For non-native speakers, learning for the MOE Chinese oral exam may seem difficult at first glance. With aspects to master such as proper Chinese pronunciation and vocabulary selection, Chinese oral exams can be overwhelming at first. The good news is, learning Chinese for oral exams is still possible for non-native kids with the right method. In this article, we will explore Chinese oral exams format, common mistakes, and study tips to help your kids score better! 

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Before diving into tips to master the MOE Chinese oral exam, the first thing that parents should introduce to their child is the exam structure. Knowing how the exam is structured and graded can help children have a more focused approach to studying Chinese oral and help them achieve better results. Here is a quick description on MOE Chinese oral exam structure and grading system that parents need to know! 

Exam Format

Generally, there are two different exam sections in MOE Chinese oral. The first section is a read aloud section, where children are given a short text to read. The second section consisted of a short video that children need to describe. This second section usually contributes a higher score toward the overall grading system. In this section, children are also expected to express opinions or feelings depending on the theme. 

Grading System

When it comes to grading children’s skills, examiners will rely on different aspects as the following: 

1. Accurate pronunciation, especially for words with similar pronunciation. 
2. Natural intonation and attention toward Chinese tones. 
3. Clear articulation for each syllable. 
4. Natural pace with consideration toward deliberate pause.

Making mistakes is a common occurrence when learning a new language. However, it is also important for children to avoid repeating the same mistakes in order to have better results in the MOE Chinese oral exam. Here are a few common mistakes that children often make during their MOE Chinese oral exam. 

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Speaking Too Fast

Many students failed to pass their Chinese oral exams due to how fast they speak. Although fluency is a good sign of Chinese understanding, speaking fastly can often make your score lower, especially if you’re not articulating each sentence properly. Instead, children need to focus more on managing their pace and give deliberate pause between sentences. 

Respond with Short Answers

Many children failed to score a good mark due to their inability to elaborate answers. This is a common struggle, especially if your children have just taken the MOE Chinese oral exam for the first time. Children may find it hard to spontaneously answer questions with proper training beforehand. In this situation, children need to observe deeper and describe things as detailed as possible. 

Memorizing Words

Chinese vocabulary can sometimes become overwhelming to many children. However, memorizing these words for exams is often not the most effective way to help during Chinese oral exams. Memorizing Chinese vocabulary for exams can cause children to be too afraid to improvise and result in hesitation during actual conversation with the examiner. 

Hesitating or Overusing Fillers

Another habit that children often display when doing their Chinese oral exam is to use too many fillers such as “uh” or “ah”. Overusing fillers or hesitating between words can make children sound not prepared and may cause examiner to give lower scores. Instead of overusing fillers, children should allow themselves to think by speaking slower and pause between sentences. 

The key to achieving fluency is to build confidence in speaking Chinese. Children who display confident behavior often carry conversation more naturally and can express themselves better. If you want to help your children achieve better results in the MOE Chinese oral exam, here are a few tips to build their confidence in speaking Chinese! 

Practice Reading Out Loud

Practice is the key to success, especially if your children have just begun learning Chinese for an oral exam. If your children is a complete beginner, the first thing that they can do to become more confident is to practice reading out loud. Many children benefit from doing this simple routine as they can practice articulating sentences properly and avoid mispronunciation during the actual exam. 

Find Conversation Partners

Finding a learning partner is still one of the most effective ways to help children practice having Chinese conversation naturally. Having actual learning partners can allow children to improvise their conversations better, especially since conversations with others are often spontaneous and require children to answer immediately. Aside from encouraging a more natural conversation, learning partners can also help motivate children to practice more.

Focus on Keywords

Another tip that children can implement is to adjust their thinking pattern when taking the MOE Chinese exam. Before children start speaking, they can spend around a few seconds to identify keywords and main focus that they need to talk about. Understanding main focus and identifying keywords can help children to stay on theme while taking the MOE Chinese oral exam. Hence, they can elaborate more on the theme and provide more detail when needed. 

Preparing for the MOE Chinese Oral Exam doesn’t need to be overwhelming, even for non-native speakers. While many parents often struggle to teach their children to speak Chinese naturally, there are other options that you can try to help them become more fluent. In Elitekid, we provide MOE Chinese classes to help children learn through structured and engaging learning methods that encourage natural language acquisition. Learn more about how we can help your children prepare for the MOE Chinese oral exam by visiting our site.