Looking for a Quality Home Tutor for Chinese Tuition in Singapore?

Chinese Tuition at Home

Empower your child to master the Chinese language and ease your concerns. Achieve outstanding exam results through our best Chinese language tutors. 

Have you been in search of…

• A reliable, patient and skilled private Chinese language tutor to help your child score well in every component of their Chinese exams, including oral, listening, composition and Paper 2
• Chinese tuition at home to ensure your child’s comfort, minimise distractions and precious time wasted on commuting
• Chinese tuition lessons by experienced tutors who are familiar with the MOE Chinese syllabus and exam strategies to obtain marks
• Access cost-effective Chinese language tuition options starting at $20 per hour
• Choose the most suitable Chinese tutor from a wide array of qualified tutors
• Get Chinese tutor profiles within 24 hours to streamline your selection and schedule phone interviews.

All students in Singapore take on a second language at school, which is most often their Mother Tongue Language. As 75% of Singaporeans are Chinese, this means that a large number of students are taking on Chinese Language in school even if they do not speak it at home.

There are many good reasons to master the Chinese language besides the rich history and cultural heritage behind it. For one thing, the opening of the Chinese economy and the integration of global networks mean that there are an increasing number of job opportunities and business ventures available. It will be an added advantage to be well-versed in Chinese as many companies are looking to hire employees who are able to converse effectively with their mainland Chinese counterparts.

Even locally, many customer-facing positions are looking to hire employees who are fluent in Chinese so as to serve the increasing Chinese-speaking population in Singapore.

Despite this, many students ignore the importance of doing well in Chinese, neglecting it to focus on other subjects such as Maths and Science. However, the truth is that Chinese Language is just as important because it contributes to the overall score in national exams. In addition, students who take on Higher Chinese Language at PSLE have an edge when it comes to applying to specific secondary schools. At the ‘O’ Levels, students who obtain a passing grade in Chinese and go on to enter junior college do not have to take Chinese at ‘A’ Levels, allowing them to focus on their other subjects.

Of course, scoring well is easier said than done as mastering a language requires lots of efforts, patience and understanding. Since the early 1990s, parents have been engaging Chinese tutors for primary school, secondary school and all other levels.

How much do Chinese tutors charge?

The average hourly fees for Chinese tuition ranges from $30 per hour to $120 per hour, depending on the tutor's credentials, experience and the level to teach.
 

1. Includes students in polytechnics, universities and graduates tutoring part-time.
2. Language proficiency range from basic to advanced so rates will be quoted upon knowing each learner's needs.
3. If your child has special needs, go to our SPED page to understand the certifications and fees that SPED teachers are quoting.

Need a private Chinese tutor urgently? Make a Request now

Different Levels of Chinese Tuition 

Throughout a student’s academic journey in Singapore, they will need to take a Mother Tongue Language as one of their main subjects. Regardless of whether your child is in primary school, secondary school or junior college, Tutor City aims to serve all levels so students can rely on our services no matter their requirements.

Our highly qualified tutors are able to provide Chinese tuition for the following levels:

• Primary Chinese
• Secondary Chinese
• JC Chinese
• IGCSE/International Chinese
• IB diploma Chinese
• PSLE Chinese
• O Level Chinese
• N Level Chinese
• IP Chinese
• A Level Chinese
• H1 Chinese
• H2 Chinese
• IBDP SL Chinese
• IBDP HL Chinese
• Preschool Chinese
• University Chinese
• Polytechnic Chinese
• Private Chinese tuition
• Adult conversational Chinese

No matter the level of Chinese tuition you are looking for, our team at Tutor City can assist in matching you with a tutor who ticks all your boxes. The tutors we recommend are experienced and qualified, with an in-depth familiarity of the relevant syllabus. In addition, we have years of experience matching parents and students with a tutor who works just for them, and this is proven through our many positive testimonials. Check out our positive Google reviews!

Reviews From Our Satisfied Parents...

"Came across Tutor City's good reviews and decided to try it out. Benson was very quick at replying to my enquiries and turn-around time for providing me with suitable tutors was very fast. Really happy with the prompt and hassle free service. Already engaged a second tutor for another subject with him. Definitely recommended.."

Yve

"Really glad to have Benson help up in searching for a super good Chinese tutor for K1 child. It didn’t took long time to have suitable profile share to me and I would say the whole process are smooth. Thank you so much Benson!."

