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) seeks to develop their conversation skills.  Weekly “Yum Cha” session encourage pupils to read widely, 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.

 Moving ahead, the department plans to embark on Bi-Cultural Programme with our P3 Higher Ability pupils with the intention of exposing our pupils to more in depth Chinese Literature, Culture, Traditions and History.

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)

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.

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!

READ With Me （亲子阅读）

As part of school’s effort to promote reading among our pupils, the Chinese Language Department launched the READ with Me programme for P1 – P3 pupils in 2009. Pupils are encouraged to read a story book to their parents every alternate week. The school hopes that parents can actively support this programme by reading with your child and completing the reading log.

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.

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 plans to embark on Bi-Cultural Programme with P3 Higher Ability in 2010.

This innovative programme will expose our P3 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, Understanding of Different Dialects as well as Chinese Weiqi.