Reading Chinese

Yesterday, Anjali's school sent back her term portfolio returning all the paperwork they did this term back to us. Part of the port folio were two chinese books and one English book as part of her reading program.

So Anjali takes the Chinese books and starts to show us how to read them. She reads something that sounds like Chinese but ofcourse, neither of us can check it out, so we listen politely and appreciatively. Atleast we learnt that kule means cry. and Fish means something that only Anjali can pronounce.

But before Anjali could read the book, Sophia snatches it away.

"I want to read this book", she says

"Its Chinese", I explain

"I can yead Chinese", she counters

And then she opens the book. "Tou fa chian pa ching kai chia"

(For those who dont know, that is head shoulders knees and toes in Chinese and Anjali sings it off and on at home)

I tried a number of times to get the book off Sophia, to see how Anjali reads. She didnt let me, but kept snatching the book away saying "I can yead mummy! tou fa chian pa ching kai chia! tou fa chian pa ching kai chia!"

"Ok Sophia", said Anjali. "YOu read. When you finish reading, you give the book back ok?"

"tou fa chian pa ching kai chia" one last time, and Sophia returned the book and continued drawing on the floor.