Secondary School Chinese
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Sharing some videos/literature work I introduced to my students, relating to the following syllabus themes:
--> Sec 1 HCL 第三单元 《亲情世界》
第一课 《母与女》
第二课《祖父.后院.我》
第三课《和父亲比腕力》
--> Sec 3 HCL 第一单元 《感恩之心》
第一课 《秋天的怀念》 - story is about Chinese author 史铁生. The third video is a recital of one of his literature work
1. 贾平凹《写给母亲》
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60R6tgGGYRo]
2. 郑渊洁《父与子》
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWFAOlY4R84]
3. 史铁生《奶奶的星星》
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg476_8IFok]
4. 梁晓声《慈母情深》
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeD64q4BDY0]
Through these, they can appreciate the content and rhetoric approaches (via guidance/discussions) and also feel the beauty of the language in expressing one's views and emotion.
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chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"1955732\" time=\"1577455529\" user_id=\"162894:
Thank you. Are these recommended for HMT or MT students ?
Hi yo2sg,yo2sg\" post_id=\"1955530\" time=\"1577361699\" user_id=\"96404:
Hi, Chen LaoShi,
Can you recommend a good Chinese assessment book for 2020 Sec 1 CL? Background: My boy used to be pretty good (Like A/A*) in CL in P3 & 4 but dropped tremendously (B or C) in P5 as he disliked the CL teacher
However, we did a lot of PSLE Qn spotting and he eventually got an A for PSLE which shocked me. I suspect it’s a low A. I know Sec 1 CL gonna be difficult for sure. I would like to cultivate his interest in CL, I know it’s hard. But I hope to build up the foundation. What else do you advise besides getting a good assessment book/s?
Congrats on your son's effort and improvement to achieve A in PSLE!
I will recommend the following books based on their respective purpose:
135 compulsory idiom for CL![](\"https://mlxmnhcomj8p.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:75/https://www.sapgrp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/3215788_Cover-copy.jpg\")
https://mlxmnhcomj8p.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:75/https://www.sapgrp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/3215788_Cover-copy.jpg\">
- Reasons to master the idioms as stated http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8835&start=520#p1953195
- For most of the idioms, you'll be able to find videos on related stories/origins on YouTube. It'll help reinforce understanding and can also increase interest due to stories' content & how relative they are to use & application
- Can easily split into ~3 idioms per week (e.g. in my Sec 1 HCL class, I split 250 into 5 per week so after Year 1, would've covered all the idioms. Subsequent years is about consolidation and/or covering proverbs and quotable quotes etc.)
Topical revision for CL
(Sorry, don't have pic of the CL version on hand, do take note to get CL one if you are getting this)![](\"https://i.ibb.co/Vmgcmhb/wklysec1.jpg\")
- Used to revise and strengthen understanding of syllabus related text upon the completion of school's coverage of each chapter from the textbook
Comprehension practice![](\"https://i.ibb.co/fqhTx6h/excel-in-compre-sec1.jpg\")
- To tackle questions that require students to elaborate upon sentences with underlying meaning as well as questions that require critical thinking/analytical skills
Cloze passage practice![](\"https://i.ibb.co/h8Y0NVf/clozepassage.jpg\")
- Whereas the topical revision assessment book has cloze passage exercises too, they are syllabus text based. This one covers words/phrases suitable for Sec 1 level that are beyond textbook syllabus. This is especially important in the long run as O Level CL is not like PSLE CL in terms of coverage based on syllabus text. To put it bluntly, simply knowing words/phrases learnt from textbook is not enough
-Helps expand range of vocab when checking up the meaning of the options in each questions that he/she is not sure of
For additional reading material, you can https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8835&start=480#p1914805. To maximise the use of the books recommended in that post, it is advisable for you to be involved with your son initially (need to be more mature to be able to digest and probe further alone), using the articles to strike up conversations and discussions in a casual yet constructive manner.
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=85&t=93860
I notice the content for HMT textbook and MT textbook teach different concept stories. If study HMT textbook but never study MT textbook for MT, how to be prepared for exam in this case ? -
sembgal\" post_id=\"1957884\" time=\"1578411693\" user_id=\"5559:
Those recommendations, in response to yo2sg's query are for MT (as mentioned in the post, used the cover pic of HMT version for the 2nd book recommendation as I did not have the one for MT version
Thank you. Are these recommended for HMT or MT students ?
I notice the content for HMT textbook and MT textbook teach different concept stories. If study HMT textbook but never study MT textbook for MT, how to be prepared for exam in this case ?
).
Regarding the question pertaining HMT and MT textbook, as
- the scope tested in O'Levels goes beyond syllabus text (i.e different case vs. PSLE)
+ for HMT, there's
- wider range of vocab covered (e.g. 250 vs. 135 'must-know' idioms)
- more grammar & vocab related practices (editing section + summary question in paper 2)
it's not much of an issue.
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not easy to find Sec 1 to 3 HCL papers to practise.
Even Sec school library do not have past years paper anymore.
School library said is intellectual property, cannot let students borrow to zap.
Those push cart only sell O level Sec 4 HCL paper, but not Sec 1 to 3 -
The blue SAP HMT Sec 1A book has very challenging Comprehension passage and questions that require inferential understanding. Do you find that book challenging for your students too, Chen Lao Shi? If they cannot answer the Comprehension questions, how do you guide them ?
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sembgal\" post_id=\"1958264\" time=\"1578577075\" user_id=\"5559:
sembgal, are you referring to this one from EPH?
The blue SAP HMT Sec 1A book has very challenging Comprehension passage and questions that require inferential understanding. Do you find that book challenging for your students too, Chen Lao Shi? If they cannot answer the Comprehension questions, how do you guide them ?
or the tropical exercises from SAP (https://www.sapgrp.com/product-category/chinese/secondary-chinese/secondary-1-chinese/higher-chinese-secondary-1-chinese)?