Crystal Sheep

"Happened to chance upon this tution center and found Ben. He is responsive. His advice is a great help to me. The tutor he recommended is great. My son is 13 and has short attention span and easily get distracted. Thank you Ben."

Tiffany H.

"It was a great experience enlisting Benson’s help and we found a suitable tutor in just one day’s time. He is a very proactive and efficient agent who continued to suggest numerable potential tutors throughout the day even when we were still unsure about our searching criteria. Very quick in responding too which was very helpful!."

Shiyun

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What to Expect from Tutor City's Chinese Tuition

Setting expectations is essential to understanding your needs and requirements. They help you determine what you should look for when finding the perfect tutor. That is why we are transparent, and we have highlighted everything you can expect from our pool of qualified teachers. It will help you make the right decision. Here is everything our Chinese tuition service offers to students:

• Custom-tailored schedule
• Individual attention and focus with one on one tuitions
• Access to additional resources such as past papers, practice assignments, and much more
• Comprehensive guidance for Chinese comprehension and composition
• Access to Chinese learning materials from experienced teachers
• Increased interest in Chinese
• Increased fluency in Chinese
• Learn Chinese from the comfort of your home
• Achieve your potential and the results you want
• Select your ideal tutor from thousands of tutors that we offer

We fulfill these expectations and much more. When you opt for our Chinese tuition service, you will notice a significant improvement in your grades, and you will have the confidence to ace your examinations in no time.

Why is Chinese Tuition Important? 

As parents, we need to accept the fact that the time spent in the classroom alone is insufficient for achieving good scores in the Chinese Language.

Although you cannot choose the type of Chinese teacher that teaches your child in school, some teaching methods that are more traditional such as route memorisation of strokes, idioms and sentences can extinguish any fire which your child has and make Chinese a dreadful subject to master. No matter how much your child hates Chinese, it is a fact that they need to score relatively well for PSLE, N and O levels as it will make up part of your total combined score and will pull your overall scores down and your child’s chances of applying to a top Singapore secondary school or junior college. 

However, with private Chinese tuition, Chinese home tutors can help your child overcome their disinterest in the subject by making lessons more engaging by customising the content to cater to your child’s learning style. For example, if your child is an auditory learner, he or she can pick up vocabulary words through song lyrics or Chinese audiobooks. An experienced Chinese tutor can also curate Chinese news articles for discussion during the Chinese tuition lessons. 

More importantly, the only way to master a language is through frequent exposure, usage and practice through reading, communicating and writing. The short lesson time in school is not sufficient to cultivate your child’s Chinese language abilities, it is a real struggle if English is the dominant language in your house. You need to rely on a dedicated Chinese tutor for help to hone key skills to do well in exams such as listening, reading, video graphic stimulus (oral component), composition, email and essay writing, argumentative writing, vocabulary and comprehension. 

Private Chinese tuition can work specifically on the weakness of your child, for instance in structuring coherent content or increasing their Chinese vocabulary bank, usually, improvements can be seen quickly as compared to group tuition or self-study. This can be likened to the Chinese idiom of prescribing the correct medicine for the right illness (Dui Zheng Xia Yao). This tailored learning experience will optimise your child’s learning of the Chinese language through better retention and proficiency. Ultimately, their anxiety is greatly reduced with the help of Chinese tuition by a competent tutor since they receive the proper support and guidance needed to become a more confident user of the Chinese language.

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Understanding the Chinese Language Syllabus at Various Levels

From PSLE to ‘O’ Levels and eventually ‘A’ Levels, students will need to build up their linguistic skills in a variety of aspects, from speaking and listening to reading and writing.

For PSLE Chinese Language, students will seat for three papers in total:

• Paper 1, which includes the writing of an essay.
• Paper 2, where students will answer a series of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) as well as questions based on passages.
• Paper 3 comprises Listening Comprehension and an Oral Examination, where students will have to engage in a discussion with the examiner.

Additionally, students who choose to take on PSLE Higher Chinese will have to take on another paper, which means more time spent on practice and revision. Although Higher Chinese does not contribute to the AL score in PSLE, it can give students a boost when seeking admission to a Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school. The PSLE Higher Chinese paper does not have a listening and oral component, so students can rest assured that they do not need to go through the same process twice.

