The transition from preschool to primary school is perhaps one of the most challenging adaptations that your child has to make in early childhood – and if your kids aren’t already comfortable with Chinese, that makes the transition even tougher.

Some parents think their children have plenty of time before they have to start working on the material because there aren’t any official exams in Primary One. Whilst this might be true, schools still administer ‘holistic assessments’ which are, in essence, the exact same thing. So make sure your kids are well-prepared, and help them start their schooling days on a good note!

Want to know how you can help your kids prepare for P1 Chinese? Check out these three effective ways to prime your kids for success in the language:

1) Equip your kids with the right attitude

If you didn’t already know, there’s a stark contrast between primary school and preschool. Class sizes are doubled, teachers are less patient, and you can expect less mollycoddling and a lot more Chinese homework. Make sure you mentally prepare your kids for this increase in workload, and equip them with the right attitude to handle their homework.

How to do this:

Before term starts, explain to your kids that they will now have more ‘responsibilities’ like more homework because they’re older, and can do more than their younger counterparts – challenging kids to do more because they are now “more mature” is a great way to get them to buy in. Get them to set goals to work towards, and challenge them to strive to do better each term.

2) Help them master Hanyu Pinyin

Chinese exams are heavily weighted towards Hanyu Pinyin, with as much as 40% of questions in SA2 examinations being Hanyu Pinyin-related. If your child’s foundation in Hanyu Pinyin isn’t great, it’s time to rectify that!

How to do this:

Buy Hanyu Pinyin flashcards and charts from Popular Bookstore to revise with your children at home. The two most common problems that kids face are differentiation of vowel tones as well as blending of consonants and vowels – so keep an eye out for these two issues in particular!

3) Brush up on your kids’ oral skills

A lot of parents focus on getting their children acquainted with the necessary vocabulary – but only in written form. As a result, kids at the primary school level often have trouble with their Show and Tell.

The good news? Most schools allow students to prepare a script in advance, so the only thing you have to help your kids deal with is conquering stage fright. You can easily do this by getting your kids to speak Mandarin at home, and holding informal show and tell sessions where they can discuss simple topics with the rest of the family.

Need some expert help?

KidStartNow’s Primary One programme is perfect for students who need help in improving their Chinese via its proprietary BOSHI method that helps your child learn smarter.

We have a proven track record of success, and our tried and tested methods have helped countless students achieve their potential and deliver impressive results. Watch the video below to find out more about our student Jue Ming, who topped Fengshan Primary School for P1 Chinese in 2016.

Sign up for a trial class now!

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