FAQ​ ​about​ ​Chinese​ ​Pathways​ ​at​ ​South​ ​Island​ ​School  

Q1:​ ​What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​“Language​ ​Pathways”?  Pathway​ ​A:​ ​Chinese​ ​as​ ​a​ ​First​ ​Language 

This  pathway  is  appropriate  for  students  for  whom  Chinese  is  reinforced  at  home  and  for  students  who  are  generally  confident  readers  and  writers  in  Chinese.  This  pathway  will usually lead to ​IGCSE as a 1st Language and ​IB Language A ​(leading to a  Bilingual  Diploma),  or Ab Initio in another language at IB.  These students will follow  the​ ​Chinese​ ​First​ ​Language​ ​Curriculum.     

  

*​ ​Simplified​ ​Chinese​ ​characters​ ​are​ ​used​ ​in​ ​South​ ​Island​ ​School  Pathway​ ​AB:​ ​Chinese​ ​as​ ​Second​ ​Language 

This  is  a  suitable  pathway  for  students  who  are  from  a  Chinese  Heritage  background  whose  reading  and  writing  levels  do  not  meet  the  requirements  of  the  Language  A  Pathway,  or  students  whose  mother  tongue  is  a  character-based  language  and  whose  Chinese  proficiency  has  reached  a  high standard.  This pathway  will generally lead to ​IGCSE as Second Language and ​Language B Higher Level (or Ab  Initio  in  another  language)  at  IB.  These  students  will  follow  the  Chinese  Second  Language​ ​Curriculum.  Pathway​ ​B:​ ​Foreign​ ​language​ ​learners​ ​of​ ​Chinese. 

This is a suitable pathway for students who are foreign language learners and do not  speak  the  language  at  home.  Some  students in this pathway have studied Chinese as  a  foreign  language  since  primary  school  and  others  started  Chinese  as  beginners at  secondary  school.  There  are  different  sets  for  students  with  different  abilities:  “​Standard  Level​”  for  students  with  a  sound  foundation  of  language  acquisition  and  “​Foundation  Level​”  for  those  who  are  emergent  communicators  or  beginners  in  the  language.  This  pathway  will  lead  to  ​IGCSE  as  a  Foreign  Language  and  typically  enables  students  to  succeed  at  ​IB  Language  B  either  Standard  or  Higher  Level​.  Students​ ​will​ ​follow​ ​the​ ​Chinese​ ​Foreign​ ​Language​ ​Curriculum.    

The  school  directs  students  towards  the  most  appropriate  course  to  ensure  they  are  sufficiently  challenged  and  supported  at  all  stages  of  their  school  career,  including​ ​IGCSE​ ​and​ ​IB.  

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   Q2:​ ​How​ ​does​ ​the​ ​school​ ​decide​ ​what​ ​Pathway​ ​my​ ​child​ ​will​ ​be​ ​in?  We  consider  the  following  four  elements  when  deciding  on  the  most  appropriate  Pathway​ ​for​ ​a​ ​student.     1):​ ​Chinese​ ​learning​ ​background:  Does​ ​the​ ​student​ ​speak​ ​Cantonese​ ​and​ ​/​ ​or​ ​Putonghua​ ​at​ ​home?  Have​ ​they​ ​learned​ ​Chinese​ ​reading​ ​and​ ​writing​ ​formally​ ​at​ ​school​ ​before​ ​joining​ ​SIS?  What​ ​Chinese​ ​curriculum​ ​did​ ​they​ ​follow​ ​before​ ​attending​ ​SIS?  

