Rote learning is the model that has been used to teach Chinese in schools for centuries. And I disagree with Mr Steven Goh that we should abandon it (Change the way Chinese is taught; Sept 7).
The foundation must be laid with understanding and memorisation of characters and phrases.
What appears to be mindless rote learning is, in fact, a process of memorisation and reflection; an effective mental engagement with the topic.
An active memorisation process helps to improve the silent cognitive process in reading to retain data.The ancillary benefit is the production of deeper, meaning-oriented approaches to learning.
Memorising idioms, proverbs and colloquial phrases induces a high level of understanding and appreciation of humanity and historical events.
Technology helps in learning Chinese, but it cannot be an effective teaching tool.
When hanyu pinyin is used, students would still have to choose the correct Chinese character. Google Translate may be helpful, but it may not be accurate.
Technological gadgets cannot help if the students fail to grasp the actual meaning of phrases in the text. One important factor is constant use of the language in everyday life. The language can hardly thrive in an environment where it is not spoken.
Competency in the Chinese language relies on more usage in speech and writing in our daily life.
Paul Chan Poh Hoi