When students move on to secondary school, they will have to take on ‘O’ Levels Chinese. Just like with PSLE, this national exam will require students to complete three papers. At secondary level, students will be expected to expand on the skills and knowledge they have acquired in primary school, which is why it’s so important to build a strong foundation as early as possible. Similarly, students who have an aptitude for the language can choose to take on ‘O’ Levels Higher Chinese, which will allow them to bypass the ‘A’ Levels Chinese paper should they go on to attend JC. Students who have a strong interest in Chinese culture can opt to take H2 Chinese Language and Literature at ‘A’ Levels. This will go on to open up several pathways at university level.

No matter which level your child is at, they will need to master several important language skills in order to ace the national exams. This is especially important if your child is aiming for a local university. In order to do well, they will need to excel in all aspects of language learning, from reading and writing to listening and speaking. However, some students may find that they struggle more with certain aspects than with others, which is where they will need to be smart about coming up with a revision strategy.

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Common Challenges Faced by Students When Learning Chinese in Singapore

Students at all levels can struggle with Chinese Language, and a big reason for this is because they don’t get the chance to speak it at home. As a result, they are used to communicating with their friends in English as well and thus, have little to no opportunity for speaking and practicing Chinese.

This results in a number of common challenges faced by students when it comes to excelling in Chinese:

• Limited vocabulary bank: Because students are used to thinking in English and substituting an English word into the conversation when they don’t know how to say it in Chinese, their vocabulary bank ends up being extremely limited. This results in an inability to express thoughts and opinions fluently in Chinese, which can severely impact the writing of a good essay.
• Poor reading and listening comprehension: If students are unable to understand a question or passage, whether that is conveyed verbally or on paper, they will not be able to answer the questions posed to them. Scoring well in Papers 2 and 3 will require a good level of reading and listening comprehension, and students stand to lose valuable points if they cannot answer questions adequately.
• Poor time management: Even if a student has acquired the necessary skills for mastering the Chinese Language national examination, they can still lose points if they do not complete the paper on time. When this is the case, students will need to time themselves completing practice papers in order to improve their timing. In addition, some students may find it tough to allocate a suitable amount of revision time for each subject and end up neglecting Chinese in the process. Here is where good time management skills will also come in.
• Limited access to learning resources: Many students do not know where to find additional learning materials beyond the ones provided by their teachers in school. However, some students will require more practice and resources as they are weaker in the subject. This can include newspaper articles, model essays and more. Tutors can provide students with the specialised materials they need to excel in Chinese.
• Insufficient practice: With the number of subjects students are taking on at school, they may be focusing too much on one subject and neglecting others. Unfortunately, Chinese often gets deprioritised as many students are led to believe that doing well in Maths and Science is more important. As with any other subject, the only way to get better is to keep practicing. Students who lack the discipline or time management skills to revise for Chinese will face challenges when the exams roll around.

Our experienced tutors know that many students face these common challenges and are well versed in helping them overcome it so they can excel in their examinations. Often, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for every student, and a good tutor will be able to identify the specific help your child requires before devising an individualised teaching plan that will work to bring out their strengths and improve on their areas of weakness.

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Benefits of Chinese Tuition by Tutor City

If any of the above challenges sound like what your child is going through, you may be considering engaging Chinese tuition for them. However, with so many tuition centres and private tutors out there, you may have no idea where to start. Here is where Tutor City can step in to help you. Below are some of the benefits you can reap when you engage a Chinese tutor with us:

1. We Cater to Each Student’s Individual Needs

A language subject has many various components. It can be the case that a student is weak in one specific component while doing reasonably well in others. For example, a student can be fantastic and reading and writing in Chinese but have trouble communicating their thoughts verbally. This is a common problem for students who speak English at home and do not get the chance to converse in Chinese often.

This is why our Chinese tutors take the time to identify the weaknesses of each individual student and devise a teaching style that will work best for their needs. A personalised teaching plan is designed for each student, allowing them to learn and improve at their own pace. With consistent hard work and individualised attention from a dedicated tutor, students will soon start to notice a significant improvement in their Chinese results.

2. Enhanced Confidence

Once a student’s grades start to show signs of improvement, they will also become more confident in their abilities. While skills and knowledge are necessary, we believe that confidence is another important part of the battle. Without it, students may feel inclined to give up before they have even attempted the paper, believing that there’s no chance they will score well anyway. Increased confidence in Chinese communication skills will open many doors for students, opening up a wider range of opportunities when it comes to choosing the right educational programme for higher learning. That is why our tutors work hard to boost the confidence of students alongside increasing their test scores!

