S/O: How can I learn Mandarin so I can talk to the kids and help them learn?

[goldenpig]

Somewhat of a S/O of the recent threads about kids learning Mandarin. I want to learn Mandarin to help my kids learn it better and be able to speak with them. I know they learn best if you are a fluent speaker, but sadly I only know a few words here and there. I was born here and my parents could speak Mandarin but didn't speak to us much in Chinese growing up because their English was so good (and when they talked to each other in Chinese it was in Fukien dialect). (And DH is Korean but also born here and doesn't speak much Korean). My parents had us do Chinese school every week after Sunday School for a few years, but sadly it didn't stick and I never lived abroad. My sisters did a summer camp abroad (I think they said it was the "Chinese Love Boat") and one of my sisters is married to someone who also can speak Mandarin and has her daughter in a public Chinese immersion program, so they speak much better Chinese than I do. DD has spent the last three summers doing Mandarin camp--two weeks the first year, one week last year, and six weeks this year. She also got Mandarin once a week at her school for half a year. DS1 went with her to Mandarin camp for four weeks this year. I also bought some videos for them to watch (Mei Mei and Jade). So they both learned a lot this summer and pretty much know more than I do at this point. They had a lot of fun and are singing songs in Chinese and asking for food/drinks in Chinese etc. I am contemplating signing them up for Chinese school so they don't forget everything during the year. But I also want to learn it myself. I do know simple things like please, thank you, colors, some foods etc. But they ask me things like "how do you say baby in Chinese?" and I don't know. It's embarrassing how bad my Chinese is. So what resources can I use to help myself learn, and to look up words I don't know? I'm looking for suggestions for any of the following:
1. Audio courses that I can listen to as I drive to work--the one I checked out from the library was pretty stilted and tourist oriented (I am Chinese...I am American...I speak Chinese...Do you speak Chinese? etc) and had a really heavy Beijing accent
2. Online site for adults with lessons
3. Online site for kids--is there anything like Starfall for kids wanting to learn Mandarin?
4. Online dictionary with audio so I can look up words I don't know--iPhone app maybe?
5. Books or website to learn simple Chinese characters
6. Ipad or iphone apps for the kids with games in Mandarin?
Thanks so much for your suggestions!
ETA: I think I will look into the Better Chinese storybooks suggested in the other thread, but am not sure whether to do the simplified or traditional characters?

[maestramommy]

I don't know if this is doable for you, but this how a friend of mine became very fluent in Mandarin. The dislaimer is that she was already fluent in Taiwanese. I don't know if the similarities helped that along. She watched a LOT of Chinese movies and soaps, and listened to Chinese popstars singing in Mandarin. She eventually married a man who was originally from Shanghai so would speak to his grandparents in Mandarin. But I do believe she was pretty fluent before they met. She was pretty determined, lol. And she did all this through HS and college, so maybe had a lot more free time than you do. Still, it was probably a more fun way of doing it!

[94bruin]

Somewhat of a S/O of the recent threads about kids learning Mandarin. I want to learn Mandarin to help my kids learn it better and be able to speak with them. I know they learn best if you are a fluent speaker, but sadly I only know a few words here and there. I was born here and my parents could speak Mandarin but didn't speak to us much in Chinese growing up because their English was so good (and when they talked to each other in Chinese it was in Fukien dialect). (And DH is Korean but also born here and doesn't speak much Korean). My parents had us do Chinese school every week after Sunday School for a few years, but sadly it didn't stick and I never lived abroad. My sisters did a summer camp abroad (I think they said it was the "Chinese Love Boat") and one of my sisters is married to someone who also can speak Mandarin and has her daughter in a public Chinese immersion program, so they speak much better Chinese than I do. DD has spent the last three summers doing Mandarin camp--two weeks the first year, one week last year, and six weeks this year. She also got Mandarin once a week at her school for half a year. DS1 went with her to Mandarin camp for four weeks this year. I also bought some videos for them to watch (Mei Mei and Jade). So they both learned a lot this summer and pretty much know more than I do at this point. They had a lot of fun and are singing songs in Chinese and asking for food/drinks in Chinese etc. I am contemplating signing them up for Chinese school so they don't forget everything during the year. But I also want to learn it myself. I do know simple things like please, thank you, colors, some foods etc. But they ask me things like "how do you say baby in Chinese?" and I don't know. It's embarrassing how bad my Chinese is. So what resources can I use to help myself learn, and to look up words I don't know? I'm looking for suggestions for any of the following:
1. Audio courses that I can listen to as I drive to work--the one I checked out from the library was pretty stilted and tourist oriented (I am Chinese...I am American...I speak Chinese...Do you speak Chinese? etc) and had a really heavy Beijing accent
2. Online site for adults with lessons
3. Online site for kids--is there anything like Starfall for kids wanting to learn Mandarin?
4. Online dictionary with audio so I can look up words I don't know--iPhone app maybe?
5. Books or website to learn simple Chinese characters
6. Ipad or iphone apps for the kids with games in Mandarin?
Thanks so much for your suggestions!
ETA: I think I will look into the Better Chinese storybooks suggested in the other thread, but am not sure whether to do the simplified or traditional characters?

