When finding Chinese courses for children, you may encounter many different curriculums, such as Chinese HSK, YCT courses, and MOE aligned courses. Although MOE aligned courses may seem similar to other Chinese courses, this curriculum has a fundamental difference that parents need to understand. So, what is the difference between MOE aligned classes with other similar Chinese courses? In this article, we will discuss how MOE aligned Chinese courses differ from other classes and find the most suitable one for your children. 

Before diving into the differences between MOE aligned classes and other Chinese enrichment classes, it is important to understand what MOE courses essentially mean and why they matter so much for children in Singapore. MOE-aligned Chinese courses usually follow the same structure with Singapore’s Ministry of Education requirements for language learning, making it suitable to improve students’ overall skills. Usually, MOE-aligned Chinese courses will not only focus on one specific skill, but rather encourage students to understand Chinese skills required for communication. Here are some common topics that your children will learn in MOE aligned Chinese courses. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: MOE Chinese Curriculum Explained: How to Help Your Child Succeed

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary is a building block when it comes to mastering Chinese in accordance with the MOE curriculum. Usually, each level of MOE Chinese will have its specific set of key vocabulary that children are expected to understand. In alignment with this objective, many MOE Chinese courses will focus greatly on vocabulary acquisition. Aside from helping with verbal communication, this knowledge will also help children improve their reading and writing skills, making it important in many situations. 

Oral Skills

Another important skill that students need to build while learning in MOE aligned courses is the ability to converse in different situations. Usually, oral skills in MOE curriculum is not limited to the ability to speak with other people, but also the adaptability to adjust their speech pattern depending on the situation. In many MOE aligned Chinese courses, oral skills are often encouraged by interactive sessions between trainers and students, or peer-focused methods. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Learning Conversational Chinese for Kids at Home When Parents Don’t Speak It

Real-Life Connection

MOE aligned Chinese courses usually go beyond the classroom. These courses are not only aimed to help children successfully pass their classes, but also help them find real-life connections based on what they’ve learned. This will encourage children to understand that learning Chinese can be practical and is not only limited to finishing a class. Therefore, they are generally able to retain information quicker and longer. 

At first glance, MOE aligned courses and Chinese enrichment classes may seem similar. However, their differences come in many aspects that may result in different learning experiences. Before choosing the most suitable Chinese course for your children, let’s learn the differences between MOE aligned courses and Chinese enrichment classes .

Curriculums

The most distinguishing difference between MOE aligned courses and Chinese enrichment classes can be seen in their varying curriculum. MOE-aligned courses are often standardized between one tuition centre and another as these classes are meant to help children learn based on school curriculum. Therefore, this type of learning is often inflexible. On the other hand, Chinese enrichment classes offer the flexibility to customize courses depending on children’s needs. This course is suitable for children who want to master a specific Chinese skill. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: MOE Chinese Curriculum: What Primary School Kids Are Expected to Know

Goals 

MOE-aligned courses often share the same curriculum with MOE’s objective, which include developing language skills, cultivating humanistic qualities, and fostering generic competencies. These goals can be reflected on how well children are doing in their classes. On the other hand, children’s goals when joining Chinese enrichment classes may differ from one another.

Assessments

MOE-aligned courses usually have certain measurements to help assess students’ progress in learning Chinese language. Many tuition centers refer to official national exams to form assessment. This assessment will usually cover all basic Chinese skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. On the other hand, Chinese enrichment classes have a different approach to assess their students. A common example is measuring children’s ability based on their participation and classroom activities. These classes usually adopt a more flexible assessment method to help implement fun learning activities for children.

If your main goal is to provide supplementary lessons to help your children achieve better results at school, learning with MOE aligned courses may be the right choice for you. In Singapore, you can usually encounter many Chinese tuition centres. However, not every centre provides MOE aligned courses to apply. Here’s a quick checklist that you can use to help find MOE aligned tuition centres for your children. 

Check Official Websites

If you’re still struggling to locate Chinese tuition centres, you can simply search for them on the internet. After finding possible tuition centres near your area, your next step should be checking their official websites. Chinese tuition centres usually update their available classes for easier navigation. By going to their official website, you can get a short description of any classes that seem to match your children’s needs. 

Understand Teachers’ Profiles 

Aside from finding courses, reading teachers’ profiles are often encouraged to help gauge the tuition centre’s credibility. A few Chinese tuition centres will usually post their teachers’ profiles to help convince parents. If this information is not present, you can try reaching out to their contacts and ask for teachers’ profiles. Once you manage to get these profiles, you can begin checking their official certificates and past experiences. This information can help you sort out the most suitable teacher that matches your children’s learning style. 

Seek for Testimony

Testimony speaks better if you’re trying to find objective opinions. Usually, you can find these testimonies on Chinese tuition websites or Google Review. Be sure to not only focus on the rating, but also understand the pros and cons of taking MOE aligned courses in your preferred location. 

Discovering the best Chinese courses for kids is crucial, especially if you’re looking for a specific curriculum. Aside from finding the right curriculum, there are many other aspects that you need to consider, such as teachers’ experiences and learning arrangements. In Elitekid, we provide the best MOE aligned courses that can connect children with native Chinese speakers. With bite-sized learning materials and homework feedback, this course is suitable for students who wish to understand MOE Chinese. Find more about how we can help your children learn MOE Chinese effectively by visiting our site.