Speaking is a very important part of learning a new language. Shy children tend to take longer to begin speaking a new language, even if they know some words already. But there are different things you can try so that they feel more comfortable speaking and showing off what they know.
Do you want your child to learn Mandarin but are worried that they might be too shy to learn? Is your child already learning Mandarin but not speaking it yet? Don’t worry! These tips will help even the most introverted child come out of their shell!
1) Introduce Mandarin in a fun and casual way.
The key to introducing anything new to your child is to make sure that you present it in a relaxed way that doesn’t put pressure on them. This is important for shy kids especially. Shy children need time to adapt to something new and they need to feel comfortable in order to try new things.
Before jumping into Mandarin learning, it’s important that your child is introduced to the language in a fun, relaxed way that gets them used to hearing the language and gets them excited to learn it!
You can introduce Mandarin to your child by playing fun songs in Mandarin and dancing to them with your child. Galaxy Kids Chinese has a great YouTube channel with lots of fun songs for kids that are designed to help your child learn Mandarin!
Another great way to introduce Mandarin in a fun way is to watch kid-friendly movies and TV shows in Chinese. That way, your child will hear Mandarin and also connect to the characters who are speaking another language. This will teach your child that Mandarin is fun to speak and will encourage them to want to learn as well.
If you have any friends or family members who speak Mandarin, ask them to speak to your child in Mandarin casually. Children learn a new language easily, so if you have someone speak Mandarin to your child regularly, your child will learn some new words without even trying to learn! Just make sure that your child feels comfortable around that person and does not feel forced to learn, it should be casual and relaxed.
2) Learn Mandarin with your child
Children learn by copying, so if your child sees you learning Mandarin, they will be motivated to learn as well. Shy kids tend to rely more on their parents since they need to be around familiarity. If they see you learning Mandarin, they will feel more comfortable learning as well. They will also speak more Mandarin if they hear you speaking first. Whether you are learning Mandarin with your child, or can speak Mandarin already, teaching your shy child by saying the words first is a great way to get your soft-spoken child to speak too.
3) Choose the Right Language Learning Program
For shy kids, putting them in a Mandarin class or getting an online tutor right away might be too overwhelming for them. Before deciding to enroll your child in a Mandarin learning program, make sure that you choose the best program based on your child’s comfort and social skills. If they feel too shy or nervous and cannot speak, that means you should try something else.
If you want your child to join a Mandarin class with other children, visit the class first with your child so that you become familiar with the teachers, students, and routine. If your child looks anxious and is clinging to you, that means they are not ready to take a class or that type of language learning environment is just not for them.
If you want to try an online tutor, try a trial class with your child and see how they do. Most online tutoring programs offer a free trial class so that you can decide if that program and teacher are right for your child.
If your child does not speak to the teacher the entire class, that means that they will need more time feeling comfortable around that teacher. Some children will end up feeling more comfortable over time and some will not. You can try a different teacher or another way for your child to learn Mandarin if they cannot relax in an online class.
Another method for your child to learn Mandarin is through a language learning app. Let’s look at tip #4 to see why an app might be the best way for a shy child to learn Mandarin!
4) Try a Mandarin Language Learning App like Galaxy Kids Chinese!
Language apps are not only a fun, cheap, and convenient way to learn a new language, they are also great for shy kids! Speaking to a complete stranger can be very intimidating for most shy children, but speaking to a cute cartoon character on an app will encourage your child to speak through a fun, relaxing, and engaging way.
Galaxy Kids Chinese is a Chinese learning app for kids that encourages children to speak and listen through thousands of fun games, videos, songs, and stories. Galaxy Kids has designed cute, lovable cartoon characters to teach children words, phrases, and sentences in Mandarin.
Our AI chat buddies will model real-life conversations in Mandarin and will encourage your child to speak and listen, all while your child is laughing and having fun. Even the most shy child will feel confident enough to speak to our AI character since they will get to know these characters and see them repeatedly through various activities and videos in our app.
Studies show that AI can help shy students as well as students who are more advanced than other kids or who have special needs. The great thing about a Mandarin app like Galaxy Kids, is that children learn at their own pace and have a customized Mandarin learning program right at their fingertips! They will also feel connected to our characters who will speak to them, teach them Mandarin, play games with them, and give them lots of encouragement and rewards!
Try out these tips and let us know if this helped your child feel more confident speaking Mandarin. Remember that a relaxing and fun environment with lots of positive reinforcement and encouragement are key when teaching shy children a new language!
