Comparing Chinese Enrichment (Primary/Preschool)

[metz]

HI tcdl,


One of the managing staff at Bt Batok Berries told me about this. I suppose the same applies across the board.

According to her, the Higher Chinese program is designed for kids taking Higher Chinese in school. For those who have been with them in K2 but taking Normal Chinese in school, the teachers will advise the parents if the kid is suitable for the Higher Chinese program. Not so sure if the centre will accept new students doing Normal Chinese in school for the Higher Chinese program.

Heard the new materials for both Normal and Higher Chinese are ready, you might wanna check with Berries if they are available for viewing.

As for other levels, sorry, I don’t have any info on them. Hope it helps.

[metz]

Hi MdmKS,


Sorry I'm unable to help you on this. No experience yet.

But if you are thinking of enrolling your kids in Berries, it's best to ask around for the most recommended teacher in that centre/level. Usually, it's the teacher that makes a big difference.

[titank]

Hi chamonix,


I thought in Berries we do have the option to choose HMT or MT for the P1 class next year? Fro what I know 1st 6 months of P1, all the chinese students learning the same thing & that is HYPY.

Berries have so many francise so maybe different centre have different terms & condiitons. Still condiering whether Berries is good a not for P1.

[metz]

Hi titank,

I’m unsure on the options for new students. For the existing students, the teachers will advise the parents on the kids’ ability to follow through the Higher Chinese program accordingly.

In Berries, the kids are prepared for HYPY since the second half of K2. Therefore, I think the new Berries syllabus will cover more than just HYPY. Starting next year , the style of teaching will be different from the existing one. Instead of just working on passages for compre, Berries will be using storybooks to aid kids instead. Not sure how this will work out though.

[tcdl]

chamonix:

HI tcdl,


One of the managing staff at Bt Batok Berries told me about this. I suppose the same applies across the board.

According to her, the Higher Chinese program is designed for kids taking Higher Chinese in school. For those who have been with them in K2 but taking Normal Chinese in school, the teachers will advise the parents if the kid is suitable for the Higher Chinese program. Not so sure if the centre will accept new students doing Normal Chinese in school for the Higher Chinese program.

Heard the new materials for both Normal and Higher Chinese are ready, you might wanna check with Berries if they are available for viewing.

As for other levels, sorry, I don't have any info on them. Hope it helps.

chamonix:

Hi MdmKS,

Sorry I'm unable to help you on this. No experience yet.

But if you are thinking of enrolling your kids in Berries, it's best to ask around for the most recommended teacher in that centre/level. Usually, it's the teacher that makes a big difference.

Hi Chamonix,

Thanks for the infomation on the Normal and Higher Chinese program at Berries.

However, how can we find out the best recommended teacher in the centre/level. Usually if you are to ask the centre itself, they are likely to tell you all their teachers are as good. So, maybe you can give me some advice as how to do it ?

Thanks and Regards,

[tcdl]

Hi Parents whose children are in Berries at the Tampines Central branch,


I am looking to send my 2 kids, N1 and P2 level next year there. Any recommended teachers for the levels ? :idea:

Appreciate all advices .....

Thanks !!

[acforfamily]

Hi parents,


Seem to be reading many posts on lower Primary enrichment, since I spent the last weekend sourcing out P4 Chinese enrichment for compo and compre, thought I could share my thoughts. This is only my personal opinion based on the short visit to each, so feel free to indicate otherwise if you have a different experience.

Story Island (Eduplus) 专项班 (not the story class)
- about $27 / 28 per lesson including GST; 16 lessons per term
- 1.5 hours
- includes a presentation to audience every alternate week - good to build up confidence in child’s public speaking
- although they do give ideas about how to write a compo, does not seem to be very structured though. Compo every alternate week.
- includes compre, oral

Eduplus Bishan 说话作文 (not the Enrichment class)
- $30 +GST per lesson for 16 lessons per term + $20 materials
- 1.5 hours
- 1st wk compo, 2nd wk mark other student’s compo together with teacher, 3rd wk rewrite same topic again, 4th wk is compre and others if I remember correctly
- had experience with them for quite a while, their teachers change from centre to centre quite often. Normally the good ones get switched to other centres pretty quickly, I don’t know why. Having said that, I always find their teachers very warm and friendly to the children. Same for story island centre.

Berries higher chinese class 精英
- about $35 per lesson, 12 lessons per term
- 2 hours each
- don’t seem to have purely compo lessons, but the materials look pretty structured.
- according to lady that I spoke to, there is emphasis on compo only in term 2; term 1 is more oral, compre
- provides students with list of vocab outside textbook and ‘good phrases’ for compo

Tien Hsia writing and compre class (not the enrichment class)
- $30 per lesson, 10 lessons. no lesson during school holidays
- 1.5 hours each
- 1 compo every week including compre sometimes
- provides examples of ‘good phrases’

Did not try Jiang education and Molin as they are not convenient for me.

Would appreciate if any parents have any information to share about which of the centres’ teachers are good. All that I indicated above are located in Bishan.

[Kmumz]

Hi,


I am looking for urgent help for my son who is going to pri 6 next yr. His chinese is in bad shape-getting about 35-40/100. I heard a lot about berries, can they help do a lot of remedial work for a case like mine? Anyone knows anything about who to go to for such help?

[tcdl]

Kmumz:

Hi,


I am looking for urgent help for my son who is going to pri 6 next yr. His chinese is in bad shape-getting about 35-40/100. I heard a lot about berries, can they help do a lot of remedial work for a case like mine? Anyone knows anything about who to go to for such help?

Hi Kmumz,

Personally I would think that a 1-to-1 tution is more suitable for your case, especially P6. Not only he gets full attention from the tution teacher, also the teacher can fully focus in the area of his weakness.

Regards

[coolit]

Hi tcdl,


Do you know of any good 1-1 teacher? My child has always been in a group tuition.