3. Access to Additional Learning Resources

Good students are the ones who utilise the materials provided by their school, but great students will utilise additional learning materials. The learning resources provided by our tutors will give students an edge over their peers as they are not readily available elsewhere. With these resources, students can engage in additional practice that targets the areas they are weak in and help them perfect the areas they are already doing well in.

Our tutors provide students with summarised notes from various top schools, newspaper articles in Chinese, assessment books and a range of other practice materials depending on their needs. These resources have been designed to help students excel and achieve better fluency in Chinese. Students will also receive past examination papers from top schools, allowing them to get in the additional practice they will need to enhance their confidence and boost their test-taking skills.

4. Availability to Answer Questions

At Tutor City, we believe in providing a holistic Chinese tuition service, where our tutors also serve as mentors. To this end, we only hire qualified and experienced teachers who are fully committed to the success of their students. These tutors are well-versed with the education system of Singapore and can help students with understanding the future career choices, school choices, university courses and subject combinations open to them.

No matter what questions students have about their academic aims, our tutors can take into account their strengths and weaknesses before giving them the best recommendations. Even if students require help with their homework or practice paper outside of hours, our tutors are always happy to help subject to their availability.

5. Encourage and Cultivate a Higher Level of Interest in Chinese

With the heavy focus on Math and Science in Singapore, the unfortunate truth is that students can end up taking their language subjects lightly. Some may also have the misguided belief that languages are not as important and therefore, spend less time on revision. That is why our tutors make sure that students first develop an interest in the language.

Our expert tutors help them develop this interest by talking about current affairs and including Chinese stories in their teaching. When the topic of discussion is something that interests students, they will be more eager to learn and stories will make learning Chinese more fun and interactive for them. Their interest in the language will naturally increase through these tactics. When students become more fluent and gain more interest in the language, they will naturally wish to consume more content in Chinese. When they do this consistently, their fluency and proficiency will improve and with that, their overall grades!

With so many great reasons to engage a Chinese tutor, it’s important to do so before your child starts lagging even further behind their peers. A good tutor will always take the time to sit down and work with each student to understand their individual strengths, weaknesses and areas of interest before devising a revision plan that will work just for them!

Topics Covered by Tutor City's Chinese Tuition

Here are some of the Primary School Chinese topics we cover:

• Vocabulary
• Listening
• Grammar
• Reading
• Comprehension
• Oral communication
• Composition
• Writing
• ... and much more!

Here are some of the Secondary School/IGCSE Chinese topics we cover:

• Narrative writing
• Argumentative writing
• Email writing
• Listening
• Composition
• Oral communications
• Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• ... and much more!

Here are some of the JC/IBDP H1 Chinese topics we cover:

• Narrative writing
• Argumentative writing
• Email writing
• Online diary writing
• Listening
• Composition
• Oral communications
• Composition
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
• ... and much more!

Here are some of the JC/IBDP SL/HL Chinese topics we cover:

• Argumentative writing
• Narrative writing
• Classical Chinese
• Directed writing
• Comprehension
• Reading
• ... and much more!

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Chinese Tutors in Singapore: The Different Profiles

Are you aware of the types of Chinese home tutors available in Singapore? Do you know that each tutor profile comes with its own unique set of advantages and disadvantages that can significantly influence your child's Chinese learning. 

We urge parents to take advantage of flexibility Chinese home tuition offer and choose the most suitable tutor profile for your child. To assist you in this task, below is an overview of the different tutor profiles and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Full-time Chinese Home Tutors

Similar to other working professionals, full-time tutors dedicate their careers to offering private lessons in Chinese, often working over forty hours a week. They provide tuition to students of diverse abilities, educational backgrounds, and education institutions.

Full-time Chinese tutors comes from different career fields and education qualification but typically they hold qualifications at the tertiary or bachelor’s level such as diplomas or degrees in Chinese Language, Chinese Literature or History, Chinese translation courses or other related fields.  This is why they have strong language skills such as excellent written and verbal communication as well as a deep understanding of Chinese usage and rules including grammar, structure and vocabulary. Based on their highest qualifications and comfort level, some full-time Chinese tutors might have a specific area of speciality. This can include creative and composition writing, higher chinese language students and others specialised in teaching primary or secondary school Chinese syllabus.

