Parent testimonial: Yikai and Yikang (2023 P1 and P4, Rosyth)

Testimonial for Teacher Joyce.

My boys grew up overseas so they did not receive a proper Chinese Language education. When we returned to Singapore, my older son was to start P4 and my younger son P1. 

When we first returned, my older boy could understand only simple spoken Chinese and say a few simple words. He could also recognize and write some simple Chinese characters. However, he could not write even one simple Chinese sentence or read a simple passage on his own. So he was definitely far from the Singapore school standards. 

Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenge, especially with my P4 boy, Teacher Joyce put in her best efforts and was endlessly encouraging towards both my boys.

She taught the older boy essential technical skills that he needed to bridge the gap he had from missing all the years of foundational Chinese education. Not just the technical skills but also the right attitude. My older boy was initially so overwhelmed by the demands of picking up an almost new language, at P4 standard curriculum, he would be in tears within 5 minutes of trying to read a simple comprehension passage. However, with the skills that Teacher Joyce taught and her positive encouragement, he soon gained confidence slowly but surely. It was definitely thanks to Teacher Joyce, that my son could turn up for tests and exams and not turn into a helpless mess. She helped him feel confident enough to not fear the subject, to not panic when he sees a Chinese exam paper and to have the skills to tackle it.

I worked hand-in-hand with Teacher Joyce. During tuition, she focused on teaching my son the technical skills. Teacher Joyce would then give me guidance on how I can support him at home. So on a daily basis, I helped my son revise vocabulary and reinforce the skills Teacher Joyce taught.

My boy also put in his best efforts in school. So, together with his school teachers, Teacher Joyce, home support and my boy's own determination and efforts, he scored 80/100 at the end of P4. This was a wonderful result for someone who just picked up the language barely a year ago. 

My younger boy had almost zero Chinese language knowledge, written or spoken, when he first started P1. In fact, he was resistant to the learning of the language and did not want to go for tuition. However, after trying one lesson with Teacher Joyce, he liked her so much he was willing to keep going. Teacher Joyce made tuition sessions fun for my younger boy. Not only was she able to help my younger boy do weekly revision of his P1 curriculum, she extended his knowledge. By the end of P1, my younger boy achieved an "accomplished" descriptor for all P1 CL skills. Again, we are delighted with his results.

All in all, we are extremely grateful to Teacher Joyce for the guidance and care she has given to my boys. Chinese language was one of our biggest worries when we returned to Singapore. We did not even know if they could pass the subject. However, with the help from Teacher Joyce, the impossible was made possible. Thank you!