We all go through it. Something about a certain subject
or language we dread to learn or pick-up because we may feel insignificant to the rest of the people who're better than us or when we just have absolutely no interest in learning it at all. So how can you actually be interested in something you know you won't find enticing?I know it isn’t as easy as it sounds, but the concept of it is pretty simple – learn to like it. This is the case for any academic subjects really, such as math, science, and languages - one in particular which I enjoy teaching and that would be Mandarin. Now I get a lot of students who are unmotivated and demoralized, and I share the same sentiment as I’ve been through it myself back in those days. But then I realized that any subject, no matter how hard it may be to study, can indeed be *studied* as long as there’s an interest. That is one of my main educational goals as a teacher and tutor.
My objective is to make – but not force – students to garner at the very least, a fair amount of interest in Mandarin so as to help them “pull through” the exams. But it doesn’t just stop there with a mere just-pass grade, because it is of equal importance to me to help them achieve good grades and make them realize their true capabilities. With the assistance of digital media and today’s technology, which I now believe to be a common source of both information and entertainment to young people, I can finally realize my visions and make this goal possible – that learning is not all about reading books and memorizing words or phrases, but doing so in a fun and enjoyable manner in order to foster and build interest in all the things we learn, including myself.
Note: Read on to have a look at some samples of exam papers.
