Home › Learning at SJS ›

Mandarin

General Information about the Chinese Programme at SJS

As one of the SJS curriculum subjects, Chinese language has started its daily programme across all year levels since April, 2009. Due to an extremely wide spectrum of linguistic ability in Chinese among our students, our programme adopts a 3 pathway-structure with cross pathway mobility in order to cater for the dynamically different needs.
Pathway Focuses
 
Pathway 1 focuses on communication and aims to develop children’s speaking, listening and reading ability. Writing will be gradually introduced and developed in Year 4, 5 and 6.
 
Pathway 2 and 3 are literacy oriented. The children’s exposure to the Chinese Language (Cantonese, Mandarin and other Chinese dialects) enables them to understand the spoken information and to communicate with Chinese Mandarin in and outside class. Reading and writing are the main focus for these children. Their speaking and listening ability will be consolidated in class as well.
  
Time Allocation for All Classes at SJS
 
Year 1 - 2: 30 minutes per day
 
Year 3-Year 6: 45 minutes per day
 
Goals for this year
 
Ø     To improve children’s enjoyment of Chinese language learning
Ø     To improve children’s understanding of Chinese culture and its relationship to the learning of the language
Ø     To differentiate the teaching where possible to better cater for the wide range of abilities we have in each pathway. 
 
Homework Policy: SJS is now implementing a new homework policy. As Mandarin is part of the school curriculum, our homework is included within all school homework. It is understood that homework will consolidate language learnt in class. It can be story reading, rhyme reading, songs, oral or written journals etc. The time allocation for every year level is as following:
 
Year One – 5 minutes × 4 per cycle
Year Two – 5 minutes × 4 per cycle
Year Three - 5 minutes × 4 per cycle
Year Four – 10 minutes × 4 per cycle
Year Five – 10 minutes × 4 per cycle
Year Six - 10 minutes × 4 per cycle
 
Pathway Placement: Movement between pathways is arranged at the end of each school year to avoid disruption caused by change of teachers, resources and learning environment.  Adjustment may be made in the first few weeks of the First Term to correct misplacement.
 
Housekeeping issues: Students are allowed to take their textbooks home, but please remind your children to take them back on the day when they have Mandarin. Textbooks are school property. Please remind your children not to scribble or write on them.
 
Communication: Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns regarding your children’s progress in Mandarin. You can either write a note in your child’s diary or email us.