Fun and effective approaches to teaching Chinese characters

Effective And Fun Approaches
To Teaching Chinese
Characters
Katherine Yang
Kristin School

Chinese Programme at Kristin SchoolChinese Programme at Kristin School
 St ar t ed in 1998St ar t ed in 1998
 Compulsory in J unior School f rom Kindy t oCompulsory in J unior School f rom Kindy t o
Year 6Year 6
 2 X 45min over 7 days cycle2 X 45min over 7 days cycle
 Kindy t o Year 2 f ocusing on speaking andKindy t o Year 2 f ocusing on speaking and
list ening skillslist ening skills
 Year 3 – Yr 6 f ocusing on 4 language skillsYear 3 – Yr 6 f ocusing on 4 language skills

Characteristics of children’sCharacteristics of children’s
Second language learningSecond language learning
 Full of curiosityFull of curiosity
 Full of imaginationFull of imagination
 Full of creativitiesFull of creativities
 Enjoying competitionsEnjoying competitions
 Risk takersRisk takers
 Short Concentration spanShort Concentration span

1. Teaching Chinese characters1. Teaching Chinese characters
through telling storiesthrough telling stories
 Storytelling is the oldest form of education.Storytelling is the oldest form of education.
 Stories are the way we store information inStories are the way we store information in
the brain.the brain.
 Stories/explanations go straight to theStories/explanations go straight to the
heart.heart.

Story forStory for 日，月，山，水日，月，山，水

The Hunter And His BBQ Invitation LetterThe Hunter And His BBQ Invitation Letter
Once upon a time, a hunter living in a little village at the footOnce upon a time, a hunter living in a little village at the foot
of a big mountain hunted a pig which was the mostof a big mountain hunted a pig which was the most
beautiful food at that time, and baked it on a pile of fire. Butbeautiful food at that time, and baked it on a pile of fire. But
because it was so big and had so much meat, the hunter’sbecause it was so big and had so much meat, the hunter’s
family couldn’t finish it by themselves and they got nofamily couldn’t finish it by themselves and they got no
where to keep it as there was no refrigerator at that time.where to keep it as there was no refrigerator at that time.
So he decided to invite his friends and relatives to shareSo he decided to invite his friends and relatives to share
the meat. But how to send the message around? He hadthe meat. But how to send the message around? He had
no telephone, no mobile phone, no computer, nothing.no telephone, no mobile phone, no computer, nothing. (At(At
this stage I will ask the children to help him to find a way to send the message andthis stage I will ask the children to help him to find a way to send the message and
always they tell me that he should write a letter and post it to his friends and relatives.)always they tell me that he should write a letter and post it to his friends and relatives.)
When he started writing an invitation letter, he found that heWhen he started writing an invitation letter, he found that he
had no idea of what writing was. So he drew pictures on ahad no idea of what writing was. So he drew pictures on a
piece of bark of a tree. His friends and relatives got thepiece of bark of a tree. His friends and relatives got the
message and had a feast in his house.message and had a feast in his house.

The letter:The letter:
When the sun comes down and the moonWhen the sun comes down and the moon
goes up, please come to my house to havegoes up, please come to my house to have
a BBQ with us. My house is located at thea BBQ with us. My house is located at the
food of a big mountain and there is a littlefood of a big mountain and there is a little
river flowing before it.river flowing before it.
Lat er on, people f ound drawing pict uresLat er on, people f ound drawing pict ures
t ook t oo much t ime, so t hey simplif iedt ook t oo much t ime, so t hey simplif ied
t hese pict ures t o charact ers - rit hese pict ures t o charact ers - ri
becomesbecomes 日日 , yue becomes, yue becomes
月月，， mount ain becomesmount ain becomes 山山 and wat erand wat er
becomesbecomes 水水。。

A story doesn't have to be true and itA story doesn't have to be true and it
doesn't have to be very long either.doesn't have to be very long either.
Sometimes it just needs a few sentencesSometimes it just needs a few sentences
to wrap up the concept.to wrap up the concept.
家家 : Where should we keep t he pig?: Where should we keep t he pig?
国国 : The king and his kingdom: The king and his kingdom
茶茶 : Who should go and pick up t he: Who should go and pick up t he
leaves?leaves?
酒酒 : A vint ager and his big j ar: A vint ager and his big j ar
看看：： I can see! I can see!I can see! I can see!

