Comparing Chinese Enrichment (Primary/Preschool)

[laughingcat]

On the contrary. Berries accept children who are 3yrs in the calendar year.

[tamarind]

I have given private tuition to many students before, from P1 to JC, for English, Maths and Chinese. So I know how easy it is to tell lies about my experiences and credentials. Parents normally do not ask to see my certificates, and even if they do, getting an A in all subjects does not mean that I am a good tutor. Also, a tutor can tell you that he has taught many students and all of them improve from grades D to A, but how are you going to verify that ? Are you going to ask for letters of recommendations from him ?


Of course, I was very honest when I was giving private tuition. I did help a JC girl improve from D to A. So employing a good tutor to give one to one tuition will definitely help, but only if you can find a good tutor. The problem is that, it is very difficult to find a good tutor.

Especially for Chinese, many parents think that if a tutor is from mainland China, then she must be an expert in teaching Chinese. This is a very big mistake. Most kids in Singapore grow up in English speaking families, they cannot be taught in the same way as kids in China who grow up speaking mandarin. China tutors may cause kids to hate Chinese. Of course, I don’t mean to generalize, but you need to find a tutor who is very experienced in teaching Singaporean kids, not mainland China kids. Most local tutors will only know how to teach using the text book and assessment books. The fact is that the kid can memorize textbooks and model compositions, and complete all the Chinese assessment books you can find in Popular for her level, and she is still not able to get perfect scores in Chinese from P3 onwards (P1 and P2 standards are low, so it is still possible to do well in Chinese).

Personally I think that it is better to send to well established Chinese enrichment classes, especially those that have been around for many years. If they are not good, they will not survive for so long.

Of course, if you are aiming for 95+ marks in Chinese for PSLE, no tuition center or private tutor can guarantee that. The only way to guarantee that, is by reading Chinese novels extensively, and writing essays regularly.

[micollh]

anyone has comments for Han language centre ?

[tamarind]

XK:

Hi Tamarind,


May I know when did u get the MOE vocabularly list? May I have a copy?

Thanks!

Here are the lists :

Higher Chinese
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/languages-and-literature/files/character-list-primary-higher-chinese-2007.pdf

Chinese
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/languages-and-literature/files/character-list-primary-chinese-2007.pdf

[cloubhappy.05320live.05320com]

tamarind:

XK:

Hi Tamarind,


May I know when did u get the MOE vocabularly list? May I have a copy?

Thanks!

Here are the lists :

Higher Chinese
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/languages-and-literature/files/character-list-primary-higher-chinese-2007.pdf

Chinese
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/syllabuses/languages-and-literature/files/character-list-primary-chinese-2007.pdf

Hi Tamarind,

Thanks! I followed your blog and it is very informative in both teaching english and chinese to our children. Thanks!!

Side track a bit. May i ask which level should our children preferably complete the peter and jane series before they enter p1?

For chinese, i remembered that u mentioned book 4. My gal is now at book 2. Am consistently revising with her a few days per week.

[tamarind]

Hi XK,

For the Peter and Jane series (also known as the Key Word series), you can refer to the chart in my blog :
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-to-expect-in-primary-one.html

Scroll down to look for the chart. Kids at 5 to 6 years old should be reading levels 3 and 4, those at 6 to 7 years old should be reading levels 5 to 7.

For Chinese, you mean the Si Wu Kuai Du series right ? If a child can complete books 3 or 4, she should be well prepared for P1 Chinese, provided she can remember all the words in the 4 books. It is important to revise and read Chinese story books regularly. Just to share, there is a new book of stories by the author of the Si Wu Kuai Du series :
http://product.dangdang.com/product.aspx?product_id=21055950&ref=order-2-A

[cloubhappy.05320live.05320com]

Hi Tamarind,


My girl is K1 and is 4 years and 4 months old. She is currently at book 6a of peter and jane. I guess she is on the track. Sometimes, when she read to me, she tends to jump words or add in words that is not there, e.g. the, a … i read that it is quite normal for beginner reader.

Yes! I have placed order for the story books of Si Wu Kuai over the weekend and is waiting for its arrival excitedly!

My girl is in berries class and i realised that berries would have covered book 1 of Si Wu Kuai book. I went through the words cards at the back and she could read all of them. So i jump straight to Book 2. Trying not to rush through it and target to complete a lesson per week so that she can remember and know how to use the word better by combining them with other word to form a phrase.

[ellehcim]

well said, tamarind.

[deardear07]

I must say that: Phankao, ur way has great success with ur kid!


Just wondering…

my ds knew his alphabet since 2 and is learning his phonics till now… sometimes he learns by using the apps on my hp, other times, in sch. question is, how to progress to blending and then reading? i knw theory… but suddenly, abit stuck for a better method. so just ended up reading it to him.

sight words to him is easier since teacher commented that he can remember chinese characters taught. just like memory~~

he is not 3 yet…next mth. and i wanted him to join ICR to reiterate his learning, but they said they were impressed with his maturity, concentration level, etc, they still put him down to little learners just becoz of his age-being too young to mix with others 4 to even 5yr olds. other centres who were willing to take him at the next level r not so convenient.

[deardear07]

tamarind:

Hi XK,

For the Peter and Jane series (also known as the Key Word series), you can refer to the chart in my blog :
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-to-expect-in-primary-one.html

Scroll down to look for the chart. Kids at 5 to 6 years old should be reading levels 3 and 4, those at 6 to 7 years old should be reading levels 5 to 7.

For Chinese, you mean the Si Wu Kuai Du series right ? If a child can complete books 3 or 4, she should be well prepared for P1 Chinese, provided she can remember all the words in the 4 books. It is important to revise and read Chinese story books regularly. Just to share, there is a new book of stories by the author of the Si Wu Kuai Du series :
http://product.dangdang.com/product.aspx?product_id=21055950&ref=order-2-A

Tamarind, just wana get a sense... I don't know how long ago has this reccomendation been around? Our kids' era has changed and evolved. Many more children read earlier.

Do u really think level 5-7 is for 6-7yrs old? or is it normal for that age to go beyond? coz when I flipped through higher levels, though more wordy, most of the words are still high frequency words, common sight words. If a child is able to read level 5-7, likely that same child should be able to finish all levels by end of k2 or even earlier right?

My friend was just stating that for premier schools, many children are already reading books like Enid Blyton, A-Z mysteries, magic schoolhouse, etc. Seems like the norm.

But on the other hand, I have teachers commenting that there are of course children, mainly from lower tier families and who are less informed, and they come in with barely any knowledge.

These being said, majority already know how to read quite well? Is this the sensing you get at ur child's school?