Secondary School Chinese

[sembgal]

chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"1959910\" time=\"1579488666\" user_id=\"162894:

newbieks\" post_id=\"1959792\" time=\"1579397313\" user_id=\"178749:

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?

Hi newbieks,

Besides the ones shared in this post (https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8835&start=520#p1953287), two other books that are useful are:
https://i.ibb.co/dg24Czm/image.jpg\">https://i.ibb.co/sHJg88Y/image.jpg\">

At Sec sch level, the students have to use rhetoric approach (修辞写法), in additional to descriptive words and phrases. These 2 books have good explanation and examples in this aspect.

Yes, the test and exam structure varies across schools for lower Sec (Year 1 and 2).
Generally the tested components for Paper 2 includes:
填写汉字/填写词语
短文填空
造句/完成句子
阅读理解 一、二
长句缩短

Comprehension component alone usually takes up about 40+% of the Paper 2 (will increase to 62.5% in O'Levels).

Even for same component that's tested, the way they set the format may vary. Below are examples of how 填写汉字 component can be tested differently:
https://i.ibb.co/tpn2Fnw/image.jpg\">

For Sec 2/Year 2, most schools also test on 片段缩写. It is from Sec 3/Year 3 onwards that they will standardize according to O'Level format - just like Pri 5 onwards Paper 2 components are according to PSLE format.


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=85&t=93860

What is 片段缩写? Can you explain in English? What do you cover in Sec 1 Chinese class? Do you let student write composition every alternate week in class?

[chenlaoshi]

sembgal\" post_id=\"1961588\" time=\"1580606787\" user_id=\"5559:

What is 片段缩写? Can you explain in English? What do you cover in Sec 1 Chinese class? Do you let student write composition every alternate week in class?

片段缩写 is summarization (in 80 words) of particular paragraphs from comprehension passage to address a certain topic/issue.

From the example below, the task is to summarize paragraphs 2 to 4 and address the issue of \"shaking off the 'shackles' of fatigue\"
https://i.ibb.co/b1Kmzrg/sump.jpg\">
https://i.ibb.co/g78GZZ7/sump2.jpg\">

This component tests on
(1) understanding of passage content (esp. underlying/hidden meaning and/or intention of rhetoric approaches used)
(2) grammar (avoiding grammatical errors during the process of editing/shortening the sentences)
(3) vocab (how to effectively replace the longer phrases with other choice of words/idioms/proverbs - and writing them correctly).


In my Sec HCL classes, I cover:
- Syllabus' words/phrase (in the form of revision rather than teaching from scratch)

- Idioms (250 “must learn\" idiom): reasons as https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=8835&start=520#p1953195

- Proverbs (topic based): so that students understand what they mean when they see/hear them in compre/LC and can apply appropriately in oral/compre/compo (both email and essay writing)

- Compre: as it constitutes 60% of paper 2

- Cloze passage + Editing: expand student's range of vocab + prepare for 病句改正 (which indirectly helps in their own writing since they will be more capable of identifying mistakes in their own writing)

- News reading/discussion: exposure helps to prepare for oral, compo (email + argumentative/discursive type questions under essay writing)

- Email writing, essay writing: In class, we cover this segment in 2 manners - (1) teacher's guidance + class discussion followed by individual work or (2) teacher's guidance + class discussion followed by combined effort similar to \"chain story\" manner where everyone contributes and critique/give constructive comments (including correcting their classmate's grammatical error or wrong choice of phrases - this helps to prepare for 病句改正 component in paper 2 too).

While idioms and proverbs are covered on a weekly basis, there's an area of focus for the rest of each lesson. For example, week 1 will be paper 2 component, week 2 will be oral + paper 1. Generally, paper 1 practice is covered once every 2-3 weeks.

Relevant assignments are assigned after each lesson for students to hone their skills and for me to gauge how much they absorb and if they managed to apply techniques/information appropriately/sufficiently.

(sorry for the long message )

[Mushroom hut]

Hi,


We just back to Singapore after 10 over years overseas. Would appreciate if can get advice form here.

My boy started sec 1. I have friends telling me chinese does not affect his results. He merely need to pass the subject as chinese is not calculated in their GPA at y4, and at y6, is also not needed to be admitted to uni. Is this true?

What about taking CL(B)? How is that going to affect his GPA?
Thank you.

[leon T]

Mushroom hut\" post_id=\"1963983\" time=\"1582077490\" user_id=\"97687:[quote=\"Mushroom hut\" post_id=1963983 time=1582077490 user_id=97687]
Hi,

We just back to Singapore after 10 over years overseas. Would appreciate if can get advice form here.

