Frequently Asked Questions 
About the TPRSSS Programme  (Please scroll down for the Chinese version.)

1. What are the symbols in the programme used for?

Good foreign-language teaching limits unnecessary translation into and out of the target language. The symbols help students understand meaning directly, without depending on English translations. They are particularly effective when combined with Total Physical Response (TPR).

2. How are symbols different from pictures?

Colourful pictures are attractive, but the same picture may invite many interpretations because each viewer may focus on a different detail. A symbol, by contrast, is designed to communicate one main meaning clearly and consistently.

3. Do you introduce Pinyin or Hanzi together with the symbols?

At the beginning, we use neither. The first goal is to help students understand and use the language orally. Symbols allow them to focus on meaning without being distracted by additional written information.

4. When do you introduce Hanzi?

Hanzi are introduced after students understand the meaning of the word and are familiar with its pronunciation. Students can then connect the symbol, spoken word, meaning, and written character.

5. Why isn’t Pinyin introduced immediately?

Pinyin is introduced progressively.
If it is presented too early, students must process the meaning, symbol, Hanzi, Pinyin, and pronunciation simultaneously. They may not know where to direct their attention.
Students may also apply familiar English sound patterns to Pinyin letters, resulting in inaccurate pronunciation.

6. When and how should Pinyin be introduced?

Teachers can add Pinyin gradually by writing selected letters or syllables above familiar Hanzi. This helps students discover that Pinyin is a system that supports pronunciation.
For example, placing “j” above 姐 and “m” above 妹 can remind students how the two words begin. At this stage, Pinyin acts as a pronunciation prompt rather than the main route to recognising the words.

7. When should students see the story?

Do not show the complete story pictures at the beginning. First teach the key vocabulary and sentence structures through TPR, symbols, and other interactive strategies. Place a symbol or small image beside each new word instead of providing an English translation.

By the time students see the six-panel story, they should already understand most of its language.
Rather than telling the story to them, invite students to study the pictures and describe what they notice using the language they have learned. The thinking routine See–Think–Wonder works particularly well here.

8. How should symbol stories be used?

After teaching the key vocabulary and sentence structures, ask students to retell the story while looking at and pointing to the symbols.
Pointing helps confirm that students understand what they are saying. Even when they have memorised the story, the symbols continue to serve as visual prompts or presentation notes.

9. What should students be able to do by the end of a story?

Students will demonstrate different levels of independence and proficiency:
Exceeding expectations – Students understand and retell the original story, then adapt it to create and present a new story of their own.
Meeting expectations – Students understand and retell the original story fluently and respond to questions about it.
Working towards – Students understand the story and retell it with occasional pauses, inaccuracies, or teacher support.
These descriptions are intended to guide teaching and differentiation, not to limit what students may eventually achieve.

10. Why are the text-only and Pinyin-supported versions placed at the end of each story rather than at the beginning?

There are three reasons:

1. The programme follows the principle that oral proficiency comes first, with reading and writing developing from a strong oral foundation.

2. The different versions support families who want materials to help their children continue learning Chinese at home.

3. They make it easier for teachers to differentiate learning according to students’ needs.

11. How should the other two text versions be used?

Even when an international school offers several Chinese-language levels, students within the same class will still have different proficiency profiles.
The additional text versions allow teachers to differentiate by content. Students can work with the version that provides the appropriate level of support and challenge while continuing to engage with the same story and core language.
I’ve polished both versions, aligned them into the same 12 questions, corrected the grammar, and preserved your original teaching philosophy. I also made the assessment language more constructive and consistent.

