What comes to your mind whenever Melaka is mentioned?
Some of us would immediately have flashbacks of our Sejarah lessons. Some of us would immediately picture famous historical sites like the A Famosa and The Stadthuys which showcase the footprints of the Portuguese and Dutch in Melaka.
While Melaka is one of the top destinations for a short staycation among families in recent years, a trip to Melaka is incomplete without a visit to the landmarks that show the prevalence of Chinese culture in the local community. This is also one of the main reasons why the famous Chinese reality show — Star Chasers (追星星的人) decided to visit Melaka as one of their filming spots in April this year.
Are you planning to visit Melaka soon? Don’t miss this article to learn how learning Mandarin can make your trip more enjoyable and how to find the right Mandarin tutor if you are based in Melaka!
Exploring Chinese Characters With HanYuPinyin (汉语拼音)
Young toddlers and kids are first taught to recognise the alphabet and master phonetics in their pre-school days. This is to help them develop a strong recognition of language comprehension before learning to write words and complete sentences in English. You can say that they are the building blocks of the English language.
Well, learning the Mandarin language also follows a similar principle.
The building blocks of the Mandarin language are none other than Chinese characters alongside the Hanyu pinyin (汉语拼音) which helps us to pronounce each word correctly according to the distinctive four tones.
While we may slowly gain familiarity with the romanisation of the Hanyu pinyin, the next hurdle we have to cross is to memorise and identify various strokes and patterns.
The beauty of Chinese characters is that an individual character can be established with just one stroke while another can take up to four strokes to have a proper meaning. For example, the Mandarin character for the number one is written in one stroke as 一， while the character for book in Mandarin is written in four strokes as 书。
To master the Chinese writing system comprehensively, you need to memorise two important things.
- First: The basic strokes (bihua) 笔画
- Second: The stroke order (bishun) 笔顺 (which stroke to write first in terms of position and order)
Start looking for a Mandarin beginner class in Kuala Lumpur to learn more about the basics of Hanyu pinyin.
Source: The China Culture Corner
Finding Mandarin Lessons For Beginners in Melaka
Not sure how to pace yourself as you are looking at all the basic strokes and Chinese characters?
There’s nothing to worry about because you don’t have to learn everything on your own with the help of a good Mandarin teacher,
If you are located in Melaka, you might want to look for a Mandarin lesson near you, so check out these amazing learning platforms to kickstart your Mandarin learning!
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Easy Mandarin Melaka
Easy Mandarin Melaka offers Mandarin classes for both children (beginning from age 6) and adults, mostly catering to group classes. Home tutoring and online classes can be arranged according to the tutors’ and learners’ schedules. This language learning centre is located in Lorong Pandan.
If you are a parent who intends to send your children to SJK© schools, this is your go-to learning location. Under the children’s classes, the lessons adhere to the latest SJK© school’s curriculum and learning methodology.
That way, children whose mother tongue is not Mandarin can master the different components of the language at a similar pace as their Chinese-speaking peers. The faster they master Mandarin, the better they will cope with their school lessons as almost all subjects will be taught in Mandarin at SJK© schools.
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Mandarin Class Melaka
At Mandarin Class Melaka, every student can have a conducive learning experience regardless of their age group or learning levels. The centre is located at Taman Semanok Perdana. Online lessons are available upon request.
Some of the Mandarin lesson packages include the KIDS Mandarin course, the Spoken Mandarin course as well as the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) Preparation course. The tutors at this centre are effectively bilingual, so students can freely communicate in English or Malay whenever they need any clarification during the lessons.
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Superprof
At Superprof, you can select a private Mandarin tutor from various locations in Malaysia to match your learning level (SPM/STPM/IGCSE), maximum budget, preferred learning methodology and even learning mode (physical/online).
Once you are at the Superprof homepage, you can easily view and compare the tutors’ profiles before making the final decision.
Superprof believes in both efficiency and transparency. That said, the hourly rates set by the tutors for your Mandarin lessons are fixed and constantly displayed on the website.
