Early steps to fluency

Ten-year-old Kaia Herbst, who goes by the Chinese name of Xu Kaili, shrugs it off lightly when asked if she finds learning Putonghua difficult. 'It's easier to write it than speak it,'' says the International Montessori School (IMS) student.

Having studied the language since kindergarten, she is not put off by learning what is seen by many as a difficult language. But being of German descent, she has more chance to practise reading and writing Putonghua than speaking it.

Her friend, Ceilidh Tesluk, can read and communicate in Putonghua, having started learning it at the age of three, in the school's kindergarten. Both are in the native Putonghua stream of the school's upper primary section, learning from the same textbooks used by local children. Research has shown that the best time to learn a language like a native speaker is before the age of 10.

At IMS kindergartens, children as young as two learn the basic strokes of complex Chinese characters, and touch sandpaper versions to help to reinforce their memory.

In line with the Montessori philosophy of letting students learn on their own through activity, the children have ample time to match picture cards with characters they have learned. 'Once we have shown the children how to use the materials, they can work with them and work out the answer themselves. The teacher is there for guidance,' said Karin Ann, a founder of IMS.

Each kindergarten and primary section class has about 20 students and two teachers - one native English speaker and one native Putonghua speaker. IMS has produced its own, integrated Chinese curriculum to help students lay a foundation in the language.