For comprehension, as we go through the passages (paragraph by paragraph), I encourage the students to raise questions pertaining to the content or the effect of the relevant rhetoric approach (simile, metaphor, personification etc.). For areas that they overlook, I will highlight/bounce the questions for them to reflect/discuss. I liken this to fish ball chewing - in that you can't just swallow the entire fish ball (i.e. read the whole passage at one go in the hope of fully understanding the content and underlying messages) but instead to chew it to bite size and digest it.
During these discussions, we speak (be it examples, or personal experiences) in relevance to the context/underlying meaning of the text. They practice on structuring their thoughts and learn to articulate their views during this process. This is helpful both in terms of answering compre questions subsequently as well as for oral component of exam. Besides these, the story plot/content as well as the expressions and rhetoric approaches used, can also be helpful towards their compo writing.![](\"https://i.ibb.co/GdnjcJk/sec1cl.jpg\")
So instead of remaining at the Pri sch stage of just training the students on how to 'find answers' and 'answer questions', there is increased focus on training them to be inquisitive and self directed learners.
The Bloom's Taxonomy is a good framework to work on their critical thinking skills.![](\"https://chineseteachingsite.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/blooms-taxonomy.png?w=1000&h=600\")
By the end of the passage, they would have fully understood (and/or resonate with the author/content). Then, the challenge of answering the compre questions is more of just expressing one's thoughts fluently and accurately.
Other than just relying on cloze and compre passages, we also go through news articles (newspaper, 早报逗号 articles etc.) and/or videos discussing on various themes/social topics (inc. snippets from news report, 前线追踪, etc.) I think they enjoy it and can see the relevance of learning these skills and benefits of mastering CL.
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chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"1958400\" time=\"1578635661\" user_id=\"162894:
Yes. The first pic of the blue book
sembgal, are you referring to this one from EPH?sembgal\" post_id=\"1958264\" time=\"1578577075\" user_id=\"5559:
The blue SAP HMT Sec 1A book has very challenging Comprehension passage and questions that require inferential understanding. Do you find that book challenging for your students too, Chen Lao Shi? If they cannot answer the Comprehension questions, how do you guide them ?
or the tropical exercises from SAP (https://www.sapgrp.com/product-category/chinese/secondary-chinese/secondary-1-chinese/higher-chinese-secondary-1-chinese)?
For comprehension, as we go through the passages (paragraph by paragraph), I encourage the students to raise questions pertaining to the content or the effect of the relevant rhetoric approach (simile, metaphor, personification etc.). For areas that they overlook, I will highlight/bounce the questions for them to reflect/discuss. I liken this to fish ball chewing - in that you can't just swallow the entire fish ball (i.e. read the whole passage at one go in the hope of fully understanding the content and underlying messages) but instead to chew it to bite size and digest it.
During these discussions, we speak (be it examples, or personal experiences) in relevance to the context/underlying meaning of the text. They practice on structuring their thoughts and learn to articulate their views during this process. This is helpful both in terms of answering compre questions subsequently as well as for oral component of exam. Besides these, the story plot/content as well as the expressions and rhetoric approaches used, can also be helpful towards their compo writing.
So instead of remaining at the Pri sch stage of just training the students on how to 'find answers' and 'answer questions', there is increased focus on training them to be inquisitive and self directed learners.
The Bloom's Taxonomy is a good framework to work on their critical thinking skills.
By the end of the passage, they would have fully understood (and/or resonate with the author/content). Then, the challenge of answering the compre questions is more of just expressing one's thoughts fluently and accurately.
Other than just relying on cloze and compre passages, we also go through news articles (newspaper, 早报逗号 articles etc.) and/or videos discussing on various themes/social topics (inc. snippets from news report, 前线追踪, etc. I think they enjoy it and can see the relevance of learning these skills and benefits of mastering CL. -
Hi!
My daughter will be taking ‘O’ level Higher Chinese exam this year. I would like to check if she is taking higher Chinese paper, can she take normal Chinese ‘O’ level paper? Thanks. -
3littleprecious\" post_id=\"1959085\" time=\"1579051586\" user_id=\"24261:
Hi 3littleprecious,
Hi!
My daughter will be taking ‘O’ level Higher Chinese exam this year.
I would like to check if she is taking higher Chinese paper, can she take normal Chinese ‘O’ level paper? Thanks.
Under MOE policy, a student cannot take both O level CL and HCL in the same year.
Therefore, if a Sec4 HCL student wants to retake O level CL, she’ll need to drop HCL.
usually, HCL students take O level CL in Sec3 and O level HCL in Sec4, unless your school policy indicate otherwise, eg. IP schools. If you have further query, perhaps best to clarify with your internal school's department Chinese HOD
example (of clarification)
in some (IP) schools, the school policy set is such that
All students need to take O-level HCL in Sec4 only. The school said, no need to take any O-level CL in Sec3.
However, there are some pupils who could have entered these IP schools at PSLE, by DSA or by Tscore, without taken HCL (PSLE) before, or their Chinese is not strong. They worried they may not do well in O-level HCL (Sec4) .
Hence, these students would still prefer to take O-level CL paper in Sec3 first, if possible.
Under such circumstances, these students may consult their Chinese HOD, discuss if they can be allowed by school / or by MOE approval, to take O-level CL (in Sec3), as well, on a case by case basis -
Chenlaoshi,
For Sec 1 HMT, do you have good recommendation for any 好词好句guide book? Also model 作文book？
Is the exam structure for HCL across schools all similar? I looked through one exam paper from my child’s school, and notice that most of the marks is in the comprehension section? The language part is just 10-20 marks?
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