Some full-time tutors have also qualifications such as chinese culture or translation certifications which provides them with specialised knowledge to teach Chinese to non-native speakers and adult foreign learners.  

Advantages of Engaging Full-time Chinese Home Tutors

Typically, full-time tutors can have a few years up to decades of teaching experience. This makes them very knowledgeable of the school’s syllabus including what materials to prepare for lessons (this is important since the MOE syllabus must be closely aligned during Chinese tuition) and a good understanding of how their tutee’s background and culture will impact their Chinese language learning experiences.  

For instance, in a household where Chinese is not the dominant language such as multi-racial families, the tutor might cater time to practice pronunciation and conversing with the tutee to improve his Chinese oral communication skills. Due to regular contact with different profiles of parents and students, full-time Chinese tutors have the ability to handle children of different ages, from primary school age 7 all the way up to 18-year-old junior college students and even adult learners who are new to the language.  

Full-time Chinese tutors can readily customise their teaching materials and approaches to suit the unique characteristics of both children and adults. They are also familiar with the concerns of parents and are open to provide actionable feedback including ways that you could incorporate more Chinese language usage or materials to support your child at home. For instance, this could include providing recommendation of Chinese resources such as appropriate TV programmes, books and even apps or games for your child to strengthen their language ability.

Since full-time Chinese tutors rely on tutoring as their main source of income, they are highly dedicated and reliable when it comes to sticking to the tuition schedule. They also understand the significance of establishing a rapport with your child in a private tuition setting, and they are likely to continue to tutor your child as they progress through the academic levels. They are less likely to switch students frequently, recognising the importance of building a stable relationship with their tutees, this is important as learning Chinese is progressive and it is greatly beneficial to have a tutor who is very familiar with your child’s abilities and habits.

Disadvantages of Engaging Full-time Chinese Home Tutors

The hourly rate charged by full-time Chinese home tutors is generally higher compared to part-time tutors, this is due to expertise that is accumulated based on experience in tutoring Chinese over the years and also the fact that additional time is spend writing lesson plans, researching and selecting materials and even curating their own proprietary worksheets and questions. 

Due to the good results that Chinese full-time tutors often provide (or else they will not be able to carve out a career in this competitive profession), some star-tutors will have less flexibility in their schedule for parents to book their Chinese tuition slots at their convenience due to their commitments to other students. This happens as they have a regular group of students who engage their service even as they progress through the academic levels. 

Working Professionals Chinese Part-time tutors

Individuals who work part-time as Chinese tutors either have a full-time career as their primary job, while offering home tuition as a supplementary source of income. These tutors can come from diverse educational or cultural backgrounds, while a portion of these tutors can be local, some of them can be native Chinese speakers or has past work experiences teaching Chinese in overseas schools or adult training institutions. 

Advantages of Engaging Part-time Chinese Home Tutors Who Are Working Professionals

Engaging part-time tutors for Chinese tuition offers the most value for parents who has set a tutoring budget as they can provide quality Chinese lessons due to their unique mix of tutoring experience and Chinese qualifications. For example, if your child is in primary school and has average Chinese grades, you might not need a tutor with professional teaching qualifications or a degree holder. 

Part-time Chinese home tutors offer their tuition service at a lower cost than both MOE and full-time tutors. This lessens the financial burden for families with multiple children or can better optimise your tuition fees to allow your child to have lessons in other subjects too. Although part-time Chinese tutors might hold different day jobs, they all have the common characteristic of the love towards the Chinese language. This can positively influence your child and instill their interest in the subject, for instance they can share the content of Chinese books they recently read or theatre plays they attended. 

Due to their work experiences, such Chinese tutors can emphasise to your child the importance of mastering Chinese well drawing examples from their corporate life and bringing in real-world examples and knowledge to impart to your child. Some of these examples could be the importance of oral skills in the presentation of business proposals to clients from China and writing Chinese emails to disagree with certain work policies. This would make learning Chinese more engaged, relevant and enjoyable to your child. Some part-time tutors with more years of tutoring experience are well-versed with the school curriculum. Look out for part-time tutors that has received positive feedback and testimonials from their current or past students, demonstrating their effectiveness. 

Disadvantages of Engaging Part-time Chinese Home Tutors Who Are Working Professionals

As working professionals, their schedule might not be as flexible which could limit their available tuition slots for the lessons. Typically, their slots will only be available after office hours during the weekday or the weekends. Sometimes due to their busy work-schedule they might need to reschedule lessons. 