2):​ ​The​ ​placement​ ​test:  -​ ​The​ ​placement​ ​test​ ​is​ ​completed​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​year​ ​for​ ​all​ ​Year​ ​7​ ​and​ ​new  students.​ ​It​ ​assesses​ ​the​ ​language​ ​ability​ ​of​ ​students​ ​so​ ​that​ ​each​ ​student​ ​can​ ​be  allocated​ ​to​ ​a​ ​language​ ​class​ ​that​ ​is​ ​accessible​ ​yet​ ​appropriately​ ​challenging.​ ​ ​At​ ​regular  points​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​year,​ ​the​ ​learning​ ​progress​ ​of​ ​students​ ​is​ ​reviewed​ ​and​ ​if  necessary,​ ​adjustment​ ​to​ ​student​ ​placement​ ​is​ ​made​ ​accordingly.    3):​ ​ESF​ ​benchmark​ ​test  All​ ​students​ ​who​ ​have​ ​to​ ​come​ ​to​ ​us​ ​from​ ​ESF​ ​primary​ ​schools​ ​will​ ​have​ ​sat​ ​a  standardised​ ​test​ ​in​ ​Year​ ​6.     4):​ ​Recommendation​ ​from​ ​ESF​ ​primary​ ​schools  We​ ​receive​ ​comprehensive​ ​information​ ​from​ ​ESF​ ​primary​ ​schools​ ​regarding​ ​the  students’​ ​progress​ ​to​ ​date​ ​and​ ​the​ ​curriculum​ ​they​ ​have​ ​followed.     Q2:​ ​Can​ ​my​ ​child​ ​move​ ​Pathways?  We​ ​expect​ ​the​ ​vast​ ​majority​ ​of​ ​students​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​in​ ​the​ ​same​ ​Pathway​ ​during​ ​their  time​ ​at​ ​SIS.​ ​However,​ ​sometimes​ ​it​ ​is​ ​necessary​ ​to​ ​move​ ​students​ ​near​ ​the​ ​borderline  of​ ​a​ ​Pathway​ ​(e.g.​ ​between​ ​A​ ​and​ ​AB)​ ​up​ ​or​ ​down​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​their​ ​learning​ ​progress  and​ ​whether​ ​they​ ​require​ ​more​ ​challenge​ ​or​ ​more​ ​support.​ ​In​ ​this​ ​case​ ​we​ ​will​ ​contact  parents​ ​to​ ​discuss​ ​any​ ​proposed​ ​changes.     Q3:​ ​How​ ​do​ ​I​ ​know​ ​what​ ​Pathway​ ​my​ ​child​ ​is​ ​in?  The​ ​class​ ​codes​ ​on​ ​your​ ​child’s​ ​timetable​ ​on​ ​iSAMS​ ​indicate​ ​their​ ​Chinese​ ​Pathway.  There​ ​are​ ​2​ ​blocks​ ​for​ ​Y7​ ​and​ ​Y8​ ​classes:       X​ ​Block:​ ​101-105  Y​ ​Block:​ ​106-110     Each​ ​block​ ​has​ ​one​ ​A​ ​class,​ ​one​ ​AB​ ​class​ ​and​ ​3​ ​B​ ​classes.​ ​The​ ​three​ ​B​ ​classes​ ​are  divided​ ​into​ ​Standard​ ​Level​ ​and​ ​Foundation​ ​Level​ ​according​ ​to​ ​the​ ​range​ ​of​ ​language  abilities​ ​in​ ​the​ ​year​ ​group.​ ​ ​For​ ​Year​ ​7​ ​and​ ​8​ ​classes,​ ​the​ ​3​ ​learning​ ​pathways​ ​are  allocated​ ​as​ ​follows:  Block 

A 

AB 

B​ ​Standard 

B​ ​Foundation 

X 

101    

102 

103 

104,​ ​105 

Y 

106    

107 

108 

109,​ ​110 

  ​ ​Should​ ​you​ ​have​ ​any​ ​further​ ​questions​ ​please​ ​contact​ ​your​ ​child’s​ ​Chinese​ ​teacher,  Danni​ ​Li​ ​Leading​ ​Teacher​ ​of​ ​Chinese,​ ​or​ ​Tracy​ ​Cheung,​ ​the​ ​Head​ ​of​ ​Chinese.     Kelly​ ​Díaz  Head​ ​of​ ​Heritage​ ​and​ ​World​ ​Languages