3 Methods to Help Children to Improve Their Chinese Pronunciation

How can you help your child improve their pronunciation if you don’t speak Chinese? Is it possible for your child to have authentic pronunciation even if you are a non-native Chinese speaker? Yes, it is possible, and we have 3 suggestions for you.

Watch Engaging Chinese Songs and Cartoons

In order to improve your child’s Chinese level, the amount of input is the key. Language learning takes time, practice, and exposure. In order to quickly learn and effectively retain knowledge, we would suggest multiple practice modes. Don’t worry if you can’t practice with them- there are lots of great children’s songs and cartoons available in Chinese. Here are some that you can watch with your children.

The Lingo Bus YouTube Channel

There are more than 100 videos on Lingo Bus’ channel, and you can watch them with your children and encourage your children to listen for words they know and sing along with the songs. You can adjust the speed for new learners so they can practice slowly at first. We would recommend the Chinese songs and the videos with the panda for our youngest learners. We also have some videos for adults and older learners.

Peppa Pig in Chinese

Peppa Pig is a great cartoon for children. You can find the Chinese version on YouTube. The conversations are very simple and kid-friendly. By watching, your children can learn lots of new words and improve their pronunciation.

The Octonauts in Chinese

If your child enjoys learning about science and marine life, they may already know of the Octonauts. This series is also available on YouTube in Chinese.

The Monkey King

A folk hero from China’s most famous novel, The Monkey King has been the subject of many TV shows and movies. If your child enjoys action cartoons, they will be able to build their pronunciation and listening skills and also learn a little about Chinese culture. We recommend this version for kids around age 8.

Chinese Tongue Twisters

In order to improve your pronunciation of a language, you need to practice your oral muscles a lot. It can be awkward and challenging to change the way you speak, and we all feel a bit ridiculous at times when in the learning process. To get your mouth muscles moving and have a little fun in the process, we recommend trying some Chinese tongue twisters.

Just as in English, tongue twisters are comprised of similar and confusing sounds, and reciting them can make children more aware of tone differences, similar phonetic sounds, etc. They can also help children to improve their self-confidence and willingness to accept pronunciation corrections.

For parents, we can enjoy watching their children find the humor in trying out these linguistic challenges. You can join in as well, and hopefully see many giggles in the process. Laughter and happiness open our brains to effective learning.

1、四是四， 十是十。   Sì shì sì, shí shì shí.

Four is four, ten is ten.

十四是十四，    四十是四十。Shísì shì shísì, sìshí shì sìshí.

Fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty.

不要把十四说成四十，Búyào bǎ shísì shuōchéng sìshí,

Do not say fourteen as forty,

也不要把四十说成十四。yě búyào bǎ sìshí shuōchéng shísì.

Also, don’t say forty as fourteen.

This one can help your children to practice and figure out the differences between “s” and ”sh”, and practice the 2nd tone and 4th tones.

2、黑兔和白兔，上山采蘑菇。Hēitù hé báitù, shàng shān cǎi mógū.

A black rabbit and a white rabbit go to the mountains to collect mushrooms.

小猴和小鹿，一起来帮助。Xiǎohóu hé xiǎolù, yīqǐ lái bāngzhù.

Little monkey and little deer come to help.

猴和兔，  鹿和兔。Hóu hé tù, lù hé tù,

A monkey and a rabbit, a deer and a rabbit,

高高兴兴采蘑菇。Gāogāoxìngxìng cǎi mógū.

Select mushrooms happily.

Get Help from Native Speakers

A skilled teacher can help identify and fix any pronunciation issues that your child has. They will practice with your child until the new sounds become like second nature to them. You also need a learning advisor to help guide you to better help your child.

Lingo Bus provides learning advisors who can help you to make learning plans, who follow up on your children’s Chinese language learning, and who help check the learning progress of your children. All our learning advisors have a language education background, and they will help you via emails, messages, or phone calls- whichever is most convenient for you.

Let us know how what questions you have!