Berries teaches easy way to learn Chinese language
Berries teaches easy way to learn Chinese language
Learning how to speak Chinese and to write Chinese characters can be a burdensome activity. But Berries World of Learning, a Chinese enrichment center in Graha Rekso Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta, knows the secret of how to help children learn the richness of the language. Operated under license from Berries World of Learning in Singapore, the center is designed to create excitement about learning Chinese among children aged three to 12.
A Place where learning Mandarin is an enjoyable, lasting and enriching experience. From humble beginnings with 80 students in 1993, Berries has today groomed more than 15,000 students to learn and enjoy Mandarin language and culture.
Berries, which runs five centers in Singapore, divides its classes into Nursery 1 and 2, Kindergarten 1 and 2, and Primary 1 to 6. Through a "learn, enrich and feel" approach, the center encourages children to love the language. Entering the 500-square-meter Berries in Kelapa Gading, children have access to colorful classrooms, a storytelling room to enhance comprehension and communication skills, and a library that is well-equipped with children's books to improve vocabulary and Chinese reading skills.
Berries in Chinese is bai (a hundred) li (energy) guo (fruit), meaning that in Berries World of Learning teachers use 100% of their energy to bear fruit, and students use 100% of their attention to enjoy the fruits.
Well-trained and experienced teachers, using a curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education in Singapore, guide children to appreciate the culture while they are learning the language. During two-hour classes, children are exposed to activities such as recognizing and pronouncing Chinese characters through fun games, rhymes, singing, dancing, arts and crafts, as well as riddles. Teachers also use PowerPoint with lively animations and other audio-visual tools to stimulate children's curiosity about the language. Students are also exposed to the history of Chinese characters, an appreciation of traditional music, and tea ceremonies.
"At Berries, children are encouraged to engage in purposeful play so the joy of learning is brought out in every lesson. If children are given pressure or examinations they are easily disappointed if they fail, and will give up the learning process," says Ita Chrisjanty, the cofounder of Children First Indonesia Foundation. "It's very important that we maintain our standards so that we can prepare our next generation for the international market"
It has been a truly challenging, yet wonderful and rewarding process for us to bring this creative, innovative and tested learning method to Indonesia. In our preparations to introduce this revolutionary learning system, we have seen how the propriety programs have changed the way that Mandarin is taught to children, and the amazing way in which kids have learnt to love the language.