Important tip: Some tutors might include transportation costs according to the travelling distance for home tutoring. However, you don’t have to worry about any hidden additional costs or administration fees that you need to pay upon booking your lessons.
If you are open to online lessons, you can absolutely hire a Mandarin teacher from Johor Bahru via Superprof.
How To Ace SPM Mandarin With A Superprof Tutor?
Whether you prefer to take physical lessons or online lessons, the equation will not be complete without a reliable Mandarin tutor.
This question will weigh even heavier if you are currently a student who is preparing for an important examination like SPM.
Here are four tips to help you narrow down your options to find the best Superprof tutor to tackle your SPM Chinese papers.
Tip 1: Consider the experience and expertise of the tutor
Before registering, look through the teaching methods offered by various Mandarin tutors. Through Superprof, you can access an extensive database of Mandarin teachers all over Malaysia.
Some tutors will specify their area of specialisation and their teaching experience in their profile. For instance, some may have taught SPM Chinese at their respective schools for over 5 years.
Tip 2: Consider your current learning pace and needs
When it comes to studying and sitting for a SPM subject, every student may have different strengths and weaknesses. It could be very frustrating if you have a targeted grade but your current ability is holding you back.
For instance, if you need more assistance with your essay writing skills, you can let your Superprof tutor know so that he or she can make the necessary adjustments to their lesson structure.
Discover various Mandarin tutors from Seberang Perai via Superprof.
Tip 3: Consider your schedule and learning flexibility
To many students, this could be a real and practical thing to consider.
Some of you may prefer a private Mandarin tutor that can come over to your home to have face-to-face sessions. Some of you are fine with online lessons. It’s important to make sure the learning mode that you pick fits your schedule.
Tip 4: Consider the maximum budget for your Mandarin lessons
Budget is something that you must bear in mind because you can only learn effectively without worrying about your lesson fees in the long run. Furthermore, you should also calculate the cost of your transportation if you are opting for physical classes.
We highly recommend you to take online lessons to save more money and time in the long run. At Superprof, online lessons are generally 20% more affordable than physical lessons.
Furthermore, you can even take lessons from Mandarin tutors in Ipoh while you are in Melaka physically, leading you to have a borderless learning experience.
Learning Mandarin has never been so easy!
Image by tirachardz on Freepik
Embrace The Beauty Of Chinese Culture When You Visit Melaka
Now that you have built a strong foundation during your Mandarin learning journey, it’s time to immerse yourself in the culture behind the language.
Here are three activity suggestions that you can enjoy during your visit to Melaka.
Activity 1: Chinese calligraphy appreciation
Now it’s time to put your Chinese recognition skill to the test. You can check out the Sim Mow Yu's Calligraphy Museum (located at Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho) which showcases the contribution of the late Datuk Sim Mow Yu as an educator who championed Chinese education in Malaysia as well as his calligraphy writings.
Activity 2: Dive deep into the history of Melaka
History buffs, this trip is not complete without a visit to the Cheng Ho Cultural Museum (located at Jonker Street). After all, it is one of the most visited landmarks in Melaka and the biggest museum in the state.
Learn more about the background of Admiral Cheng Ho, look at galleries and exhibits of the estimated size of his ships during the expeditions and how his arrival at Malacca fostered the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.
Activity 3: Indulge in delicious Chinese food
After lots of walking and touring, you need to fill your stomach too!
Make sure you try the special chicken rice ball before you leave Melaka! Commonly served in many local restaurants, many locals and tourists enjoy the various combination of chilli and soy sauce that comes with soft rice balls with steamed or roasted chicken!
Source: Trip Advisor
Enjoying The Best Of Both Worlds With Mandarin
There is a Chinese proverb that goes, “学一门语言，就是多一个观察世界的窗户”
It means to learn a language is to have one more window for which to look at the world.
We hope this article has inspired you to make the best of your Mandarin learning experience regardless of your learning level.
Whether you are an absolute beginner who is learning Mandarin as a second language or a student who is preparing for your SPM Chinese paper, you will never regret mastering Mandarin.
Maybe you should visit Melaka once you have completed your exams!
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