Spark interest in Mandarin with fun, creative lessons

The letter “Revitalise the learning of mother tongues” (July 24) resonates with me, as interest in our mother tongues, particularly Mandarin, has waned.

Some among us encounter challenges in learning Mandarin, and apathy or a reluctance to attach importance to our mother tongues does not help them surmount this obstacle.

Some parents have the notion that the learning of Mandarin or mother tongues is for sentimental and cultural, rather than practical, reasons. With this mindset, such learning becomes something of a burden or, to some, a torturous experience.

It is important that the Education Ministry devise creative ways of teaching Mandarin and making it as fun as possible to ignite genuine, enduring interest in the language.

One way to help achieve this objective is by actively introducing Mandarin songs, such as from celebrities and local xinyao groups, in lessons.

It is not easy to pronounce Mandarin words, largely because the language is not phonetic, unlike English or other European languages.

I have, however, observed many of my English-educated peers being adept at pronouncing difficult Chinese words when they belt out karaoke songs.

Students and adults alike would be more receptive to learning Mandarin if the process was made fun, motivating and less stressful. When learners are sufficiently inspired, they would gradually develop a passion for the language.

English, although important in our society and to our careers, is not our native language. Hence, it is incumbent upon us to preserve our roots and Asian values through the learning of our mother tongues.