Mei Gui later meets Ms Fu, a teacher from Maris Stella High School, to discuss the challenges Gen Zs face when learning Chinese.
“Nowadays, kids are exposed to a lot of English content, especially on social media platforms like TikTok,” says Ms Fu.
“Information is very fragmented and they’re used to that style of expression. So in daily life, when it comes to learning Chinese, a language that emphasises context and structure, they find it very difficult.”
When it comes to making Chinese easier to pick up, Ms Fu finds it helpful to begin with what students are interested in, such as movies, songs, and short-form videos. She also believes in starting with simple tasks, like telling a joke in Chinese and successfully making others laugh.
