How to Help Your Teen Build a Daily Chinese Habit (Without Nagging)

Ms.Lin
Nov 21
3 min read

Introduction: Why Chinese Gets Harder in Secondary School

If your teen used to do well in Chinese during primary school but is now struggling in secondary school, you're not alone.

Many parents of teens aged 12 and above come to us saying:

My child says Chinese is boring.
They only study Chinese right before exams.
They speak Mandarin at home but still do badly in oral.

The transition from Primary to Secondary Chinese is huge. Vocabulary becomes more complex. Composition needs structure and depth. Oral exams now involve video responses that require more personal opinion, analysis, and fluency.

To cope, students need more than just tuition — they need daily, natural exposure to Chinese.

Here’s how to help build that habit without nagging.

1. Recognise the Real Challenge: It's Not Laziness

Most secondary students aren’t weak in Chinese because they’re lazy — it’s because:

They lack confidence and feel judged when they speak
They don’t know how to express ideas clearly in Chinese
They prefer English media, so Chinese feels “foreign”
They’ve stopped using Chinese daily, even though it was common in primary school

The solution isn’t to force more memorisation — it’s to rebuild connection and exposure through small daily actions.

2. Embed Chinese into Their Daily Routine (Without Resistance)

Teenagers are more independent — but also more distracted by phones, school, and social life. To make Chinese stick, it needs to fit their world.

Try these smart ways to add Chinese into their day without making it feel like schoolwork:

10 mins a day of YouTube / TikTok in Chinese– Look for channels on current affairs, lifestyle, or topics they enjoy.
Watch dramas with Chinese audio/subtitles– E.g., period dramas help with idioms and formal phrases, idol dramas with their favourite stars, or even BL dramas
Set Chinese as the language on their devices 1–2 days a week– Natural vocabulary exposure through apps.
Listen to Chinese podcasts while commuting– Great for comprehension and pronunciation patterns.
Scroll Chinese social media (e.g., 小红书, 微博)– See how native teens actually express themselves online.

3. Replace Nagging with Ownership and Choice

Let’s be honest — nagging doesn’t work on teens. It often makes them push back harder.

Instead, involve them in the process:

Ask: “Which Chinese show do you want to try this week?”

Say: “I saw this clip — I think it’s similar to your oral video topics.”

Suggest: “Let’s do a 5-day Chinese app challenge — loser does the dishes!”

When teens feel in control, they’re more likely to commit.

4. Build Micro Goals They Can Actually Complete

Teens get discouraged when the goal is too big:

“You need to get an A. “Memorise this entire list by tomorrow.”That leads to burnout or giving up.

Instead, try:

“Let’s learn 3 useful idioms for oral this week.”
“Can you summarise this clip in 3 sentences?”
“Write one short paragraph on this news headline.”

Short tasks help build confidence — and a habit.

5. Know When They Need Extra Help

If your teen:

Keeps getting borderline or failing grades
Avoids Chinese homework and says “don’t understand”
Struggles to answer oral video questions clearly
Repeats the same composition errors over and over

…they may benefit from structured, expert support.

At Nili Chinese Learning, we don’t just drill past papers. We help teens:

Understand exam expectations
Practise oral responses confidently
Express complex ideas in writing
Rebuild their relationship with the Chinese language

Final Thoughts: A Little Daily Chinese Goes a Long Way

Teens don’t need hours of Chinese practice every day — they need consistency. With the right encouragement and environment, they can form habits that boost not just their exam scores, but their long-term fluency and confidence.

At Nili Chinese Learning, we specialise in working with secondary students who struggle with Chinese. Whether your teen needs help with oral, comprehension, or composition, we’re here to support their journey — one step (and one idiom!) at a time.

Looking for Secondary Chinese Tuition in Singapore? Let us help your child rebuild their confidence and reach their full potential.

Book a trial class with us today at