Following the dual national holidays during September and October, the school semester continues at Shengda Garden Primary School’s bilingual department with the theme of ‘I Love China’ for its final weeks with multiple fun and relevant topics with interactive activities for elementary level students. The bilingual department is dedicated to using a wide range of professional and proven teaching materials and techniques to improve real-world language skills of its students.

The bilingual department students have progressed through the planned subtopics of Chinese provinces, Chinese inventions, and are beginning to delve into Chinese buildings and architecture. We can feel the passion of our students when they choose to positively and actively participate in class and share their wealth of knowledge in a foreign language. Bilingual learning is always more challenging but also rewarding for the students and we are sure that the deviation from textbook-like language will ensure students are well-prepared for any trials they encounter in their bright futures.

Succeeding the Chinese foods subtopic, we learnt about the provinces in which these dishes and cuisines originate from. Each grade was assigned an appropriate province to learn and appreciate the uniqueness of by using a combination of traditional and modern teaching materials and techniques. Students with artistic talent were eager to create their display posters for their respective province.

Grades one and two learnt about Anhui province and Shanghai. As their language level improves with learning and age, grade three was introduced to the Chinese provinces using the target topic of Jiangxi province, which is unique for its beautiful scenery, mountain ranges, lakes, and rivers. Grade four learnt about Sichuan province with its world-renowned cuisine, pandas, and landscapes. Grade five studied Beijing municipality in detail, which is the national and political capital of China. Grade five Shengda students are now clear about the differences between municipalities and provinces, which is appropriate for their age and language level.

Numerous bilingual students were able to orally express their knowledge about Chinese inventions, both ancient and modern, and Chinese architecture and buildings around China. There was extra focus on architecture in Shanghai as a wealth of historic and culturally significant buildings are prevalent throughout the city, such as around The Bund and the Former French Concession. It was remarkable that some students in grade four were able to effectively express themselves using English about these topics in detail.

During the following weeks, Shengda students will finalise the ‘I love China’ topic and start progressing towards the second topic of ‘I love Science’, which will also interest classrooms and students with the subtopics of Solar System and animals.