Montessori Chinese Program

Montessori Chinese Learning in markham

Learn Chinese in a Fun Way

Montessori believes that 2.5 to 6 years of age is the “language sensitive period” that happens once in a life time. 90% of our adult conversational language is in place by the age of 6. It is the best time to introduce new languages to children as they will easily absorb new vocabularies and develop conversational skills.

The challenge with teaching Chinese to kids this age is how to keep them engaged and develop a love for the Chinese language. Some parents enrol their children in traditional Chinese classes. However, a one-for-all curriculum with worksheets as the main teaching tool simply does not work for young kids. In contrary, Montessori believes in “what the hand does the mind remembers“. Using a variety of sensory-based and Montessori-inspired tools, our Montessori Chinese program is designed to maximize the effectiveness of Chinese learning in this language sensitive period.

Our Montessori Classrooms

Cultivate the right environment for learning Chinese

Mixed Age Group

Age does not dictate a child’s language developmental level. In a mixed age group setting, beginners can learn from more advanced kids while those who are more advanced get the reward of being a mentor.

Engaged, Sensorial Learning

Children love to touch and feel textures. Using a variety of sensorial material, children develop sensory muscle memory to help them remember formation and stroke orders of Chinese characters.

Unlike worksheet-based programs, the tools children work with in our program are fun, hands-on, and inspires learning.

Individualized Curriculum

Montessori recognized the individualism of each child. In our classrooms, children choose their “purposeful” activity based on their skill level and interest. Working at their own pace and under the teacher’s guidance, children learn by making discoveries with the materials, which cultivates concentration, motivation, independence, and a love of learning Chinese.

Our Programs

Montessori Chinese Program (Age 3 - 7)

Our Montessori Chinese program is designed for young children between ages 3 and 7. Our program is the only program in the GTA that teaches Chinese in a Montessori way – meaning minimal worksheets, flashcards, and memorization. Instead, children learn via sensory memory, games, and small group interactions.

Younger students are introduced to the Chinese language through sensory activities, songs, stories, and games. The program at this point focuses on verbal communications and simple characters recognition. Montessori tools such as sandpaper boards and 3 part cards are introduced to prepare for Chinese reading and writing.

As students progress in the Montessori Chinese program, they continue to strengthen their Chinese foundation using a variety of Montessori tools and reading material. Stroke orders and radicals are emphasized in this level. Students are taught to converse in Chinese using proper grammar and sentence structures, be familiar with the 52 common radicals, their respective side radicals, understand simple idioms, and be able to read short stories. Complementary daily reading program is provided for students who are ready with an aim to learn 500 characters by the end of our program.

Cantonese Program

Cantonese is a variety of Chinese dialect originating from the city of Guangzhou (also known as Canton). Cantonese is spoken by the people of Hong Kong, Macau and the wider Guangdong province. Compared to the five tones used in Mandarin, Cantonese has nine tones.

Traditional Characters are taught in our Cantonese program.

Mandarin Program

Mandarin is the official state language of China. Mandarin is a tonal language with 5 tones, where one word has many meanings depending on the pronunciation and intonation. Pinyin training is part of learning Mandarin as it is the Romanization of the Chinese characters based on their pronunciation.

Simplified characters are taught in our Mandarin program. Pinyin training is included.