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常见问题
关于 TPRSSS 课程

1. 课程中的图标有什么作用？

在外语学习中，我们应尽量减少不必要的母语翻译，帮助学生直接理解目标语言。
图标能够在不依赖英文翻译的情况下，清楚地表达词语的意思。与全身反应法（TPR）结合使用时，效果尤其明显。

2. 图标和普通图片有什么不同？

彩色图片虽然生动好看，但同一张图片可能有多种解释，因为每个人关注的细节不同。
图标则经过特别设计，通常只传达一个主要信息，因此意思更集中，也更容易被学生快速理解。

3. 使用图标时，需要同时呈现拼音和汉字吗？

在学习初期，图标旁边既不需要放拼音，也不需要放汉字。
这一阶段的首要目标，是帮助学生理解语言的意思并建立口语基础。信息越集中，学生越容易把注意力放在语言本身。

4. 什么时候加入汉字？

当学生已经理解词语的意思，并熟悉其发音后，再加入汉字。
这样，学生便可以逐步建立以下联系：
图标—意思—声音—汉字
汉字不再是一个孤立的书写符号，而是学生已经理解并会使用的语言的书面形式。

5. 为什么不立即加入拼音？

拼音需要循序渐进地引入。
如果过早同时呈现图标、意思、汉字、拼音和发音，学生需要处理的信息可能太多，不知道应该把注意力放在哪里。
此外，学生也可能把自己熟悉的英语字母发音套用到拼音上，从而产生不准确的中文发音。

6. 什么时候、怎样加入拼音？

教师可以在学生熟悉汉字和词语发音后，逐步在汉字上方写出部分拼音字母或完整音节，让学生认识拼音这一辅助发音的系统。
例如，在“姐”上方写 j，在“妹”上方写 m，可以提示学生这两个字的起始音。
在这个阶段，拼音的作用是提示发音，而不是代替学生认读汉字。

7. 什么时候展示彩色故事图？

学习刚开始时，不要立即展示完整的六格故事图。
教师应先通过 TPR、图标及其他互动方法教授故事中的重点词语和句型。新词旁边可以放置图标或小图片，而不是直接提供英文翻译。
当六格彩色故事图出现时，学生应该已经能够理解故事中的大部分语言。
这时，教师不必再次把故事讲给学生听，而可以请学生观察图片，并运用学过的词语和句型说出自己的发现。**“看见—思考—提问”（See–Think–Wonder）**是一个很适合的教学策略。

8. 怎样使用由图标组成的故事？

教授重点词语和句型后，让学生一边看图标、指图标，一边把故事串联起来。
指着图标讲故事，可以帮助教师确认学生明白自己在说什么。即使有些学生已经“不小心”把故事背熟了，也应该继续指着图标讲述。
这时，图标就像演讲时使用的视觉提示或讲稿提纲。

9. 学完一个故事后，学生应该达到什么程度？

学生会表现出不同程度的理解、流利度和独立性：
超出预期（Exceeding Expectations）- 学生不仅能够理解和复述原来的故事，还能改编故事，创作并展示自己的新版本。
达到预期（Meeting Expectations）- 学生能够流利地复述原来的故事，并回答教师围绕故事提出的问题。
接近预期（Almost Meeting Expectations）- 学生能够理解并复述故事，但讲述过程中可能偶尔停顿、出现不准确之处，或需要教师提供少量帮助。
仍需支持（Developing—Support Needed）- 学生能够理解部分故事内容，但在复述时仍需要图标、教师提示和更多练习。
这些描述的目的，是帮助教师了解学生的学习需要并调整教学，而不是限制学生未来能够达到的水平。

10. 为什么每个故事的纯汉字版和拼音辅助版放在最后，而不是最前面？

主要有三个原因：

1. 课程遵循**“听说领先，读写跟上”**的原则。阅读和书写应建立在理解和口语能力的基础上。

2. 不同版本可以满足学生和家长的不同需要，方便家庭在课后继续支持孩子学习中文。

3. 多种文本版本可以帮助教师根据学生的语言水平进行差异化教学，做到因材施教。

11. 另外两个文本版本应该怎样使用？

国际学校无论如何分班，同一个班级里的学生仍然会有不同的语言背景、学习经验和熟练程度。
不同难度的文本版本可以帮助教师进行内容差异化教学。学生虽然学习同一个故事和核心语言，却可以选择适合自己程度的文本，在获得必要支持的同时接受适当的挑战。