2. Promoting students interest in2. Promoting students interest in
Chinese characters by the media ofChinese characters by the media of
drawing picturesdrawing pictures
 Writing Chinese characters can be boring toWriting Chinese characters can be boring to
children as they are made of abstractchildren as they are made of abstract
strokes which don’t really make sense tostrokes which don’t really make sense to
them. However with the media of drawingthem. However with the media of drawing
and colouring, students put vivid life intoand colouring, students put vivid life into
those abstract characters.those abstract characters.

Examples of charact er writ ing f romExamples of charact er writ ing f rom
Year 2 children’Year 2 children’

Examples of charact er writ ingExamples of charact er writ ing
f rom Year 4 children’f rom Year 4 children’

3. Expanding Chinese vocabulary by3. Expanding Chinese vocabulary by
playing block building with Chineseplaying block building with Chinese
characterscharacters
 Chinese characters are the most expressive andChinese characters are the most expressive and
informative language.informative language.
 Each character is an information block which can be usedEach character is an information block which can be used
flexibly with another character to make up new words,flexibly with another character to make up new words,
phrases and sentences.phrases and sentences.

Year 3Year 3
日，月，山，水，大，小，人日，月，山，水，大，小，人
 大山，小山，大水，二月五日，三月八大山，小山，大水，二月五日，三月八
日，日日月月，大月，小月，大人，小日，日日月月，大月，小月，大人，小
人人

火，上，下，中，国火，上，下，中，国
 火山，上山，下山，山上，山下，大国，小火山，上山，下山，山上，山下，大国，小
国，大火，小火，上火，水上，水下国，大火，小火，上火，水上，水下

Year 4Year 4
牛，马，羊，鱼，鸟，鸡牛，马，羊，鱼，鸟，鸡
 大牛，小牛，水牛大牛，小牛，水牛
 大马，小马，木马，上马，下马大马，小马，木马，上马，下马
 大羊，小羊，山羊大羊，小羊，山羊
 大鱼，小鱼，飞鱼，木鱼大鱼，小鱼，飞鱼，木鱼
 大鸟，小鸟，水鸟大鸟，小鸟，水鸟
 大鸡，小鸡，山鸡，火鸡大鸡，小鸡，山鸡，火鸡

Year 5Year 5
头：头：
 大头，小头，大头，小头，
 木头木头 ,, 木头人木头人 ,, 人头，人头，
 上头，下头，上头，下头，
 口头，手头口头，手头
 田头，火头，，山头，田头，火头，，山头，

高高
 高大高大
 高明高明
 高山高山
 高人高人
 高手高手
 高中高中
 高中生高中生

网网
 网球网球
 上网上网
 下网下网
 电网电网
 水网水网
 鱼网鱼网

Year 6Year 6
天天
 天上天上
 天下天下
 春天春天
 秋天秋天
 冬天冬天
 夏天夏天
 今天今天
 明天明天
 风天风天
 雨天雨天
 好天好天
 五天五天
 七天七天
 几天几天

Putting character blocks togetherPutting character blocks together
to make sentencesto make sentences
小马上山，小羊下山。小马上山，小羊下山。
小牛下水小牛下水，，小鸟上天小鸟上天。。
山上有小羊，山下有大牛。山上有小羊，山下有大牛。
水中有小鱼，天上有小鸟。水中有小鱼，天上有小鸟。
水牛大，山羊小。水牛大，山羊小。
大水牛下水，小山羊上火车。小马上飞机。大水牛下水，小山羊上火车。小马上飞机。
中国有中国人。中国有大山。中国有中国人。中国有大山。
天上有一只小鸟。山上有一只小羊。天上有一只小鸟。山上有一只小羊。

Block building approach:Block building approach:
 Links those unrelated and isolated charactersLinks those unrelated and isolated characters
together to make up new words and phrasestogether to make up new words and phrases
 gives students a feeling of achievement andgives students a feeling of achievement and
success.success.
 boosts students’ confidence in learningboosts students’ confidence in learning
Chinese charactersChinese characters
 demonstrates vividly how Chinese phrasesdemonstrates vividly how Chinese phrases
and sentences are formed.and sentences are formed.

