Students Showcase Chinese Cultural and Linguistic Flexibility

The Chinese Programme at YCIS is unique in its approach and methodology for learning the language, and the speed at which students can learn Chinese is a testament to its success. Chinese for Primary Students begins in Year 1 when students are assessed and placed in “Chinese as an Additional Language” (CAL), and “Chinese as a First Language” (CFL) class levels.

In classes, students build their language skills with a proven curriculum that is internally designed, based on research conducted by YCIS. Students also experience a variety of Chinese games, songs, and performances that allow them to practise while increasing their knowledge of Chinese culture and building their interest in the learning process and enabling them to use their language skills in many everyday contexts.

One of the outstanding ways YCIS teachers challenge students’ skills and reward their effort is through fun internal and external competitions, like the recently held external ‘Overseas Students’ View of Pudong’ talent show finals and an internal speech contest.

Six students from YCIS Pudong Primary and Secondary, assisted by two teachers, attended the ‘Overseas Students’ View of Pudong’ talent show, an event organised by the Pudong New Area Education International Exchange Center. Year 2 students William, Katherine, and Janos, together with Year 8 students Wendi, Nicholas, and Angelique, joined 1440 students from 28 different schools in Shanghai, submitting their video productions.

The Primary students’ performance showed their interest in crafts and skilled artisanship, demonstrating love and understanding of the cultural heritage of ‘reed weaving’. In their performances, Secondary students showed their enthusiasm, creativity, and knowledge, showcasing traditional ancient skills in the form of ship model-making,original songs, dances, and poems. 

The students worked hard to learn their parts and fully prepare for this event. As a result, they presented two high-quality plays, reached the finals, and the Primary group even won the ‘Honour of Performance Award’! They impressed the expert judges, who described them as excellent participants in this competition.

Students from Years 7–10 at YCIS Puxi Secondary recently participated in a CFL and CAL speech contest, testing their public speaking skills and linguistic flexibility in Chinese. Students from the four year levels worked on speeches under various themes that required creative interpretation, including ‘a story of growth’, ‘an encounter’, ‘landscapes’, and ‘a twist on a classic’. After selecting their themes, the participants recorded short videos in the classroom, showcasing their literary ideas and inventive approaches. 

The judges—including staff and teachers, together with other students—watched the videos and selected the best performances for each grade. The outstanding speechwriters were then featured in school newsletters and celebrated at the whole-school assembly. Students Carry, Leroy, Ellie, and Connie, all won the 'CFL Champion' award, while students Michael, Paul, and Yi Qian, won the 'CAL Champion' award. Finally, Year 8 student Jimmy and Year 10 student Johannes won the 'Judge Award'.

We look forward to more participation in such competitions and opportunities to showcase the diverse talents of our students.

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