April 21, 2025
Learning Chinese to build relationships and bright futures
By Dorothy Castro
Each month, the Humanity classes for Tzu Chi scholars serve as an avenue for values formation. For scholars studying in Chinese schools, the end of the class is a chance to enhance their language skills through volunteer-led monthly Chinese language classes.
Students from the 6th to the 12th grades are given equal opportunity to learn new words and sentences by using them in daily conversations. From playing light-hearted games like sentence puzzles, to speaking conversational Mandarin in skits, these young scholars are able to improve their skills and express themselves confidently.
In each session, volunteers take the time to prepare different learning materials. Tzu Chi volunteer Savanna Ko dedicates her time to creating these lesson plans that address the challenges of teaching students of various ages. For her, it is more than delivering an activity, but creating a space where students’ needs are accommodated.
Shyeanne Mae Cheng, a Grade 10 student in Chiang Kai Shek College (CKSC), uses the skills she learned in Tzu Chi in her day-to-day interactions in school, and in performing well in her Chinese classes.
“It enhances what we learn in the Chinese school because we get to communicate with others in Mandarin,” said Shyeanne.
Her brother, Sean Martin Cheng, in 12th grade at CKSC, found that this has been instrumental in communicating with the Chinese side of their family.
“I use what I learned in school during our monthly Chinese classes [at Tzu Chi], and I’m able to learn more,” he shared, grateful for the volunteers’ patience in teaching them the language.
Apart from helping create meaningful relationships, improving their Chinese, the Cheng siblings believe, can bring them towards a brighter future.
“I believe that studying another language is an advantage for future career paths,” said Sean Martin.
This same drive is seen in Northern Rizal Yorklin School tenth-grader Faith Edrianne Manalastas. While both her parents are Filipino and do not speak Chinese, the young scholar’s dedication never wavered. Once overwhelmed in her first day of Mandarin class when she entered the school in 2019, she can now speak the language with confidence.
“I don’t get nervous when I have to speak in Chinese. There are some topics in our Chinese class at Tzu Chi that we haven’t discussed yet in school. When I talk to my classmates or my lecturers at school, I use what I learned at Tzu Chi,” Faith Edrianne happily shared.
Apart from her monthly language classes with Tzu Chi volunteers and regular language classes at Northern Rizal Yorklin School, she spends time outside of her classes practicing Mandarin. All this is for her lifelong dream, to study medicine.
“I want to give her the education she needs for a bright future,” said Annaricca Manalastas, Faith Edrianne mother. Hoping for her daughter to have better opportunities in both local and international fields, she works nonstop as a clothing seller both online and in-store while her husband Edgar works as a truck driver.
Inspired by her parents’ dedication, Faith Edrianne continues to do her best in school. Her language proficiency is evident in her exemplary academic performance.
Once unable to introduce themselves in Mandarin, Shyeanne Mae, Sean Martin, Faith Edrianne, and their fellow Tzu Chi scholars are now speaking the language with ease.
“When we see their progress, we feel very happy,” said Tzu Chi volunteer Savanna Ko. “This also means that we are making progress.”
Every second Sunday of the month, Tzu Chi volunteers bring together Chinese school scholars for their monthly Chinese classes.
Each group is assigned a volunteer who guides students during the lessons.
Confident with their ability to speak in Chinese, Tzu Chi scholars are very happy to participate in recitations.
A Tzu Chi scholar reads the answer in a Chinese language activity.
In this class, the scholars were given sentence puzzles to complete. Their topic was about the Chinese New Year celebration, and they identified words related to the event.
A student asks for advice while practicing for their script reading activity.
On March 9, the students had their monthly Humanity class, which includes the language classes for the Chinese school scholars. They started their class with a sign language performance of the song “Listen to me say thank you.”
Faith Edrianne Manalastas practices reading the script for their activity.
Scholars enjoy learning while they complete the script-reading activity.
Each Tzu Chi volunteer gives helpful advice on the activities for the Chinese classes
Shyeanne Mae Cheng (right) takes part in a script-reading activity about birthday celebrations.
A Tzu Chi volunteer and scholar participate in the script-reading activity.
During the script-reading activity on birthday celebrations, the team of Sean Martin Cheng (third from right) wins best performance.
Annaricca Manalastas, mother of Grade 10 student Faith Edrianne, works hard selling clothes to provide for her daughter’s needs.
Faith Edrianne Manalastas (left) helps her mother Annaricca arrange clothes for selling.
Faith Edrianne Manalastas spends her weekends at home studying her Chinese lessons.
Chiang Kai Shek College is one of the schools that work with Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines in providing scholarships to students in need.
Shyeanne Mae Cheng, a Grade 10 student at Chiang Kai Shek College, actively participates in her Chinese class.
At home, Sean Martin Cheng (left) and Shyeanne Cheng read their lessons and complete their activities.
Tzu Chi volunteers and scholars take a class picture after completing the day’s lesson.