One of the best abilities you can develop is speaking several languages fluently. It’s a fantastic tool to have on hand, especially if you’re applying to graduate school or starting your career.
Aside from English, Chinese is one of the most commonly spoken languages. And studying Chinese can be advantageous given how interconnected the world is growing more and more. You might suggest that your kids learn the language or sign them up for a class specialising in teaching Chinese.
The Higher Chinese course is one such instance. Enrolling your kids in a class like this may help them become more fluent in Chinese, ultimately leading to more options than they had previously anticipated.
This page will clarify what Higher Chinese is and what it entails if you still need to convince your child to take it.
1. What Exactly is Higher Chinese?
Higher Chinese is college-level Chinese instruction, and primary through secondary school students can take it as an optional course. The Ministry of Education claims that Higher Chinese will give students with a more assertive aptitude for the Chinese language the opportunity to learn at a higher level to improve their skills. In addition, because it primarily focuses on comprehension, it allows for higher-order linguistic thinking.
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2. How Does it Differ From Standard Chinese?
Advanced Chinese is higher, and it has between 20% and 30% more vocabulary to learn per chapter than Normal Chinese. Also, composition and comprehension are given additional attention. Typically, tests given to students only cover those two subjects and do not include oral or listening components.
The workload increases as Chinese learning progresses. Most schools demand three additional classes, and additional compositions are expected of the students. It is more exacting regarding comprehension, sentence structure, and spelling, and more tests and exams would result from these outputs.
In addition, pupils will be required to memorise vast quantities of texts and phrases and the idioms typically examined. Long chapters must be summarised for them.
They will require a solid foundation in Chinese vocabulary and a complete comprehension of syntax to write well. You’ll be required to register quickly.
3. When Should Students Study Higher Chinese?
Most schools begin teaching higher levels of Chinese language around Primary 5. Some schools have started offering it from the Primary 2 level, such as St. Hilda’s Primary School, where pupils can choose to take Higher Chinese.
4. Does Learning Higher Chinese Have Requirements?
The majority of primary schools provide higher Chinese. However, they will only let you enrol in the course if you are proficient in Standard Chinese at the Primary 4 or 5 level and have received at least a 70-point grade.
The requirements get more complicated if your child is in secondary school. Your child will be qualified to take Higher Chinese if they are among the top 11% to 30% of students with an A* grade in Chinese.
They are also qualified if they scored in the top 10% of the PSLE or have previously earned merit in the PSLE for Higher Chinese.
5. How to Prepare for the Exam?
As previously indicated, Higher Chinese has 20% more words per chapter than standard Chinese. This also applies to pupils taking the PSLE at the primary level, and the language would also be sophisticated.
Students will be required to write more when they reach the secondary level. Two higher Chinese courses are offered at the O levels: Paper 1 and Paper 2.
Students must create two different types of compositions for Paper 1. They will pick up essay and email writing skills. Students’ attention will be drawn to summaries and comprehension in Paper 2.
6. What Benefits Can Higher Chinese Students Expect?
After learning Higher Chinese, students in the primary and secondary levels will have a solid foundation in language acquisition. They’ll comprehend Chinese grammar better, and they’ll also have a more extensive vocabulary.
A kid will be better equipped for Higher Chinese in secondary school if they begin studying it in primary school. They won’t struggle as much because of their strong foundation.
This is a significant advantage, mainly if they enrol in an SAP or IP secondary school.
Higher Chinese also offers the benefit of exempting secondary pupils who took it for their O Levels from taking the Mother Tongue test when they enrol in junior college.
They will have a lower workload during their first two years than pupils who completed regular Chinese because they won’t need to take additional A-Level topics like H1 Chinese.
They will be able to concentrate on and complete other tasks.
7. Who Should Enrol in Higher Chinese?
Students who strongly desire to learn the language should enrol in higher Chinese. Learning the language more thoroughly by mastering grammar and other in-depth skills is a fantastic approach. Better writing skills will enable students to compose better essays and emails.
All of this would, however, imply a more significant workload for the pupils. It might be wise to remain with standard Chinese if your youngster already needs help. To help your child advance, think about Chinese home instruction.
Additionally, if you don’t intend for your child to attend SAP School, you won’t need anything. Chinese at the higher levels is complex.
If your child doesn’t show enthusiasm in studying it, forcing them to may negatively impact how well they perform in their other classes.
Final Thoughts
It’s advised to start learning a second language when you’re young. When compared to when kids discover something much later, they will be able to pick things up quickly.
You can enroll your child in Higher Chinese to provide them with a solid foundation if they enjoy learning Chinese. Don’t push them too hard, and keep in mind that learning should be as enjoyable as possible for them because mastering a second language takes more effort.
HaoChinese is here to help! If you or you find your child struggling with Higher Chinese, we can surely be of help to you! Check out HaoChinese Programmes and start enrolling with us!
