It’s a matter of “practise, practise, practise”. The Chronicle Herald, a local newspaper in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, reports the Mandarin lessons for the Grade 3 students at Sacred Heart School:

Like many young girls these days, Sarah Tai-MacArthur and Robin Short are yapping away on cellphones, talking about going to the mall.

But this isn’t your typical chat between preteens.

These two smart Grade 3 students are speaking Mandarin Chinese. The interactive lesson is part of a special after-school program at Sacred Heart School of Halifax.

With smiling instructor Ming-Ling Tsay always nearby to correct pronunciation or offer encouragement, a small group of students gather together once a week to learn the most spoken language in the world.

Full report