Singapore is a wonderful place to raise kids, not just because of its booming economy, friendly climatic condition but also because of its educational system. You see, Singapore embraces bilingual education systems. This means that kids can learn two or more languages. If your child can learn Mandarin and English for example, he will be open to more opportunities and develop faster.
Raising bilingual kids is not the same as raising a kid who speaks one language or is learning how to speak only one single language. Learning Malay, Tamil or Chinese for kids should start at a young age. Truth be told, you are going to have to put in more work, to ensure that your child grasps both languages and becomes fluent in them.
The following article by womensweekly sheds light on 7 proven strategies for raising bilingual kids in Singapore.
7 EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR RAISING BILINGUAL KIDS IN SINGAPORE
If you primarily speak English at home, it can be hard to get your kids to pick up Mandarin as a mother tongue language. There seems to be two extremes when it comes to speaking Mandarin fluently and doing reasonably well in the Chinese language at school. Read more here.
You likely now know some effective strategies for raising bilingual kids like starting early when they are young; been positive regardless of how quick they grasp the language, regular exposure to the language you want them to learn, making the process fun, having realistic expectations, and many more. To get the most out of these strategies, you first have to learn about a thing or two about language education in Singapore.
The following article by Wikipedia discusses some important things you need to know about language education in Singapore.
Language education in Singapore
Singapore embraces an English-based bilingual education system. Students are taught subject-matter curriculum with English as the medium of instruction, while the official mother tongue of each student. Read more here.
You surely now know the best approach to take if you want your kids to learn a second language in Singapore. If your kid is struggling with any of the languages you want him to learn. Let’s say Chinese, for example, you should consider enrolling him into any of the best Chinese enrichment classes in Singapore.
The following article by theasianparent unveils some of the best Chinese enrichment class in Singapore.
Best Chinese enrichment class for your child
More and more parents are sending their children for Chinese enrichment classes at an early age these days to get a headstart in Chinese language learning. Check out where the best schools are and what they have to offer to your children. Read more here.
You likely now know some of the best Chinese enrichment centers in Singapore like Tien Hsia Language School, HUA Language Centre, Berries Language Centre, Chengzhu Mandarin Centre and so on. No doubt, these centers are great and they have the tools to teach your kids how to speak Chinese, but before you enroll your kid into any of them, it is wise you visit them in person to get a picture of their learning environment, curriculum and so on.
Final note
Raising bilingual kids in Singapore is by no means an easy task. Without help, you are going to struggle and encounter countless roadblocks. Thankfully, there are effective strategies that can help your kid become fluent in both languages.
If for some reasons, your child has a hard time learning how to speak Chinese and you have tried every teaching approach you know, but aren’t getting the results you seek, then you should consider enrolling him into any of the many Chinese enrichment classes in Singapore.