It can be really hard to learn a new language. I had always enjoyed learning languages in school, but only recently did I start learning German. I found that I could understand and learn individual words easily, but when it came to literature, I really struggled. That was when my tutor at university suggested reading some children’s books printed in the target language.

At first, I felt a bit silly going on a hunt for a book designed for someone half my age, but then I realised that everyone has to start somewhere. As children, we are given these basic texts to familiarise our brains with certain vocabulary and writing structure, and from there, we can learn and develop. I started with books which are taught to us as children in the UK. I managed to find Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

The beauty of reading books that were introduced to you as a child is that you are already familiar with the plot. Therefore you can work out some words with your knowledge of the story. At first, I used to read with the book in one hand and a dictionary in the other, but this did not work well. The method I would recommend is to read a chapter first and at the end of that chapter, highlight the new words and then look up the definitions. If you can wait a bit before using a dictionary, you may be surprised what you can understand merely from the context. Additionally, a lot of children’s books pictures which may give you a clue as to what or to whom the passage is referring.

If you can find a translation of the books you have read as a child. I would strongly advise reading those if you are a complete beginner. However, if you feel a bit more confident reading in English, I would personally recommend the series of books by J.K. Rowling or any of the Road Dahl children’s books.

With lion dance, Chinese Kongfu, Chinese crosstalk, songs and dances, and award-winning speeches, students from across New Zealand showed their Chinese language skills in the annual “Chinese Bridge” event held on Saturday.

Fifteen secondary school students and two primary school students participated in the event, which was organized by the Confucius Institute in Auckland.

Naisi, a New Zealand member of parliament (议会), reflected on his own experience of learning Chinese. He came to New Zealand at five. He had very patient Chinese teachers and passed the Chinese language tests smoothly. The capability to speak Chinese grounded him well in his Chinese culture. He is looking forward to hearing from bilingual (双语) talents who will help New Zealand become more diverse and promote cross-cultural exchanges.

Elijah from the Lincoln High School started learning Chinese when he was eleven. It was his fifth time to participate in the “Chinese Bridge”. He said that learning Chinese is of great help for him to know China better and he wished to visit the Great Wall in Beijing, the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai and the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan.

Ryan from the Christchurch Boy’s High School said that learning Chinese provides him with more opportunities for future career development. He said it was awesome that learning Chinese could allow him to make friends with 1. 4 billion people.

Chinese Ambassador Trophy from ACG Parnell College said that learning Chinese had opened a new door for him. From leaning Chinese, he started to understand the meaning of filial piety (孝顺), which made him closer to his parents. He learned Chinese very hard and wished the friendship between New Zealand and China makes further progress.

Newborns begin to develop language skills long before they begin speaking. And, compared to adults, they develop these skills more quickly. People have a hard time learning new languages as they grow older, but babies have the ability to learn any language easily.

For a long time, scientists have tried to explain how such young children can learn the complicated (复杂的) grammatical rules and sounds of a language. Now, researchers are getting a better idea of what’s happening in the brains of the tiniest language learners. This new information might help kids with learning problems as well as adults who want to learn new languages. It might even help scientists who are trying to design computers that can communicate like people do.

Most babies go “ma ma” by 6 months of age, and most children speak in full sentences by age 3. For many years, scientists have wondered how the brains of young children figure out how to communicate using language. With the help of new technologies, scientists are now finding that babies begin life with the ability to learn any language. They get into contact with other people, listen to what they say and watch their movements very closely. That is why they quickly master the languages they hear most often.

Studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world. Starting at around 6 months old a baby’s brain focuses on the most common sounds it hears. Then, children begin responding only to the sound s of the language they hear the most.

In a similar way older babies start recognizing the patterns that make up the rules of their native language. For example, English children who are about 18 months old start to figure out that words ending in “-ing” or “-ed” are usually verbs, and that verbs are action words.