My boy started sec 1. I have friends telling me chinese does not affect his results. He merely need to pass the subject as chinese is not calculated in their GPA at y4, and at y6, is also not needed to be admitted to uni. Is this true?

What about taking CL(B)? How is that going to affect his GPA?
Thank you.[/quote]

if your boy is in mainstream sec sch, he needs to get at least D7 for CL in the o level examination in order to get into JC. if he has been getting E8 or F9, he may choose to study CLB, which is much easier. he needs to pass CLB in order to get into JC.

[newbieks]

Chenlaoshi, May I know what is the usual practice to penalise for 错别字for comprehension section? Is there a max number of marks that can be deducted for the whole paper?


For IP, the student will take HCL in Sec 4 and meet the schools requirement to be promoted to JC1 right? Is HCL result in anyway important for university admission?

Thanks.

[chenlaoshi]

newbieks\" post_id=\"1965463\" time=\"1583024849\" user_id=\"178749:

Hi newbieks,

For O Level HCL

-> The deduction of marks for 错别字 is applicable to Paper 1 email writing and compo writing. Each 错别字 is -0.5 marks, max. deduction is 2 marks for email writing and 4 marks for compo writing.

-> For Paper 2, student won't be deducted marks just because of 错别字. The main repercussions of 错别字 in Paper 2 are:
(1) marks won't be awarded for the particular question since there are so many 错别字/错字 in the answer to the extent that it affects the understanding the answer's content
(2) the 表达 component of the 片段缩写 question (4 out of 12 marks) will be affected

Some schools such as RI do apply marks deduction for 错别字 in Paper 2 in school examinations though, partly to highlight the importance of writing the words correctly to the students. In such cases, the deduction is -0.5 marks for every 2 错别字, max. deduction is 4 marks for Paper 2.

Yes, a pass in HCL is the min. requirement for Year 4. The Mother Tongue Language (MTL) Requirement for university admission is fairly 'easy' to meet.
[quote]Meet the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) requirement for admission by having one of the following*:

Minimum of D7 for the higher MTL paper taken at the 'O' Level examination.
Minimum of ‘S’/ ‘D7’ grade for the H1/‘AO Level’ MTL paper or General Studies in Chinese.
Minimum of 'S'/‘O’ grade for the H2/‘A Level’ MTLL paper taken at the 'A' Level examination.
Pass in the MTL 'B' Syllabus paper at the 'A' Level examination.

A good MTL result is a \"nice-to-have\":
[quote]The University will include the MTL subject grade in the scoring only if it raises the competitiveness of the candidate. [/quote][quote]If you have done well in your MTL subject at the ‘A’ Level examination, you are allowed to use the MTL bonus points to gain admission to the Arts & Social Sciences (MTL Related) Courses. [/quote][quote]Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level
http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply-to-nus/when-you-apply/mtl-related-courses[/quote]

[newbieks]

chenlaoshi\" post_id=\"1965661\" time=\"1583161884\" user_id=\"162894:

newbieks\" post_id=\"1965463\" time=\"1583024849\" user_id=\"178749:

Chenlaoshi, May I know what is the usual practice to penalise for 错别字for comprehension section? Is there a max number of marks that can be deducted for the whole paper?

For IP, the student will take HCL in Sec 4 and meet the schools requirement to be promoted to JC1 right? Is HCL result in anyway important for university admission?

Thanks.

Hi newbieks,

For O Level HCL

-> The deduction of marks for 错别字 is applicable to Paper 1 email writing and compo writing. Each 错别字 is -0.5 marks, max. deduction is 2 marks for email writing and 4 marks for compo writing.

-> For Paper 2, student won't be deducted marks just because of 错别字. The main repercussions of 错别字 in Paper 2 are:
(1) marks won't be awarded for the particular question since there are so many 错别字/错字 in the answer to the extent that it affects the understanding the answer's content
(2) the 表达 component of the 片段缩写 question (4 out of 12 marks) will be affected

Some schools such as RI do apply marks deduction for 错别字 in Paper 2 in school examinations though, partly to highlight the importance of writing the words correctly to the students. In such cases, the deduction is -0.5 marks for every 2 错别字, max. deduction is 4 marks for Paper 2.

Yes, a pass in HCL is the min. requirement for Year 4. The Mother Tongue Language (MTL) Requirement for university admission is fairly 'easy' to meet.
[quote]Meet the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) requirement for admission by having one of the following*:

Minimum of D7 for the higher MTL paper taken at the 'O' Level examination.
Minimum of ‘S’/ ‘D7’ grade for the H1/‘AO Level’ MTL paper or General Studies in Chinese.
Minimum of 'S'/‘O’ grade for the H2/‘A Level’ MTLL paper taken at the 'A' Level examination.
Pass in the MTL 'B' Syllabus paper at the 'A' Level examination.

