There are many who think that IB Chinese is very easy to score. Is that really so in reality? Well in my opinion, compared to GCE 'A' level and 'O' level, it is definitely easier. However one needs to consider who is taking it. For most local students, having studied the Chinese Language for 13 years, it's really not difficult especially for those who passed their Chinese in Secondary 4.
Let us take a closer look at the components of the IB exam,
1) The composition segment of IB indeed I feel is not that tough in its minimum word requirement of 480.More over there is a wide spectrum of genres one may write i.e. argumentative, speech, interview, discursive and even personal recounts. Yet having said that, all these might still deem challenging to the foreign students. Their limited vocabulary of Chinese words and inability to construct coherent sentences stops them from having a thorough development of their chosen topic. Even if the student takes effort to memorise sentences by heart, for a student with Chinese standard of primary school, he or she would just give up due to the overwhelming demand of writing nearly 500 words in a stipulated time
2)In the written paper 2 where there are close passages and comprehension segments, the local students will find them easy having done them for the past 10 years. Conversely, the foreign students would not have that advantage and thus even if "give-away" segments like the comprehension MCQ are present, they would still fail the exam.
3) The Oral component is one that you can prepare very much beforehand. I find that this is one component that separates the diligent students from the average where the ill-prepared cannot score well. Just this year, I managed to spot a topic on "捞鱼生” (Prosperity Toss) for this IB student. After getting affirmation of the "hint" by the teacher, I had him practice describing the picture by reading out aloud a draft description which I have prepared for him. In order to show him the correct way to pronounce and express every word and syllabus, I recorded myself reading out my passage aloud to let him listen. And that was how he improved. Repetition after repetition, as he tried to imitate my tone and pronunciation, he managed to improve. The boy who normally lacks confidence in his speech managed to impress his teacher with his improvement in class. Subsequently the question which i have spotted indeed came out for his exam.
I would say Oral would prove to be the most challenging obstacle for a foreign student because it is hard for he or she to capture the right tone, pronunciation and expression during passage reading. Moreover, during picture description, he or she would under perform due to a failure to use exceptional words to describe scenarios accurately.
For a person who have been so used to speaking in English, it is hard for them to adapt to the 4 chinese Han yu ping yin tone. Sometimes, they have developed bad habits in pronouncing which are hard to break. However, time and techniques are what they need in order for them to change the way they speak and pronounce. As a tutor to countless of foreigners (adults and students alike) in my many years of teaching, I have the relevant experience and patience to develop their proper Chinese intonation. Hence, correcting the way they speak Chinese in their daily lives.
Yet Oral is one of the most important determinants of the overall Chinese grade. It must be prepared thoroughly.
