Failure is the foundation of success, and the means by which it is achieved. Lao Tzu
Learning Chinese is one of the less common language paths for students in New Zealand. In 2020, 6368 students enrolled in a Chinese language programme in a secondary school, and only 5044 enrolled in 2022.
Only 260 students enrolled in a University Chinese programme in 2022. Most students learn Māori, French, Spanish, German, or Japanese instead.
However, being able to speak Chinese is a huge advantage if you want a business career or just to travel and learn more about Chinese culture. New Zealanders need to know Mandarin from a world economics perspective, as the two countries can’t have a good relationship if they can’t understand each other!
So, if you’re one of the aspiring Mandarin learners in New Zealand (or the parent of one), how can you ensure that you can pass the NCEA Level 1 exam with what you learn in school?
Why Should You Learn Chinese at School?
Secondary school is a great place to explore things you might otherwise not get the chance to learn. After graduating, life generally becomes a lot busier and you have much less time to try things for fun. Seizing the opportunity to try something different while still in school is a smart move!
Beyond taking advantage of your position as a youth, learning Mandarin in school has other, real-world benefits.
Set the Foundation for Further Learning
If you want to pursue more in-depth studies in Chinese history, culture, or language in the future, you are setting yourself up for success by learning what you can as young as you can. It’s much easier to acquire a language when we are younger. Plus, having it in your long-term memory helps you synthesise and utilise what you know more easily later on.
Learning one language also prepares your brain to learn other languages more easily, so by learning Chinese, you also help yourself in learning any other languages in the future.
Finally, language learning conditions the brain to think critically and absorb other new concepts more easily, not just language.
Strengthen Your University Applications and Work CV
When applying to a university, it helps to have a strong application. Showing that you took on learning a language so different from English highlights your intelligence and hard work! And if you can show good scores on your NCEA Levels? Even better!
The rarity of this language is its greatest strength. Very few people in New Zealand speak Chinese as a second language. This means that speaking Mandarin will look great on your CV and make finding a job easier. This is especially true in commerce as China is the world’s second-largest economy.
Ignite a Lifelong Passion
If you learn Chinese, you could end up passionate about Chinese culture. A lot of people want to learn Chinese to travel to China and make the most of their time there by learning about the culture and speaking with the natives.
Language lessons are a great way to learn more about a specific culture. Culture and language are entwined through history and the present day, so when you learn about one, you learn about the other.
By learning Chinese, you inevitably become familiar with the history and culture of China.
Learning to Speak Chinese at School
In secondary school, many students will have to choose a foreign language to learn. In NCEA-level courses, students are expected to already know some Chinese from lower-level classes.
Studying Chinese at NCEA Level 1
Students studying at this level are meant to learn how to communicate at a basic but functional level in Mandarin.
Some key competency points students should acquire are:
- The ability to deduce rules about the language on their own
- Be able to think cleverly about the language to clearly express their ideas using what words they do know
- Understand appropriate ways to communicate with a cultural awareness
This means that a student must be able to read, write, listen, and speak in Mandarin. They must know the Pinyin and Mandarin Chinese glyphs adequately as well as the tones.
Students will learn about 370 Chinese characters in the Level 1 class. They will be able to give a spoken presentation in Mandarin and write extensively and skillfully on different topics.
School Clubs
Many secondary schools have Chinese culture and/or language clubs for even more chances to learn outside of regular class hours. This is a great opportunity to learn Mandarin with other students, even ones who aren’t in your particular class!
Together, you can practice speaking and share different Chinese media that you enjoy, helping to encourage each other to keep learning.
How to Do Well in Your NCEA Level 1 Class
Most higher-level classes in secondary school require extra effort from the students to do well. Only engaging in the subject during class time might work for some students, but for many, it’s necessary to study outside of school as well.
Write Effective Notes
There are many different methods for note-taking, and they each have pros and cons. Everyone will have a different way of taking notes that works best for them. Try one of these methods as a starting point, and modify as needed:
- The Cornell Method
- The Outlining Method
- The Mapping Method
- The Charting Method
- The Sentence Method
- The Zettelkasten Method
- The SQ3R Method
You can do a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of your note-taking methods periodically to see what you need to adjust for more efficacy.
Review Often
Go over your notes often, not just before a quiz or at the end of the year. Remember, being exposed to the same information over and over is a particularly effective way to get it to stick in your head.
Supplement With Apps & Tools
Use apps like Anki to help you memorize vocabulary. Anki is a flashcard app and while it might take some time to set up, it can be helpful for quick study sessions. You can even study for a few minutes at times when you might otherwise just scroll on social media instead!
Find TV, movies, books, comics, music, and any other media that excites you - in Chinese! You’ll spur yourself to a) learn new vocabulary, b) reinforce existing vocabulary, and c) motivate yourself to stay interested in your school course.
Find a Private Tutor
For personalised assistance in learning everything you need to know in your NCEA Level 1 class, you can hire a tutor! This is an especially wise move if you find you’re having trouble keeping up with the rest of the class, but anyone can hire a tutor at any time.
Your private tutor’s job is to ensure that you meet your goals. So whether you’re having trouble learning grammar rules, pronunciation, Pinyin, characters, tones, or the entire Chinese language, your tutor can help you one-on-one to learn what you need to know.
A private tutor can also help you study for the NCEA exam and help you prepare using practice questions.
Learning Chinese Outside of School
While a lot of Chinese learning takes place in schools, nothing is stopping you from learning a language outside of compulsory education or a university. You can learn Chinese online thanks to great resources like YouTube, blogs, apps, and education platforms.
Additionally, you can attend Chinese conversation classes, practise with another beginner, or do an online Chinese language exchange where you chat in Chinese with a native speaker for half of the time and then help them with their English for the other half.
If you’re serious about learning Chinese and want to immerse yourself, you can even go to China and take classes there!
By attending a class with a Chinese teacher in China, you'll have the chance to use Mandarin to communicate every day, making you conversational in no time. Additionally, an immersion class can allow you to travel to amazing places like Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou.
Ready to get better at your Chinese so you can do well on your NCEA exam? Explore tutors on Superprof who can help you succeed!
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