Getting On Top of Higher Chinese?
Posted by: mamasan on: September 16, 2008
We hope so! To begin, this is an example of a Higher Chinese Comprehension Text for Primary One. Is it my “jiak-kantang” background or is it honestly a bit cheem for Pri 1? Note the crumpled paper and messy writing which testifies of all the rubbing and frustrated boy and many many re-writes.
And a list of chen-yu which I was flabbergasted at but AMAZINGLY Sam was able to memorize (rote-memory no doubt, did it in class where all recited them by hard). I don’t even understand 80% of them (ok, I scraped through Chinese by the skin of my teeth). Do you?
WELL…. This is what I did up and put up at the dining table under the clear plastic sheet, for S to recite and practice daily at mealtimes. The words in black are those they are supposed to recognise anywhere (of course in exam papers too), and those in blue are those they have to know how to write with their eyes closed.
We’ve been doing this couple of weeks, alternating chapters each time, and S seems quite ok with them – enjoying it even, since this only takes up less than 10mins:
5 mins – recite all words in black. Out loud.
5 mins – “finger-write” on table all words in blue. Quickly, so after this can watch TV!
Perhaps due to the faster pace, and no need to write (another whole ball game), it’s been working out quite fine… Hopefully exam time end of next month won’t be so bad after all…
5 Responses to "Getting On Top of Higher Chinese?"
September 17, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Wow brightsong, at least you used all the other 18 idioms! I think I only used ONE in my whole entire life…. oops….
your son shd have no problems in higher chinese then, since his mummy is so pro 
September 19, 2008 at 5:41 am
i don’t think so. my son is so “off” about conversing in Mandarin and even harder to get him to read Chinese books. :p Once he realises there are so many words that he doesn’t recognise, he would say “don’t want to read anymore” rightaway!
But your chart is innovative. I would definitely give it a try when the time comes. 
September 19, 2008 at 8:33 am
sad to say, i don’t think so!
my son is so “off” about conversing in Mandarin and even harder to get him to read Chinese books. :p Once he realises there are so many words that he doesn’t recognise, he would say “don’t want to read anymore” rightaway!
But your chart is innovative. I would definitely give it a try when the time comes.
September 20, 2008 at 4:52 pm
err, I don’t think so.
ee zen is so “off’ about Chinese language. he seldom wants to speak mandarin (except with teacher and grandparents) and would declare ‘don’t want to read anymore’ if he can’t get pass two pages of a story book without asking me ‘what word is this?’.
that’s why I think it’s going to DIFFICULT task. :p
September 17, 2008 at 8:38 am
yes, it does seem a little much for primary one. at least I don’t recall going through ‘cheng yu’ in pri 1! Interestingly, I was one of the last two batches to take chinese as 1st language, hence only did so in pri 1 and 2 (the switch to english as 1st language from pri3 wasn’t easy for me either, that’s another story).
paiseh to say I graduated in Chinese studies, I don’t think I have ever used two of the above idioms. :0
oh dear, I think zen needs to take Higher Chinese in his school next year. Then again, your son’s school is known to be one of the top higher chinese schools, so not surprisingly it drills the kids as such.