Author Archives: Nicole

Being Bilingual Improves Cognitive Capabilities

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Nicole

Recent media reports citing scientific research on the cognitive benefits of bilingualism show a movement toward embracing a more multilingual society. Contrary to widespread belief during much of the 20th century, being bilingual positively affects the ability to plan, solve … Continue reading →

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Kids Learn Chinese Culture – Discover “Journey to the Terracotta City” with Let’s Go Guang!

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Nicole

In the soon-to-be released Volume II in our Chinese for Children learning series, Journey to the Terracotta City, join Ling and Kai as they travel through time to ancient China with Guang, the Chinese dragon! They’ll visit Xi’an, in northern … Continue reading →

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Are bilingual children smarter? 7 reasons to teach your child a second language: from the cognitive to cultural benefits

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Nicole

1. Bilingual babies develop specific cognitive functions for speech development. According to researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, bilingual infants “can discriminate phonetic units from both languages with increasing age. Our results suggest that … Continue reading →

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5 Fun China Facts for Kids

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Nicole

Whether you’re planning a trip to China with your family, or teaching a classroom full of kids, here are some interesting facts about China’s population, geography, culture, language, and religion. See if your kids can come up with more fun … Continue reading →

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aha!Chinese exhibits products at the 2011 National Chinese Language Conference (NCLC)

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Nicole

aha!Chinese was one of 30 exhibitors at the 2011 National Chinese Language Conference (NCLC) put on by the Asia Society, College Board and Mandarin Institute on April 14–16 in San Francisco! “Dedicated to encouraging dialogue in the field of Chinese language … Continue reading →

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The Bilingual Brain: Dispelling the Myths

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Nicole

In a recent NPR Morning Edition article and podcast titled “Being Bilingual May Boost Your Brainpower,” Gretchen Cuda-Kroen reported that “approximately one-fifth of Americans speak a non-English language at home, and globally, as many as two-thirds of children are brought … Continue reading →

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Chinese American International School Makes Headlines

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Nicole

San Francisco’s Chinese American International School was recently profiled in a Wall Street Journal article entitled “Growing Diversity Fuels Chinese School: Non-Asian Parents Seek Mandarin Skills for Their Children.” The private school, which teaches in both Mandarin and English from … Continue reading →

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Let’s Go Guang! reviewed in Booklist

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Nicole

Aha!Chinese just earned bragging rights! Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, gave our Mandarin language DVD for kids, “Let’s Go Guang! Volume I: Meet Guang, the Chinese Dragon,” a glowing review. Booklist called the DVD, along with … Continue reading →

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Shadow Puppetry Masters: Cui Yongping and Wang Shuqin

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Nicole

If you’re lucky enough to attend MOCA’s Qing Ming Festival on April 3, you can watch a show by renowned shadow puppeteers, Cui Yongping and Wang Shuqin from China. Cui, originally a collector of antique books, began collecting puppets and … Continue reading →

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Qing Ming Festival: 清明节

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Nicole

Occurring on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, the Qing Ming (清明节) Festival is a celebration in remembrance of one’s ancestors. Chinese families pay their respects by visiting and sweeping family graves. They carry joss sticks and other paper … Continue reading →

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