Innovative ideas to boost pre-school teaching of Chinese language
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The winning idea by Ms Xie Yingying, who teaches at NTUC First Campus' My First Skool, involves a tree-like figure with six coloured doors. PHOTO: COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE CHINESE LANGUAGE LEARNING
Fang Yiyang
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Designing a playground with some forethought can raise the effectiveness of pre-school Chinese language instruction - one of many ideas raised by experts at a seminar last Saturday.
Taipei Nanhai Experimental Pre-school principal Cheng Yu-Ling said a playground that incorporates children's ideas can better satisfy their craving for exploration. She was speaking during a lecture to more than 1,300 pre-school Chinese language educators at the seminar, organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL).
The seminar was held virtually for the first time since its launch in 2005, after being cancelled last year due to the pandemic.
Mrs Cheng's lecture was one of four by experts at the seminar. The other three featured Beijing Institute of Education (Fengtai Branch) research team leader Qin Yan, Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer Tiong Shiuan Shiuan and Tsing Hua University (Taiwan) Emeritus Professor Chou Su-Hui.
Among the topics discussed in the lectures were ways to liven up pre-school Chinese language teaching through the use of tools such as audio books and picture books.
They also touched on teaching and learning the Chinese language through science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, the theme of this year's seminar.
Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Education and chairman of the CPCLL, said the purpose of the seminar is to expose pre-school Chinese language teachers to novel teaching methods, enhance their teaching ability, and raise pre-school Chinese language teaching here to the next level.
An award ceremony was also held during the seminar to recognise the 10 winners of the annual pre-school Chinese language teachers' storytelling aids competition organised by the CPCLL.
The top three entries and seven commendation award recipients were selected from close to 300 entries received between March and April, the CPCLL said in a statement last Saturday.
The winning entry, submitted by Ms Xie Yingying, who teaches at NTUC First Campus' My First Skool, involves a tree-like figure with six doors of different colours.
Ms Xie explained in a presentation that pre-schoolers may find the design refreshing and be encouraged to explore science.
Her submission, along with those from the other nine award recipients and six other finalists, can be found in a virtual gallery on the CPCLL's microsite.
• CPCLL's microsite: https://virtualbooth.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/MOEChinese/index.htm
