The Chinese Department is a class of its own! We are a group of dedicated teachers, working to harness the best of all pupils in the learning of Chinese Language. We aim at making every minute in learning the language fun and engaging, thus the teaching of Chinese Language in TPS takes on many different approaches

Pupils are involved in active discussion of current affairs during “Let’s SHOOT!” session, while focused Theme – Oriented Oral Practice (TOOP) and using VAIN package to develop their conversation skills.   During weekly Mother Tongue assembly on every Wednesday, teachers share with pupils about extra information which tied up with NE and Chinese Culture. Besides, pupils are strongly encouraged to read Chinese story books before the early bird programme start. While READ With Me programme strives to inculcate good reading habit in our pupils with the support from parents.

Pupils are encouraged to use the language effectively and imaginatively through Theme – Oriented Compo Practice (TOP) which also aims to equip pupils with good writing skills. TPS in-house School Based Curriculum focusing on our niche area also creates greater awareness of different heritages among our pupils.

During Mother Tongue Fortnights and Culture camp, pupils will also have a better understanding about Chinese Culture and inculcated the passion of learning Chinese Language.

Let’s SHOOT! （有话直说）

Every fortnightly, our P5 and P6 pupils are given a topic related to the most current issues in town. Pupils are encouraged to read up on these issues and be ready to voice up their views during Let’s SHOOT! Sessions in class. During these sessions, pupils participated actively in class discussion and have plenty of opportunities to put their oral skills to use.

Theme – Oriented Oral Practice (TOOP) and VAIN Package

This Theme – Oriented Oral Practice (TOOP) package is developed to equip our P4 to P6 pupils with correct conversational skills for daily usage as well as for oral examination. Pupils are given many different scenarios to put Chinese language into practice. Think-Pair-Share and Audio Recording are some of the activities pupils are involved in.  VAIN Package is to equip p5 to p6 pupils with organized skill to express views. Pupils learn to give views by criticizing the events by Value, talk about the Action and consequences, follow by giving idea of Intervention and lastly tied up with NE message.

Yum Cha Session （饮茶时间）

It’s time for Tea! “Yum Cha” session (aka Tea Session) is the school’s innovation in promoting reading among our pupils.  Pupils are encouraged to bring a Chinese Story Book to read leisurely in school. Reading however is not confined to the classroom.  During this “Yum Cha” session, teachers bring the pupils out of the classroom, to the canteen, to the nearby park, to a quiet corner, to have a snack while reading. Pupils are able to read with genuine interest! Come on; pick up a book to read!

Theme – Oriented Compo Practice （主题性写作配套）

“我手写我心” - Using my hands to convey my thoughts. This is what the department is working towards at the end of six years of Primary Chinese Language Education in TPS. Through this theme oriented compo practice, pupils go through a series of carefully selected composition practices aiming to enhance their writing ability. The skill of writing will allow our pupils to be able to express their thoughts confidently and fluently in the many years to come.

Mother Tongue Fortnight and Culture Camp (母语双周及文化营)

During Mother Tongue Fortnight, pupils from p1 to p6 are carrying out some activities, eg Wu Shu, paper cutting, poem recitation etc, to get more understanding of Chinese Culture, and inculcated the passion of learning Chinese language.  The theme of Mother Tongue Fortnight is designed according to philosophy of education, which are moral, intellectual, physical, collective, and aesthetics. Some levels of pupils are selected to attend the Culture Camp, to get to know more deeply about card game 将军令, which related to a China ancient novel《三国演艺》.

Bi-Cultural Programme (双文化课程)

To better engage an economically emergent China, Singapore needs a core group of students who are not only highly competent in Chinese, but also have a strong understanding of China’s history, culture and contemporary developments.

To help these students develop a bicultural orientation so that they can understand and engage China, and yet at the same are able to relate to the West, TPS embarked on Bi-Cultural Programme for P3 and P4 High Ability pupils from 2010.

This innovative programme will expose our P3 and P4 Higher Ability pupils to more in depth Chinese Literature, Culture, Traditions and History. Pupils can look forward to interesting customised modules such as Literature Appreciation, Study of Singapore’s and China’s History, as well as Weiqi.