Learn Chinese--Kumon(leighton centre) VS Better Chinese

Irian

Which one is better?

catnips

It depends on your objectives.

In my opinion, Kumon method is more systemetic and can go further until high school level. The focus of the method is to cultivate reading ability.

Better chinese is more fun for young kids, they have sth like playgroup, story telling.

alicefhchui

I also interest in Better Chinese. Is it the same as the one in www.betterchinese.com. Where is the playgroup in Hong Kong.

ngtw

Anyone know about Earth Village which is a Mandarin learing centre located in Central ?  Is it good in terms of the teachers, teaching method, etc ?


thanks
ngtw

alicefhchui 寫道:
I also interest in Better Chinese. Is it the same as the one in www.betterchinese.com. Where is the playgroup in Hong Kong.

chai_chai

My son is studying Chinese at Earth Village.
They follow the local syllabus and using text books for local school.
Each time, students at similar age/Chinese standard will be grouped in one class and the teacher will teach them individually, depending their own progress. It is like an individual approach but group a few students in one single classroom.
I think it is good in the sense the progress is tailor made to a particular student but there is actually no interacion among students.
I know many international school student go there.
My son has tried private tutor (a university student) & Kumon, but either doesn't work well for my son.
Kumon stressed on spead and repetition which is a very different approach than international school. My son found it difficult to adapt. In fact, Kumon does not emphasize on understanding. They only expect student to listen to the CD and read out and write down the words. They don't really care you understand the meaning of those words at all.

ngtw

Hi, Chai_chai,

Thank you for your information.  My daughter took Kumon course for almost 1 year and I have the same observation as you that she doesn't quite understand the meaning of the words.  

For earth village, is it worked for your son ? does your son learn traditional chinese characters or simplified chinese character ? How about the teacher qualification & teaching approach ?  Any homework given after each lesson ?  


ngtw

ngtw

Hi, Chai_chai,

Grateful for your reply.

ngtw

Waiwaimom

Do you have the address & phone no. of Earth Village? Any website? Is the course fee expensive? Many thanks.

小口B媽咪

They don't have website.
My son also attends class there but I have decided to withdraw next month as I feel they are very mean.  

One Saturday morning when we arrive there 10+ mins early, the staff there dare asked me to pick up my son 15 mins earlier as he come early!

My son's class lasts for 2 hours.  Last time when I arrived 15 mins before the end of the class, I saw he was already in the receiption area waiting for me.  I asked the staff why he was in the receiption, she said (not so friendly) "you have changed to 1.5 hour ma!" which I have requested them to shortern the class.  I feel they are extremely money minded and not caring about the students.

joyfung

Chinese is much more difficult than English. No pain, no gain.

ltse

Do you heard a chinese learning centre called Pro-lingual,  located in Causeway Bay, it also teaching Chinese/Mandarin in ESF after school activities.

Does anyone can compare Pro-lingual & Earth Village??

Many thanks.