As an adult, I think the best way is to get a tutor or to find some Chinese speaking people/relatives (if they are around!) and hang around them a lot. My Chinese improved when DD1 was in Chinese preschool. I had to speak to the teaches in my limited Chinese and the other parents are were interested in keeping up the Chinese, so there was A LOT of Chinese spoken. Even by the end of preschool, the teachers remarked at how my Chinese had gotten better.

My mom is always telling me to listen to Pimsleur in the car on my commute, but I just can't bring myself to listen to boring CDs. I'd much rather interact with a live person.

A friend was interested in learning Chinese (his partner is Chinese and their son is learning Chinese.) He hired a tutor for a group lesson, and he learned quite a bit that way.

[codex57]

My perspective is from watching people who came from other countries to America and how they learned English. As maestramommy mentioned, the most common way that seemed to be effective was watching a ton of tv and listening to music. I know music helps make things easier to memorize so maybe that's part of it. The tv is just because it can get addicting and is an easy way to learn conversation. It's sort of like immersion. My spanish teacher in high school required us to watch Spanish TV for at least an hour a day.

[eagle]

this is not the only thing but TV, dramas etc help and are a fun way to get into it. but they dont help so much with the speaking part. but it DEFINITELY helps if you are constantly hearing it.

[abh5e8]

if you go with tv/movies, make sure to turn the mandarin subtitles on. its a great way to improve reading skills at the same time.

how about Rosetta Stone? i've never used it but plan to next year for the whole family to learn spanish (well, i studied 8 years through hs/college and worked asummer in south america, so i have a pretty good grasp but dh and the kids have none). i think its on the computer but kids could learn along with adults.

[sandwish]

I am an ABC, saturday Chinese school educated, married to a non-mandarin speaker but my children are fluent.

One product that I really like from Taiwan in traditional Chinese is Qiao Hu 巧虎. If you know someone in Taiwan you can have them order it for you. It is a monthly subscription of a book with DVD (sometimes cd or an educational toy). They will ship to the US. They base it off your child's age and progresses as they get older, so you could start with a younger age. We did it for several years and it was wonderful.

http://www.benesse.com.tw/

Here is what the DVDs look like via YouTube
http://youtu.be/E0lXDB5BZsg

You really need to surround yourself with mandarin speakers. I sought out a Chinese Playgroup for my kids. Not easy if you don't speak well but the more you are around it, forced to speak, the better.

[stefani]

Goldenpig, I'll add more later, but here are what comes to mind:
1. Audio courses that I can listen to as I drive to work--
chinesepod.com
2. Online site for adults with lessons
http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/learningchinese/01/index.shtml
3. Online site for kids--is there anything like Starfall for kids wanting to learn Mandarin?
4. Online dictionary with audio so I can look up words I don't know--iPhone app maybe?
I have Pleco, it is not inexpensive, but I like it a lot. http://www.pleco.com/
5. Books or website to learn simple Chinese characters
6. Ipad or iphone apps for the kids with games in Mandarin?

[caheinz]

I went to China recently, and this site was recommended: http://www.lanterninstitute.com

I'll second Pleco -- the app and a basic dictionary is inexpensive or free.