On April 13, Love Soars Chinese School held a free Karaoke Chinese course with the theme “Learn a Chinese song in one class”. The course encouraged students of TCML to learn Mandarin through singing, and participate in the global Chinese singing competition organized by the Overseas Community Affairs Council, with a chance to compete for up to $2,800 in prizes.
The event attracted more than ten TCML students, their families, and parents, both online and offline, creating a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere. During the class, TCML group champions in the 2023 Global Overseas Chinese School Student Singing Competition, Krysta Henrietta and Daniel Henrietta, respectively performed “约定” (Promise) and “女孩” (Girl) online. The two children also sang the Chinese folk song “茉莉花” (Jasmine) live. Additionally, the winning singing performance video of TCML champion in 2024, Hadassah Ninsiima, was also played, showcasing the students’ achievements and passion for learning Chinese.
Principal Shan Shengling hosted the course, introducing not only the Overseas Community Affairs Council and the Chinese singing competition platform in the United States, but also providing Chinese vocabulary and grammar instruction through teaching song lyrics, making language learning both fun and practical for the participants.
Discussing the motivation behind investing in Chinese education, Principal Shan Shengling expressed that despite her major in mathematics, her faith and concern for the next generation led her to believe that language serves as a bridge to culture. She hopes that children growing up in the United States not only excel academically but also can speak, listen, read, and write in Chinese to pass on the Chinese culture.
In 2023, Love Soars Chinese School began offering adult Mandarin teaching. Principal Shan Shengling pays special attention to the phenomenon where parents in overseas families do not know Chinese but their children are eager to learn. By using the Overseas Community Affairs Council’s teaching materials “Let’s Learn Chinese,” she encourages families to learn Mandarin together, providing children with a good language environment.
She believes that language learning should start from students’ interests. For instance, Krysta and Hadassah love singing, so she assisted them in competition, and both won championships, while Daniel also achieved impressive results in the competition. She emphasized that singing not only facilitates joyful Chinese learning but also serves as a carrier of emotional memory; whether in a recording studio, library, or at home, as long as one is committed, everywhere can be a classroom.
To tailor teaching methods to individual needs, she designs teaching materials based on practical requirements of the students, such as dialogues at the library counter, practicing phrases for municipal consultations, and learning family songs, making Chinese closer to daily life. Annie, a student who will soon return to Turkey, had a retrospective video specially made for her, leaving behind beautiful memories of learning Chinese and cultural connections.
During the event, Daniel shared his competition experience, stating that through repeated listening and practice, he mastered correct pronunciation and found this learning journey very enjoyable. Krysta mentioned that songs not only enhanced her understanding of Taiwanese culture and values but also helped her grasp pronunciations of Chinese words like “雨” (rain) that do not exist in English. She thanked all the teachers for their dedicated guidance and looked forward to further improving her Chinese proficiency.
Certificates for completing the first and second level of language proficiency from the Overseas Community Affairs Council were also presented to three TCML students. Among them, Vietnamese student Chen Chaoxian passed the first-level test smoothly, expressing that Chinese is his hobby, and he is happy to learn this language.
Principal Shan Shengling emphasized that language learning is not just skill training but also a connection to life and the establishment of cultural identity. She hopes that through teaching, she can bring warmth and hope to students and families in this turbulent world.
At the end of the event, the students sang “When We Are Together” together, concluding the course with harmonious voices.