4. Input Chinese characters by building up4. Input Chinese characters by building up
studetns’ ownstudetns’ own 说文解字说文解字 -- the interpretations ofthe interpretations of
words and characterswords and characters
Traditional approach to teaching Chinese charactersTraditional approach to teaching Chinese characters
 t he t eacher cont rols everyt hing and explainst he t eacher cont rols everyt hing and explains
everyt hingeveryt hing
 st udent s list en and copying t he charact ers andst udent s list en and copying t he charact ers and
pract ice hundreds of t imespract ice hundreds of t imes
It is highly inefficientIt is highly inefficient
 The t eacher does all t he t hinking and all t heThe t eacher does all t he t hinking and all t he
t alking.t alking.
 The t eacher soon get s t ired because she is doingThe t eacher soon get s t ired because she is doing
all t he work.all t he work.
 t he st udent s get bored because t hey are inact ive.t he st udent s get bored because t hey are inact ive.

The more active the students are, theThe more active the students are, the
more learning can take place.more learning can take place.
 What does this Chinese character look like?What does this Chinese character look like?
(for Year 3 & 4 children)(for Year 3 & 4 children)
 What does this Chinese character look likeWhat does this Chinese character look like
and why? (for Year 5 & 6 children)and why? (for Year 5 & 6 children)

Explanations from Yr 4 childrenExplanations from Yr 4 children
 爸爸 cross bones on a pirate flagcross bones on a pirate flag
 弟弟 a snake curling up a tree witha snake curling up a tree with
tongue hissing outtongue hissing out
 哥哥 an apartment with two bigan apartment with two big
windowswindows
 妹妹 a person standing by aa person standing by a
Christmas treeChristmas tree
 姐姐 a person ready to climb a laddera person ready to climb a ladder
 有有 a cross on a churcha cross on a church
 家家 aliens in “tuminitar”, a mosquitoaliens in “tuminitar”, a mosquito

Explanations from Yr 6 childrenExplanations from Yr 6 children
是是
 It looks like a tree house becauseIt looks like a tree house because
it has a slide, a ladder and a littleit has a slide, a ladder and a little
house on top.house on top.
 It looks like a f sliding down a slideIt looks like a f sliding down a slide
wearing a hat becausewearing a hat because 人人 is like ais like a
slide, f is the f andslide, f is the f and 日日 is theis the
hat.hat.

车车
 It looks like a number 4 stuck in aIt looks like a number 4 stuck in a
buildingbuilding
 It looks like a number 4 looking out ofIt looks like a number 4 looking out of
a windowa window
 It looks like a number 4 laying on theIt looks like a number 4 laying on the
road going to get run overroad going to get run over
 It looks likeIt looks like number 4 with one linenumber 4 with one line
above and one belowabove and one below

火火
 It looks like an evil face.It looks like an evil face.
 It looks like a person screamingIt looks like a person screaming
and shouting fire with arms up.and shouting fire with arms up.
 It looks like a person jumping andIt looks like a person jumping and
going crazy.going crazy.

