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Primary 1 to Primary 5 · Jurong West
Chinese tuition for children who dread Chinese
In a lot of Singapore homes, English is the language at the dinner table and Chinese is the subject that causes the arguments. If your child has quietly decided they are hopeless at it, that belief is the first thing we have to deal with — before any vocabulary list.
What we work on
Lower Primary (P1–P3)
Hanyu pinyin and tones, 生字 recognition and stroke order, everyday vocabulary that children can actually use, sentence building, and 看图写话 — describing a picture in a few connected sentences rather than one word at a time. Listening comprehension and reading aloud feature every lesson, because at this level exposure matters more than drilling.
Upper Primary (P4–P5)
作文. Picture composition and continuous writing: planning the sequence, using 好词好句 in a way that fits the story rather than decorating it, and finishing within the word count and the time.
理解. Comprehension question types, how to locate the answer in the passage, and how to answer in complete Chinese sentences rather than translating an English thought word by word — which is where most marks quietly disappear.
语文应用. 填充, 病句, 选择题, 完成句子 and the vocabulary components — pattern-based sections where consistent practice reliably moves the grade.
口试. Reading aloud with correct tones and pacing, and video-stimulus conversation — giving a full opinion with a reason and an example, in Chinese, without freezing.
How the lessons run
- Chinese is spoken in class, but I'll switch to English to explain a concept when that's genuinely faster. Nobody learns while confused and embarrassed.
- Vocabulary is taught in sentences, not lists. A word learned inside a sentence the child wrote themselves survives the term.
- Reading aloud every single lesson. It's the fastest fix for tone accuracy and the single best preparation for 口试.
- Small groups make speaking safe. A child who won't open their mouth in a class of thirty will speak in front of two others. That's the whole point.
Signs your child needs Chinese help
- Chinese is the one subject that causes tears or arguments at home
- They pass everything else and fail or barely scrape Chinese
- They can recognise characters but can't write them from memory
- Their 作文 is a string of short, disconnected sentences
- You've considered dropping to Foundation Chinese
Chinese class fees
| Level | Lesson length | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Primary (P1–P3) | 1.5 hours | $130 per month |
| Upper Primary (P4–P5) | 1.5 hours | $150 per month |
Assessment books, weekly worksheets, marking and feedback included. No registration fee or deposit. See the full timetable and what's still open →
Common questions
We speak only English at home. Is that a problem?
It's the situation most of my Chinese students are in, and it's the reason the subject feels so much harder than the others. It isn't a lost cause — it just means we build exposure deliberately in class instead of assuming it's happening at home, and I'll give you small, realistic things to do during the week.
Do you teach P6 Chinese?
No — at P6 I take Maths only. Chinese runs from P1 through P5. That's deliberate: the work that changes a Chinese grade is vocabulary and exposure built up over years, and starting it in P6 is very late. If you need a P6 Chinese tutor I'll gladly suggest one.
Do you teach Higher Chinese?
I teach standard Primary Chinese to the MOE syllabus. If your child is taking Higher Chinese and is comfortable at that level, a specialist Higher Chinese tutor will serve them better and I'll say so honestly at the trial.
My child is considering Foundation Chinese. Can you advise?
I can tell you what I see in the trial lesson and after a few weeks — but that decision belongs with you and your child's form teacher, who has the full picture of their exam performance. What I can do is make sure the choice is made on real ability rather than on a bad term.
Will you use English in class?
Mostly Chinese, with English used deliberately to unlock an explanation that isn't landing. The goal is a child who can operate in Chinese, and you don't get there by leaving them lost for ninety minutes.