Pre-register and pick the class days for Fall 2005

Come with your preschooler and have fun with Chinese weekday mornings in Mountain Lakes at 9:30. Where music and movement are the keys to learning. Fall sessions for 2 – 6 year olds start in late September and early October.

Introduce your child(ren) to Chinese with songs, poetry, games, and instrument play! Immersion and music and movement are the most effective ways to give your child another language. Musical Mandarin uses song, instruments, puppets, storybooks and flannelboards to engage the senses. Designed to meet the learning needs of those not speaking Mandarin at home. (Mountain Lakes class is about 1 ½ miles from 287/80.)

To vote for the weekday that best fits your schedule or for more information: email mus-mandarin@wubison.com

I designed and teach "Musical Mandarin" based on bilingual/multilingualism research and early language acquisition.

Ear Training: Suggested CDs

I believe that listening to a language is invaluable for learning, especially for a tonal language. Although tones can not be learned purely from songs, most of us find it easier to listen to songs than conversations in another language. Music works, comprehension can follow.

Each session of Musical Mandarin includes a CD of the music that we are using that session – and a plea to listen to it at least once a week, preferably at least twice.

My favorite commercially available music includes:

Teach Me. . . Chinese by Judy Mahoney (also available in cassette) Mostly familiar tunes sung in English and Mandarin. It comes with a booklet with lyrics in English, pinyin and characters. It does not have a word by word translation of songs. ISBN 0934633835(tape) 0934633843 0934633827

Sing ‘N’ Learn Chinese by Trio Jan Jeng, Selina Yoon Mostly familiar tunes sung in Mandarin. It comes with a booklet with lyrics in pinyin and characters. ISBN 1888194065, 1888194170

Teach Me. . . More Chinese by Judy Mahoney (also available in cassette) Mostly familiar tunes sung in English and Mandarin. It comes with a booklet with lyrics in English, pinyin and characters. Individual words are not translated. ISBN 0934633479 0934633487

What I like about them is also what has me hesitating sometimes. Many of the tunes are familiar – translated songs we also know in America, in English. However, children in China do sing “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” and songs using the same tune as “Frere Jacques”.

Although watching foreign language television does not help to learn the language - interacting with another person and the same show seems to. BBC's Muzzy is now available in Mandarin!

Links for more Chinese music:

Childbook.com is a family-owned business that sells Chinese Children’s Books, Videos, Music, and Software that helps Children (and others) learn more about the Chinese Language and Culture in English and Mandarin. Their stated goal is a happy customer due to high quality products, fair prices, and great customer service. www.childbook.com

There are also a number of sites with Chinese children’s music in MP3 format. Most of them, however are in Chinese. Sites with English navigation help include:

The Internet Chinese Music Archive
http://www.ibiblio.org/chinese-music/html/children.html