Ok..a little background about myself. Am Chinese but have lived overseas most of my life, and recently came back to live in Malaysia with my family. First language is English, but I do speak and understand a little Mandarin.

Here's my situation: my little boy will be attending Kindergarten (1st year) next year. This year he attended pre-kindy but I put him in the English class. Next year he will be attending the Chinese class. At home we speak English to him (me, because I have no choice unless I want to teach him broken Chinese..), but dad is because of habit.

I'm wondering if putting him in the Chinese class is a good idea. We came back to Malaysia because we want him to have the 'chinese' education (language, discipline, culture etc...you get the idea). But I am worried that he will have problems in class because, well...he doesn't have a background in Chinese much. Some people have told me that he'll pick it up in no time etc, and just put him in there.

Does anyone out there have gone through this experience? Whether the outcome was good or bad, could you please share your experience? Any advice would also be appreciated. I think it's still not too late to change him to an English class...yet... But that would mean he won't be going to any Chinese school for his primary education etc.

Arrghhh!!! Anyway, thanks in advance

i believe for kids that age it is best to just xpose and communicate one language... or not the kid will be neither here nor there... let your kid pick up other language when they are in pre-school/kindergarten... read and write still in 1 language...

Young kids learn things faster than old people.

I guess it's environment as well, I'm 18; Never bothered learning cantonese at all. Now that I've been in a class full of canto speaking people, ngo nang jiang hua yi liao xD (I know how to speak it already!)

P.S. Did I say that right? Well at least I can speak a bit already Hehe.

yes children picks up second language faster than adult but it depends on the child really. here's the source. sos
sos2

Depends on individual and environment. Honestly, its not hard to learn but not easy to master.

My English sucks until I was 17. Started learning because I was interested in Computer and its all English. The internet too.

Rojak

NGO MMM SEK KONG WAH YI JOR

Very excellent idea! Especially how important that English and Mandarin has become.
Dun worry he will pick up the language with the early exposure. Was in your shoes. Initial problem was we, bananas, were unable to help with the homework, so bought an electronic translator and extra Chinese tuition classes.

i picked up mandarin when i was 7. mum enrolled me in a chinese school. before that i also attended chinese classes in kindy but i still cant speak mandarin until i was near 8.

munchkin79,

Kids learn language fast. Especially at his age. All else failed, enroll him on some private Chinese tutoring...

Dreamer

I am amazed with Malaysian's thinking that english is still the medium of instruction in our schools today.

In 1980 we abolish the British's MCE (Medium Cert of Education) to replace it with SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia). A Malaysian who is 47 or younger never went to "English" class. It more than half a centuary the schools hand gone malay and we are still talking about "english class".

So, your are worried about the difficulties of learning chinese. I think he will have the same problem with learning malay. Perhaps, you are thinking of putting him in an international school.

i personally studied chinese since kindergarten until form 5. at home i speak english. those who don't know that i've been studying chinese tends to think that i'm a 'banana'. and when they hear me speak chinese they'll be so shock. anyhow, my chinese isn't that good basically because i have not much interest in that language but at least i can read/write simple chinese and also speak proper chinese.

as for my brother, he studied in an english kindergarten and my mum sent him to a chinese primary school. during standard 1, he was crying almost everyday because he didn't understand a word in school or his homework. but after 3 or 4 months he got used to it and pick up chinese very fast. he just finish his UPSR this year and got all As, he speaks chinese to his friends just like any other students in his chinese school. now my parents sent him to new zealand for year 9.

my family is an english speaking family, my mum don't know chinese at all, she picks up little bit of chinese here and there from me and my brother when we were studying. my dad knows chinese but seldom communicate to us in chinese. so in my opinion, in your situation, its best to sent your child to chinese school so he will be exposed to the language and 'culture', which will really help in the future.

faceless,

<< In 1980 we abolish the British's MCE (Medium Cert of Education) to replace it with SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia). A Malaysian who is 47 or younger never went to "English" class. It more than half a centuary the schools hand gone malay and we are still talking about "english class".>>

Not exactly. We were lucky enough that our high school teachers were British trained and educated. The books were in Malay but the teachers taught in English. After our batch, most of those teachers retired.

Dreamer

Dreamer,
There are some schools with teachers who are not flexible enough to change and teach in BM. Yet there are a good portion that had adapted and taught in BM.

My point is there is no longer "english school" and had never been for the past 50 years. The only "english schools" are private.

The trend is SRJK ( C ) these days. Even "banana" parents are sending their children to SRJK ( C ). The reason is better learn chinese than BM. If you go to a SRJK ( C ) with good english teachers that is a bonus.

I was raised in an English speaking environment because my mom didnt know mandarin (WM last time no teach chinese). I was not exposed to the chinese language until I was in Kindergarten, which started teaching very very simple mandarin words. It was still an English speaking Kindergarten, so, yeah.

Then I entered a chinese SJK© primary school. At first, I had a little bit of trouble trying to relay my messages as everyone around me was speaking in mandarin and my brain just couldnt process the words fast enough. Before this, I only learnt mandarin from TV series and babysitters.

Of course, this had an impact on me. I can speak fluent mandarin from the day to day conversations with all my classmates up till now. But, I have sort of put the chinese language as a 2nd priority.

I can read, write the basics, which I feel is enough to not get conned if a china guy wanted to con me. So, I guess thats sufficient enough for me.