A good MTL result is a \"nice-to-have\":
[quote]The University will include the MTL subject grade in the scoring only if it raises the competitiveness of the candidate. [/quote][quote]If you have done well in your MTL subject at the ‘A’ Level examination, you are allowed to use the MTL bonus points to gain admission to the Arts & Social Sciences (MTL Related) Courses. [/quote][quote]Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level
http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply-to-nus/when-you-apply/mtl-related-courses[/quote][/quote]Thanks, chenlaoshi. I know that for comprehension section, both RGS and NYGH deducts 1 mark for every 2 错别字。So I thought that is the norm. Not really to the extent of affecting the understanding of the meaning kind. Not sure if there is a max cap for 错别字mark deduction though. Guess really drill the kid to be mindful of what he/she writes. For my child, it is a bad habit formed since primary school, but given that comprehension is not that such a big portion, and no outright penalty for paper 1, guess she did not really feel the pinch then.

[chenlaoshi]

newbieks\" post_id=\"1965674\" time=\"1583193285\" user_id=\"178749:

Thanks, chenlaoshi. I know that for comprehension section, both RGS and NYGH deducts 1 mark for every 2 错别字。So I thought that is the norm. Not really to the extent of affecting the understanding of the meaning kind. Not sure if there is a max cap for 错别字mark deduction though. Guess really drill the kid to be mindful of what he/she writes. For my child, it is a bad habit formed since primary school, but given that comprehension is not that such a big portion, and no outright penalty for paper 1, guess she did not really feel the pinch then.

I see, newbieks. For marking scheme, sections tested etc. in Year 1 and 2 or lower Sec, it still varies across schools. Year/Sec 3 onwards, the exam format and marking scheme will be in accordance to O'Level.

Yeah, it's good to let them feel the pinch so that there's enough time and opportunities to work on this issue. Also, they will tend to take more notice of such kind of errors and learn from them, esp. when the marks deducted are of a sizable amount (whereas they might just 'brush them off' as minor issues). It can be an issue of/combination of carelessness, consequence of rush job, lack of/no checking, lack of foundation/practice in writing of characters etc.

[MathematicsMagic]

I am curious about something.


How much harder is secondary CL, if compared to primary HCL? And in what way, if you can elaborate? Or is it more like just the difference in the way how the exam tests student?

比起小学高华，中学普华有多难？怎么个难法？还是更多是在考学生的方法不一样而已？

[chenlaoshi]

MathematicsMagic\" post_id=\"1967039\" time=\"1584169804\" user_id=\"175446:

I am curious about something.

How much harder is secondary CL, if compared to primary HCL? And in what way, if you can elaborate? Or is it more like just the difference in the way how the exam tests student?

比起小学高华，中学普华有多难？怎么个难法？还是更多是在考学生的方法不一样而已？

If during Primary school, the child's learning of the language is mainly via studying textbook words and phrases and memorizing descriptive phrases simply to fit them into compo writing (死背硬记) + little/no reading beyond syllabus text, then Secondary school CL will be quite a challenge, even if they were to score high As or A* (or in the case of HCL, Distinction). For this type of preparation method, there's a serious lack of reading involved - they barely read the passages in the stories and probably only focus on the words that 'need to be learnt', making comprehension passages their only other form of passage/story reading.

For Secondary school (HCL aside), the way students are tested, is no much different from Primary school - the main sections being cloze passage and comprehensions. However, they face the following challenges:

- variety of passage types encountered 说明文、记叙文、议论文 etc.
- rhetoric approaches to appreciate and apply 比喻、拟人、夸张、排比 etc.
- broader themes/topics covered, more personal takes/opinions required (critical thinking skills + increase range of vocab required to articulate one's views)
- idioms, proverbs, quotes/examples relating to historical characters and references to famous incidents appear every now and then in passages - while the students may be able to infer based on contextual clues, having prior understanding/background knowledge will be beneficial.

As for Secondary school HCL, the students command of the language is tested even further - grammar skills and range of vocab (since their oral format requires them to present a verbal report; there's a forum style question as one of the option under paper 1 email writing section; their compo is 60 marks vs. CL's 40 marks and there are editing and summarizing sections in written paper).

Again, relying on Sec school CL/HCL textbook alone will not be sufficient if one aspires to achieve good grades.