A few ideas from an article which you'll find
here on remembering names. It focuses on activities with older students, but there are a few things you could adapt :
1) Look at the register and familiarise yourself with the Chinese/English names before the lesson. If pronouncing the Chinese is a problem for you, let someone to help you with the pronunciation of the Chinese and write them in phonemic script (or any way that helps you with the pronunciation).
2) Give the kids a name badge to wear with the names in big letters. Make a point of using the name every time you talk to the child. If they don't remember the English name , add the Chinese name -
Hey John-Ming. At the end of the lesson collect the badges in and use them again in every subsequent lesson till you're sure you know the name and can use it automatically. Your constant use of the name is the best way to help them remember.
3) Teach
hello.Ask the kids to stand in a circle and throw a sponge ball to each other saying
Hello (name) ! as they throw and catch (ie John says
Hello Mary and throws to Mary. Mary replies
Hello John, then says
Hello Linda and throws to Linda) Do this at the beginning of each class - and/or at the end with
goodbye.
4) When you teach
Where's ... ? play a game. You say Where's John? and everyone must point to John.
5) Play
the handkerchief game - Ss in two parallel lines facing each other, you in the middle with a handkerchief. Call the names of two kids standing opposite each other (John and Mary!) They run to you and the first one to grab the handkerchief wins a point for their team.
Lots more ideas for older students in the article, but I hope these help.