5. Teaching complicated Chinese5. Teaching complicated Chinese
characters by letting students makecharacters by letting students make
discoveriesdiscoveries
How many characters can you find in this character?How many characters can you find in this character?
 This quest ion can always t urn t he boring abst ract andThis quest ion can always t urn t he boring abst ract and
complicat ed charact er int o an int erest ing and excit ingcomplicat ed charact er int o an int erest ing and excit ing
maze or puzzle bef ore t heir eyes.maze or puzzle bef ore t heir eyes.
 Their curiosit y swit ches t heir mind t o searching f orTheir curiosit y swit ches t heir mind t o searching f or
charact ers t hey have learned bef ore and mot ivat escharact ers t hey have learned bef ore and mot ivat es
t hem t o look at t he charact ers in every det ail t o f indt hem t o look at t he charact ers in every det ail t o f ind
as many hidden charact ers as t hey can.as many hidden charact ers as t hey can.
 The result is reading and writ ing t hose charact ersThe result is reading and writ ing t hose charact ers
become an int erest ing and challenging game of makingbecome an int erest ing and challenging game of making
discoveries.discoveries.
 t hey not only review t he charact ers t hey have learntt hey not only review t he charact ers t hey have learnt
but also examine t he charact ers wit h great at t ent ionbut also examine t he charact ers wit h great at t ent ion
and remember t hem by heart more ef f ect ively andand remember t hem by heart more ef f ect ively and
vividly.vividly.

How many characters can you findHow many characters can you find
in this character?in this character?
 是是 :: 日，一，人，日，一，人， T,T,
 果果 :: 十，田，木十，田，木
 卖：十，大，头，买，人，一卖：十，大，头，买，人，一
 春：三，人，大春：三，人，大 ,, 日，日，
 茶：人，木，小茶：人，木，小
 胖：月，半，二，十胖：月，半，二，十

6. Teaching Chinese radicals by6. Teaching Chinese radicals by
playing Making a Guess gameplaying Making a Guess game
 All Chinese characters have a radical or are aAll Chinese characters have a radical or are a
radial in it self.radial in it self.
 There are 214 radicals today but some ofThere are 214 radicals today but some of
them are under debate to be removed.them are under debate to be removed.
 Radicals is used to tell something about theRadicals is used to tell something about the
meaning of the character,meaning of the character, 女女 is theis the
character for "woman". It is also the radicalcharacter for "woman". It is also the radical
for many female things:for many female things: 妈，姐，妹，姨妈，姐，妹，姨
，姑，奶，姥，娘，妻，妾，姑，奶，姥，娘，妻，妾
 It is also used to look up a character in aIt is also used to look up a character in a
dictionary.dictionary.

木：木： wood, treewood, tree
 本本
 杀杀
 乐乐
 朵朵
 枭枭
 焚焚
 森林森林
 呆呆
 柏柏

宀宀 :: roof,coverroof,cover
 家家
 安安
 灾灾
 牢牢
 宠宠
 富富

女：女： woman, femalewoman, female
 好好
 安安
 妈妈
 奶奶
 姐姐
 妹妹

火火：： firefire
 灭灭
 灰灰
 灯灯
 炎炎
 灸灸
 炉炉
 烫烫
 荧荧

Nursary rhymeNursary rhyme
日月明，鱼羊鲜日月明，鱼羊鲜 ..
小土尘，小大尖小土尘，小大尖 ..
一火灭，田力男一火灭，田力男 ..
人木休，手目看人木休，手目看 ..
二木林，三木森二木林，三木森 ..
二人从，三人众。二人从，三人众。

日日 ++ 月月 = ______= ______ ，鱼，鱼 ++ 羊羊 = ______.= ______.
小小 ++ 土土 = ______= ______ ，小，小 ++ 大大 = ______.= ______.
一一 ++ 火火 = ______= ______ ，田，田 ++ 力力 = ______.= ______.
人人 ++ 木木 = ______= ______ ，手，手 ++ 目目 = ______.= ______.
二二 ++ 木木 = ______= ______ ，三，三 ++ 木木 = ______.= ______.
二二 ++ 人人 = ______= ______ ，三，三 ++ 人人 ==
____________ 。。

These interpretationsThese interpretations
 help students visualize the meanings of thehelp students visualize the meanings of the
characterscharacters
 helps students understand radicals and howhelps students understand radicals and how
meaning is conveyed in these characters.meaning is conveyed in these characters.
 make learning fun and enjoyable.make learning fun and enjoyable.

Thank you allThank you all
谢谢大家谢谢大家

Fun and effective approaches to teaching Chinese characters

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