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Date of publication :2024-03-12 07:24

HIHILULU: Innovation at the Heart of Learning Chinese

 

Published on February 29, 2024 at 16:36 - Updated on March 1, 2024 at 05:00

 

 

In a world where mastering multiple languages becomes an undeniable asset, learning Chinese, considered one of the most challenging languages by UNESCO, is generating increasing interest. It is in this context that the hihilulu platform stands out, offering a revolutionary method to simplify learning Chinese for children, making it fun and effective.

 

Founded in Paris by Jennifer Huang, in response to the difficulty of finding suitable methods for teaching Chinese to young learners in France, hihilulu is based on the pioneering work of Joël Bellassen, an emblematic figure in the field of Chinese language teaching in Europe. Joël Bellassen, who has dedicated his life to teaching this language, introduced an innovative pedagogical approach in the 1980s that exposes children from an early age to the Chinese language as a tonal system and non-alphabetic writing system.

 

This collaboration between hihilulu and Joël Bellassen is based on a simple philosophy: to transform learning Chinese into an engaging and intuitive experience. Moving away from stereotypes that paint Chinese as an extremely difficult language, they propose a method that respects and leverages the uniqueness of Chinese.

 

The hihilulu method, inspired by Bellassen's "dual method," treats Chinese as consisting of two realms: oral and written. This duality is at the heart of hihilulu's approach, which uses frequent components to construct the majority of Chinese characters, making learning more accessible to children. Thanks to digital technology, hihilulu animates and gamifies this process, allowing children to learn in an interactive and fun environment.

 

The success of hihilulu is not limited to France. The platform has quickly gained ground internationally, expanding to the United States, the United Kingdom, Dubai, Switzerland, and Tunisia. It has become a valuable resource for Montessori schools and international institutions looking to integrate Chinese language teaching into their curriculum.

 

hihilulu's ambition does not stop there. With the goal of becoming the global reference solution for teaching Chinese to children, hihilulu aspires to transform the way the language is taught and perceived around the world. By adhering to the principle of economy in teaching, which aims to maximize results with minimal resources, hihilulu proves that learning Chinese can be both profound, effective, and, above all, accessible from a young age.

 

This initiative represents a significant advancement in the field of linguistic education, offering a new perspective on language learning and overcoming the cultural and linguistic barriers that have long intimidated potential learners. With hihilulu, learning Chinese is no longer an insurmountable challenge, but a rewarding adventure full of possibilities.

 

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