Mandarin GCSE

[yoyo123]

half the native English speakers I have taught wouldn't get far in English!


We had the option to study Latin. German or Russian as a third language in the seventies. I assumed everyone would have teh same choices. It was only when I was in my thirties that it was pointed out to me that living near GCHQ might have something to do with it..

Mandarin is difficult to speak well as it is tonal, one false vowel and you could be highly embarrased. I can say hello and thank you and that's about as far as I get.

[Amber]

Yes, I remember when DD first started Mandarin and there were all these funny noises coming from her bedroom. I went up to check she wasn't being ill, and she told me she was practising the Mandarin for something like 'my mother is a banana-faced cow'. Same sound apparently, but different tones.

[zee]

is there some way that exam boards know / note if a child is a native speaker? Presumably this is the same for other languages too, that a native speaker finds it very easy.

I certainly hope not! Any language GCSE is relatively easy to a native speaker compared with a second language speaker, including English.

What would count as a native speaker? What if you spoke English at home, but had a Chinese grandma, so had a significant head start, but were not fluent?

What you are proposing would mean having different grade boundaries for native and non native speakers, so no one (university or employer) would have a firm idea of what a particular grade meant in terms of proficiency. For example, a recent immigrant to this country with pretty poor English could get a higher grade than someone raised over here who was fluent, but not perfect.

Grades should be an objective measure of attainment, not a measure of how hard a particular child finds the subject.

[East lancs mumof4]

Hi all,
Just to say my DD is taking Mandarin and really enjoys it. Mandarin is compulsary in her school for years 7 & 8 and then becomes an option at yr9. She finds it quite easy at the level she is at now and much prefers it than French. (not her best subject)!! Not sure if she enjoys it more because she is taught by a native speaker or because she likes the way the characters are formed ( quite arty ). She is quite musical and this seems to help according to Times acticle. Quite a number at her school take it up to GCSE and there were A's suprisingly. We are going to see how she gets on with it over the next year or so before she has to make a decision to take it to GCSE or not. She also really enjoys Latin

[Amber]

Well, that's encouraging ELM4 (the As). I think we are going to have to go with it, as DD is very sure of her own mind (read the subtext here!). Our DD really loves Latin, too, and is now doing Greek as well -again, loves that. It is good to see that at least there is some variation in what is on offer in some schools. Quite how useful all this will be in the long run is another matter, especially as her latest thought is medicine!

[harold]

My son has been studying Mandarin with a private tutor for just under 2 years, one hour per week (at weekends) plus homework.

He is very bright (straight A/A*'s in school reports) and is particularly good with languages (Latin, Ancient Greek, French and German), he is doing GCSE Mandarin and French 'a year early' (i.e. next year, he is 14 now), but he finds Mandarin quite straightforward and is getting A*s in all his tests and mock exams.

My point is not to show how wonderful my son is but to demonstrate that with good teaching and a bright pupil it is possible for a non-native to get an A* (we have no connection whatsoever with China).

With Oxbridge entrance so competitive is is vital to get your child to stand out from the crowd and Mandarin shows several very important qualities, not least determination.

I would urge parents to get a good private tutor for those children who are bright, good with languages and who show an interest.

For what it is worth, the cost is £20 a pop, plus books.

Harold.

[Amber]

I am now in the happy position to report that it is, indeed, possible for a non-native speaker to get an A* in Mandarin at GCSE.

[penguin]

wow Amber!!
there's knowing your own mind for you


congrats to her and a big well done

[Amber]

Thanks, Penguin.

I put her success down to my unwavering support and unshakeable belief in her abilities...

[marigold]

That is really encouraging, my daughter and son are also doing Mandarin, have been told it is hard for a non - native to do really well, I will tell them nonsense and to get on with it.
Daughter ( like Amber's) also doing Latin GCSE and Ancient Greek as an extra, thankfully no sign of medicine as a possibility, that would be just TOO stressful.