January 22, 2026
Key Takeaways
- When it comes to learning Chinese, rote memorisation alone is not enough. Upper primary Chinese students need to learn how to study smart.
- Active recall and explanation build stronger memory than passive reading.
- Oral and listening practice reinforce vocabulary while improving fluency and confidence.
- Analysing model essays is a great way for students to pick up practical writing techniques that they can adapt for exams.
4 Learning Strategies to Master Upper Primary Chinese
By the time children reach upper primary (P4–P6), Chinese can start to feel like a mountain of word lists and exam papers. But success isn’t just about grinding through revision; it’s about learning how to study smart. With the right strategies, your child can move beyond rote memorisation to develop the genuine fluency and mastery needed to achieve their best.
1. Focus on Word Usage, Not Just Word Lists
The traditional way of studying vocabulary often involves writing a word repeatedly until it “sticks”. However, this method may not always be effective. After all, words learnt in isolation are quickly forgotten.
Encourage your child to study smart by putting new vocabulary into action. For example, after learning a new word, they could:
- Write two to three different sentences using it in varied contexts.
- Create a short paragraph or dialogue that naturally weaves in the word.
- Use the word during mealtime conversations or in a “word of the day” challenge at home.
- Pair it with a drawing or story to make the meaning more memorable.
By giving words a “home” in real situations, children strengthen retention and gain confidence using them in compositions and oral exams. Over time, this turns passive memorisation into active, flexible language use.
2. Practise Active Recall With Concept Questions
Passive learning, like simply rereading textbook passages or past essays, creates an illusion of competence. Your child might feel familiar with the content, but can they actually retrieve and apply that knowledge?
A smarter, more demanding technique is active recall. Ask your child to explain storylines, key idioms (成语), or the main ideas of a text in their own words. Turn every revision session into an open-book test by asking questions like, “What was the main conflict in this story?” or “Explain the meaning of this phrase without looking at the book.” This deepens comprehension, strengthens memory pathways, and is a far more effective method for upper primary Chinese revision.
3. Use Oral and Listening Practice to Reinforce Vocabulary
Many students struggle with the PSLE Chinese Oral and Listening components, often freezing up because they find it hard to think and respond quickly in the language. While written practice is essential, these spoken components are golden opportunities to boost core language mastery.
Activities like watching short Chinese videos (with and without subtitles) or discussing everyday topics at home create opportunities for your child to use and listen to the language. This allows them to internalise new vocabulary while boosting their fluency and confidence in speaking. When they hear a word they’ve learnt and then use it in conversation, the learning is reinforced across multiple senses, making it stick. It’s an easy, low-stress way to study smart, not hard.
4. Break Down Model Essays (Strategically)
Model essays can be a double-edged sword. Used incorrectly, they lead to mindless memorisation (often called “lifting”) and can result in generic compositions. Used correctly, however, they are a powerful resource for PSLE Chinese composition practice.
For Chinese exam preparation, encourage your child to take note of what makes the essay good. Look for key techniques, such as effective openings that grab attention, smooth paragraph transitions, or the use of vivid descriptive phrases. Then, have your child practise applying that style to a completely new writing task. For instance, if they liked an essay’s engaging dialogue and creative conclusion, they should try using that approach for their next composition. This moves them from mere imitation to genuine, adaptable writing skill development.
Ready to Elevate Your Child’s Chinese Learning?
The secret to success in the upper primary years and beyond isn’t just working harder; it’s about making a deliberate pivot to study smart and focus on strategies that build fluency and confidence. With the right approach, your child can turn revision into real progress and step into their exams feeling more prepared.
At Tien Hsia, our Enrichment Plus Classes for Primary 4 to 6 students are designed to nurture these skills and prepare students for PSLE. As a trusted Chinese language centre in Singapore, we provide guided revision, oral strategies, and composition practice to help children study smarter and feel more confident.
If you’d like to see how our approach can support your child, arrange a complimentary trial and have a lesson with us.