Mandarin

We realise the importance of a high standard of spoken and written Chinese to the child entering Primary One. The Chiltern House programme is designed to develop a positive attitude towards learning Mandarin. Our Mandarin teachers converse only in Mandarin providing excellent language role models for the children. At Nursery level, our work is entirely oral, developing ear training and an awareness of sounds. Vocabulary is built through songs, language games, activities and stories. Written work begins in earnest in Kindergarten One as vocabulary builds and extends to story writing in Kindergarten Two.

Our Pre-Nursery to Kindergarten Two programmes involve the active participation of both the English and Mandarin teachers within the classroom. During the week, the teachers take turns to lead specific activities (Circle Time, Show and Tell, Snack and Story). In addition to this, daily hands-on activities are provided in Mandarin. The focus of the Mandarin curriculum is to build vocabulary and inculcate a love for Mandarin through daily exposure to social language, art and craft, songs and rhymes, drama and stories.

Our Pre-Nursery to Kindergarten Two Mandarin curriculum incorporates both a formalised language learning programme as well as planned conversational opportunities to develop the practical use of the language. This is done through our teachers’ involvement in daily routines such as snack time, playground, games and the use of technology.

In Nursery Two, the children continue to build their vocabulary through art and craft, songs, rhymes, drama and stories. With the use of picture talk and Show and Tell, the children further develop their expressive language to enable them to communicate using short phrases and sentences. They also begin to learn basic Chinese strokes through tracing and other fine motor activities.

In Kindergarten One, our children further extend their vocabulary with the emphasis on expressing themselves in sentences. They develop early reading and word recognition through the use of rhymes and games. In writing, the children work on word formation (counting and naming the strokes) and writing their names. They will also start to learn to write some simple words.

Our Kindergarten Two programmes focusses on the children’s ability to read phrases, sentences and short passages with understanding. The children are introduced to spelling and writing in sentences through the use of activity sheets and other resources. We introduce Hanyu Pinyin to our Kindergarten Two children through a collection of enjoyable and interactive activities.

Mandarin Speech and Drama along with Show and Tell are conducted once a week. This culminates with the children’s participation in the Mandarin Speech and Drama Achievement Award.

Chinese Cultural Arts by Chengzhu

The Chinese Cultural Arts programme by Chengzhu is introduced to provide additional exposure to focused language activities and regular immersion within the Chinese culture as further encouragement and support for the children develop confident Mandarin communication skills. Music, dance, drama, art, stories, and specific cultural activities such as preparation of traditional Chinese festival foods, are essential in helping the children develop an appreciation and understanding of the Chinese culture.