We don't have it yet, but I'm sure we will offer it as soon as available. And yes, I will update all of you as soon as ChildBook has it.
In the meantime, if you need any of the items in New Practical Chinese Reader 1-5, we do have the textbooks, CDs for the textbooks, workbooks, CDs for the workbooks and teachers' guides.
Please note that there are different CDs for the textbooks and workbooks, so you learn a lot more words than when using the usual textbooks that come with only 1 CD per level.
One nice thing about New Practical Chinese Reader is they have videos of the storyline in the textbook series. If you haven't seen the videos, here is a sample of the dramatization:
Do check out all the videos and use New Practical Chinese Reader for your Chinese lessons. This series is especially made for late teens or early 20's set to learn Chinese easily.
This week we are having Panda Sale week, and will be including more articles about this peaceful, Chinese animal.
Are your kids having a hard time learning Chinese? Tell them pandas are learning Chinese, so they can too!
Last Friday, 2 of the world's most famous pandas are back on Chinese soil and they will be getting Chinese classes as well.
Tai Shan, 4, and Mei Lan, 3, arrived in Chengdu, China last February 26, 2010. They have gone back home as part of the deal with the US that adult pandas are to return home when they turn 3. The pandas will go their separate ways after. Tai Shan will be go home to Bifengxia Panda Base. Mei Lan goes on to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Interestingly enough, both pandas will be having teachers to be taught Chinese. Tai Shan will be immersed in Mandarin while Mei Lan will be immersed in the Sichuan dialect.
I think Tai Shan will be able to appreciate Mandarin if he sees how Bao Bei panda or Little Pim is speaking it and sharing to kids Mandarin words and phrases that are useful to kids.
Bao Bei Panda (from Early Start Mandarin DVDs) clowning around
Moms and Dads, did you know that according to old Chinese belief, the Moon Minister of Marriage Yue Lao set you both up to marry many, many first-full-moon-of-the-year years ago?
Yes, it is said that this distinguished deity matches baby boys and girls on the 15th night after the Chinese New Year, when the first full moon of the year is out. He matches pairs by binding a magical red thread around them.
Here is something that describes this bonding found in old Chinese poems: "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break."
Yue Lao is often depicted as an old man with flowing beard, holding a staff with orbs in one hand, and a scroll tied with red thread on the other. The scroll supposedly contains the names of all the matched pairs who would become husband and wife eventually. In other depictions he holds red thread or a red scarf.
Yue Lao also has temples, and people wishing for relationships and marriage visit his temple to honor him.
You may like to see ChildBook products about Lantern Festival and celebrating the Chinese New Year :
Ni Hao Kai-lan teaches Mandarin words and Interacting
Kiddie shows do affect us a lot, as evidenced by the sort of mania generated by Sesame Street a few weeks before, when the show announced its 40th anniversary.
I wish today's kids will also have a show to fondly look back to, and I hope this show teaches not just words, science and mathematics, but good character formation as well.
One of the more interesting shows for kids these days is Ni Hao Kai-lan, a show from Nick Jr. The show features a little girl named Kai-lan, who lives with her grandfather ("Yeye") in a Chinese-American home. Kai-lan has lots of animal friends - Rintoo the tiger, Tolee the Koala and Hoho the monkey. They all study Mandarin words and phrases and ask child viewers to repeat words with them.
Central to the show is developing empathy for friends, as well as respect, loyalty and other good character traits you would want your child to emulate. I remember in Sesame Street when the monsters talk to the kids about feelings, but it is not as stressed as it is with Ni Hao Kai-lan.
Some parents like Ni Hao Kailan better than Dora. In Dora, story lines usually are about following the map. In Ni Hao Kailan, emphasis is on developing kids' emotional quotient and problem-solving ability.
I also like how the characters all look so cute and adorable. The show is highly enjoyable and something that kids can look forward to watching everyday.
With the values being taught on the show, even you will look forward to your kids watching it.
ChildBook has some Ni Hao Kai-lan books and DVDs that you may want to get for your little one.
