Tips for learning a new language and communicating with teachers

My son is learning Putonghua at school but he tells me he doesn't like it. My husband and I are really keen for him to do well in the language as we aim to be in the region for the foreseeable future. What can we do to help?

Learning an additional language is always a valuable addition to a student's armoury. Being able to communicate and think in different ways has been shown to aid brain development and enhance a range of thinking skills. Some people acquire languages easily, yet for others - perhaps your son - much more effort is required,

As with all learning, motivation is crucial. Talk to your son about your hopes and aspirations. In this case you can stress the sheer number of people who communicate in Putonghua and point to predictions that this number will almost certainly increase, giving him access to a much broader field of communication as he grows up.

Your query does not hint at your own language skills. If you or your husband do not speak Putonghua, then learning alongside your son would not only make you an excellent role model, but would also give you an insight into the issues he faces. Do you, or does your son, have any Putonghua-speaking friends? The incentive of joining in with peers or respected adults is a stimulating motivator.

Find out all you can about the Chinese programme at the school. Schools take a range of approaches, from using a structured curriculum often backed up with textbooks, to a less formal approach based on conversational techniques. Most schools are happy to explain their methodologies and will suggest ways that learning may best be reinforced at home.

In addition, look for natural opportunities to expose your son to the language. Watching Chinese television channels and listening to the radio may seem silly when he can barely understand a word, but listening to the cadence and phraseology starts to develop an 'ear' for the sounds.