Help Your Child Learn Chinese Language Efficiently and Happily

Author: Dr Soh Kay Cheng

Publisher: NTU-SCCL Press, 2017

This book is written with the needs of young English-speaking parents in mind and offers accessible guide to teach their child learn Chinese. With his expert knowledge of children's bilingualism, Dr Soh Kay Cheng sheds new light on issues that English-speaking parents may encounter when helping their child learn Chinese at home. He also empowers them to take a straightforward and practical approach to aid their child in learning Chinese language effectively and happily.

 

Teaching Toolkits

NTU-SCCL Press has newly published three teaching toolkits in March 2017. MOE teachers can access teaching toolkits online for free. For more information, please visit our website.

1. "Drama is the Laboratory of Learning Chinese as a Second Language" Teaching Toolkit (Updated Version)

Authors: Dr. Chou Shiao-Yuh, Mr Lim Chin Nam

Publisher: NTU-SCCL Press, 2017

Developed by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, the "Drama is the Laboratory of Learning Chinese as a Second Language" teaching toolkit (Updated Version) is designed for use in the teaching of Chinese language in primary and secondary schools. The toolkit comprises two parts: the Written Part and the Demonstrative Videos.

The Written Part begins with an introduction to the theories of drama in education and their application processes. It continues with an exploration of how drama can be integrated in the teaching and learning of Chinese, followed by a concise account of eight common drama conventions. The accompanying lesson plans, 7 for secondary school and 3 for primary school, give teachers a concrete idea of how the drama conventions can be applied in the Chinese classroom. Samples of students' compositions written with the aid of drama conventions are also appended.

The Video Section comprises the interviews of participant teachers and students as well as examples demonstrating how the drama conventions are used in the classroom. There are 13 videos in the toolkit.

The Written Explanations together with the Demonstrative Videos in the toolkit equip teachers with a deeper understanding of how drama can effectively be integrated in Chinese language teaching. The toolkit aims to change the stereotype concepts of the use of drama in education and ultimately promote drama pedagogy in Chinese language education.

 

2. "I can write 'what I see' and 'what I think'—scaffolding instructions for picture composition writing" Teaching Toolkit

Authors: Mdm. Zhou Hongxia, Dr. Goh Poh Huat

Publisher: NTU-SCCL Press, 2017

The teaching toolkit, entitled "I can write 'what I see' and 'what I think'—scaffolding instructions for picture composition writing", is a product of collaborative school-based research by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, Concord Primary School and De La Salle School. It provides teachers with supplementary materials for Chinese composition writing lessons, and can be used in a school-based curriculum.

Designed for teaching picture composition writing in Primary 3 and 4 classes, the toolkit aims to assist students with the scaffolding teaching model and help them overcome the limitations of paucity of ideas and lack of coherence in writing. It comprises 8 units, complete with lesson plans, worksheets and PowerPoint slides. In addition, the chapters on scaffolding instruction theory and the toolkit's overall design equip teachers with a better understanding of the principles behind the toolkit. All the lesson plans have been experimented in schools with sound students' performance and are well received by teachers. This is a very handy toolkit for middle primary Chinese language teachers.

 

3. "Elementary Writing" Teaching Toolkit (Revised)

Authors: Dr. Ng Tai Cheen, Dr. Yan Jing, Mdm. Dong Yan, Mdm. Kuah Hui Hui

Publisher: NTU-SCCL Press, 2017

Developed by Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL), the revised "Elementary Writing" teaching toolkit is designed for use in lower Primary Chinese language lessons. As the product of a collaborative school-based research project by SCCL, Anglo Chinese School (Junior) and Bukit Timah Primary School, this toolkit exemplifies the innovative concept of "Research-Validate-Train" advocated by SCCL.

The toolkit comprises resources for both Primary 1 and Primary 2 levels. For each level, there are ten lesson plans and related student activity sheets designed on the basis of effective pedagogical principles. All the resources are aligned with the latest 2015 Chinese Language (Primary) Syllabus launched by MOE.

The revised "Elementary Writing" teaching toolkit provides a systematic approach to the teaching of elementary writing and is a useful resource for lower primary Chinese language teachers.