Why we teach
the way we teach.
Every Lingoodle lesson runs on a set of learning techniques with real, published research behind them.
This page lays them out one at a time, in plain terms, with the named study for each.
No jargon. No hand-waving. We show our work.
Curated, not invented here.
Lingoodle did not run these studies. Our founder, Lauralee, curated these techniques from her own toolkit as a lifelong dyslexic learner: methods she has used and trusted for years, and found to work well when packaged together.
Each technique below has its own separate, published research behind it, produced by the named academics, not by us. What Lingoodle built is the combination: eight proven techniques, running together in every lesson, in a structure designed for children learning Mandarin.
We think being clear about that matters. Plenty of programmes in this category claim to be "research-based" without ever showing you a single study. We would rather point you straight to the source and let you judge for yourself.
All eight, in every lesson.
Each protocol targets a specific mechanism of how children retain language.
Here is what each one does, how it shows up in a session, and the study behind it.
Active Recall
Instead of re-reading a word or being shown the answer, the child is asked to produce it from memory. Pulling a word back out of your own head strengthens the memory far more than simply seeing it again. In Dunlosky's review of learning techniques, this kind of practice testing was rated among the most effective of all.
In a session: the tutor prompts the child to say the word from memory before any hint appears. Dunlosky et al., 2013 ↗Spaced Repetition
Material is reviewed at widening intervals, timed to bring a word back just as it is about to fade. This spacing effect is one of the most reliable findings in memory research: the same total study time produces far more durable learning when it is spread out rather than crammed.
In a session: vocabulary resurfaces on a schedule across the 14 weeks, never taught once and left behind. Smith & Scarf, 2017 ↗Total Physical Response
Language is tied to physical movement. When a child acts out or gestures a word as they learn it, the body helps anchor the meaning, and the word becomes easier to recall later. Asher's original work showed children absorb vocabulary faster this way than through repetition alone.
In a session: pointing, standing up, miming meaning, so the whole body is part of the learning. Asher, 1969 ↗Dual Coding
Words are paired with images so the brain stores two linked traces, one verbal and one visual. Two connected routes to the same memory are easier to retrieve than one, which makes the learning both deeper and more durable.
In a session: characters are shown alongside pictures and scenes, not presented as text on its own. Sadoski & Paivio, 2013 ↗Cognitive Load Management
New material is introduced in small, deliberately paced amounts so a child's working memory is never overloaded. Sweller's research showed that when too much is presented at once, learning stalls; when it is paced well, the brain keeps absorbing.
In a session: one concept at a time, each new step built on the one before it. Sweller, 1988 ↗Pomodoro Method
Learning happens in short, focused bursts rather than long marathons. We remember the beginning and end of a session best, an effect Murdock documented as primacy and recency, so shorter sessions create more of those high-retention moments and less of the tired middle.
In a session: short, focused blocks, so the child stays sharp from start to finish. Murdock, 1962 ↗Social Scaffolding
Children learn best through guided interaction with someone more capable, working just beyond what they could manage alone. Vygotsky called this the zone of proximal development. Culture, stories and real scenarios give the language a context, and language in context sticks longer.
In a session: one-to-one with a native-speaking tutor who guides each step and gives context. Vygotsky, 1978 ↗Micro-Immersion
Short, frequent contact with a language builds it faster than occasional long sessions. Bahrick and Hall's long-running research on language retention found that regular, distributed exposure is what makes learning last for years, not weeks.
In a session: regular sessions across the week, reinforced each evening by the Feynman Loop below. Bahrick & Hall, 2005 ↗The Feynman Loop
Separate from the eight protocols, this is a programme feature.
The single habit we build around every evening.
Each session ends with one task: that evening, the child explains one new concept to their parent. To teach something, you have to genuinely understand it, and the act of teaching is what locks the understanding in. It sits comfortably in the evening routine, five minutes between a parent and child, built around something the child has genuinely mastered that day.
Why Mandarin, and why young.
Beyond how we teach, there is a broad body of research on what learning a second language early does for a child's developing mind.
Reviews of bilingual development link growing up with two languages to stronger executive function, the set of skills behind focus, self-control and working memory (Grundy & Bhatt, 2023, Developmental Review). Bilingualism has also been shown to engage both hemispheres of the brain more fully than using a single language (Bialystok, Craik & Luk, 2012, Trends in Cognitive Sciences). We point to this research as context for the wider benefits of early bilingualism. We do not claim it as a measured outcome of our own programme.
Aligned to YCT, honest about what that means.
Our curriculum is aligned to and prepares children for the YCT standard, the internationally recognised Chinese proficiency framework for young learners.
To be precise: Lingoodle prepares your child for YCT.
We do not administer the official YCT exam ourselves, and we do not issue the official YCT certificate.
If your child sits the exam, they sit it through the official body, well prepared.
Everything on this page traces back to a named, published source you can read yourself.
If you ever find a citation here that looks out of date or a link that no longer works, tell us at hello@lingoodle.com and we will fix it.
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
- Smith, C. D., & Scarf, D. (2017). Spacing Repetitions Over Long Timescales. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00962
- Asher, J. J. (1969). The Total Physical Response Approach to Second Language Learning. The Modern Language Journal. doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1969.tb03588.x
- Sadoski, M., & Paivio, A. (2013). Imagery and Text: A Dual Coding Theory of Reading and Writing. Routledge. doi.org/10.4324/9780203813355
- Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive Load During Problem Solving. Cognitive Science. doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
- Murdock, B. B. (1962). The Serial Position Effect of Free Recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology. doi.org/10.1037/h0045106
- Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. Harvard University Press. hup.harvard.edu
- Bahrick, H. P., & Hall, L. K. (2005). The Importance of Retrieval Failures to Long-Term Retention. Journal of Memory and Language. doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2005.01.012
- Nestojko, J. F., Bui, D. C., Kornell, N., & Bjork, E. L. (2014). Expecting to Teach Enhances Learning and Organization of Knowledge. Memory & Cognition. doi.org/10.3758/s13421-014-0416-z
- Grundy, J. G., & Bhatt, R. (2023). Bilingualism and Executive Function. Developmental Review. sciencedirect.com
- Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I. M., & Luk, G. (2012). Bilingualism: Consequences for Mind and Brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Want the full picture?
The enterprise deck walks through the programme.
The 14-week structure and how a cohort runs, with these citations included.