 四五快读 SiKuKuaiDu books, price is slightly more expensive than what I got. But this site has more pictures to look at. :)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.197843283583122.52435.100000723560772&type=3 

This shop also have pretty interesting stuff, saw another 'learn Chinese' set, pretty interesting but more ex & comes with CD and stuff, which I don't think necessary.  But the books introduces words that is straight away put into a passage. Encourage reading with meaning. Interesting. :) http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.116633931704058.11423.100000723560772&type=3

Controlling the shopaholic in me! I'm not buying anymore books to teach Chinese... gonna stick to 四五快读 and the 基初汉字 Basic Chinese 500 (By the way, I just bought the complete set of 25 readers from a Popular Book Fair last week at 30% off :) . 

Opps, I also have a full set of Odanato 红蜻蜓 (which is a compulsory reader from boy's preschool)

If I can follow through with these 3 sets, it's good enough! :)

Back to 四五快读 SiWuKuaiDu, I broke my record of reading 30 pages of parent's guide in very small Chinese wordings in 4 days! I actually waited a few days before I started the boys with the  四五快读 word cards. I was bit uncertain on how to start, don't want to start off on the wrong foot! 

I feel the books 四五快读 acts as a parent guide, which is great as it has helpful suggestions to assist in explaining the meanings of the word. So I just use the flash cards and do 3PL (Montessori style - three period lesson), play games, add in some crafty stuff with the strokes and get them to paste it in a scrap book. And I'm trying to revise each word at least 7 times (over the next few days) so it goes into memory. 

Pasting the strokes of the word
in order : 山 (mountain)

Starting is a challenge, as I was a little anxious about getting them to the activity and Trevor was not as willing to cooperate with me. Well, according to some suggestions that I read from the guide and other parent's who have used the books, key is to set a routine for learning & revising and apparently just before bed time is a good time. It goes straight to the brain for 'storage' in the memory when they sleep.

Acting it out, charades : 人 (man)

I've just started with 4 words, very slow. Even though Tristan know more words, I'm revising those basic words with him so that he has a better understanding them. I find the trick is to start slow, be consistent, and don't do anything too different, transition smoothly. If I speak to them fully in Mandarin, they wont understand and lose interest. So no choice, for a start I'll have to speak English and throw in some Chinese translation. Will slowly transition into speaking more in Mandarin. So far it has improved, boys are more happy to 'learn Chinese'. And they enjoyed the games! Trick is to stop before they get tired of the activity, so they will ask for it the next day :) Hopefully we'll pick up a bit of speed soon.