Unlike Maths or Science subjects which has a fixed topics and structured content, part-time Chinese tutors might need to work more closely with your child to be informed of the learning objectives or literary texts covered in their schools for them to include in the tuition sessions. Most part-time tutors do not hold professional teaching qualifications and might not be updated with the most recent changes in syllabus or assessment requirements. However, this can be overcome by engaging in frequent communication with your child about their school work.   

Student Chinese Part-time Tutors

Chinese tutors in this group are students who are studying in polytechnics, universities, or pursuing a master's degree. Usually, they are currently pursuing a course relevant to the Chinese language, for instance in Chinese linguistics, literature, culture and history studies. They offer Chinese tuition services as a means of supplementing their income and these tutors have a closer age gap with their tutees and can be more energetic and enthusiastic. 

Advantages of Engaging Part-time Chinese Home Tutors Who Are Students

Chinese tutor who are students offer the most budget-friendly tuition fees as compared to all the rest of the tutor profiles. 

If you assumed that student tutor will provide subpar Chinese tuition lessons, you might be misunderstood. Many student tutors choose to tutor part-time because they have achieved excellent grades in their O or A levels and possess proficient language skills which they could impart to your child. Their recent experience navigating Singapore’s education system and stress of sitting for a high-stake national exam makes them more sympathetic to your child’s feelings of anxiety and nervousness in mastering Chinese language. This make them being able to establish rapport with your child quickly and help to provide both instructional and mental support in your child’s learning journey. 

This is especially useful for students who have difficulty communicating their difficulties to people in authority such as teachers or parents. The student tutor can relate the tutees concerns to you so that you can better support your child. The student tutors provide greater flexibility for scheduling tuition lessons, and makeup lessons can also be arranged more easily. Parents can also arrange more lessons with student tutors during their school term breaks for Chinese enrichment tuition lessons or to catch up with the syllabus.

Disadvantages of Engaging Part-time Chinese Home Tutors Who Are Students

Ultimately, student tutors are not certified teachers and their average tuition experience is between one to four years. With lesser experience, some of them might not have taught enough students to be able to handle all types of tutees. Therefore, it is important for parents to consider whether the personality of a selected student tutor is suitable for your child. 

At times, student tutors may experience an irregular school schedule as a result of exams, CCAs, or other school obligations. This can limit their ability to schedule home tuition sessions, so parents need to communicate in advance and expect to exercise some flexibility for student tutors. It is important for parents to engage the services of a reliable and trusted tuition agency to conduct thorough screening and shortlisting of student tutors, this is to ensure that they are committed to tutoring your child and that their qualifications and education history are valid.

MOE-Trained Chinese Home Tutors

Chinese home tutors in this category consist of two profiles: the MOE teachers who are currently teaching in schools or ex-MOE teachers who have left service and no longer teaching in schools.  Tutors in this group are officially trained in NIE and are professionally certified teachers. 

Advantages of Engaging MOE-Trained Chinese Home Tutors

Tutors in this category are very sought-after, as some parents are willing to put in the budget to help their struggling child achieve the desired Chinese grades and not fall further behind.

MOE-trained tutors are very familiar with the school syllabus and are content matter experts. They know how curriculum, syllabus are planned and might have experience setting papers and know the marking criteria very well. They can help to point on focus areas which your child should work on, such as writing techniques to make their composition stand out from other students. They are also aware of the teaching strategies to help weaker students and can impart practical techniques which can help your help improve his Chinese grades within a short amount of time. This is possible due to the large number of students taught and vast classroom teaching experience.

Disadvantages of Engaging MOE-Trained Chinese Home Tutors

MOE-trained Chinese tutors are highly sought after by parents due to their teaching qualifications and effectiveness, resulting in them charging the highest tuition rates among all tutor profiles. Hiring such tutors can be a significant financial commitment, especially if multiple subjects or children in the household require tuition. 

The supply of current MOE-trained school tutors is limited because of the new regulatory procedures implemented by the Singapore Public Service Division in 2021. School teachers are only allowed to teach tuition if approved by their school principal and for valid reasons. This makes it challenging for MOE school teachers to be available for Chinese home tuition.

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Different Types of Chinese Tuition in Singapore

1. Chinese tuition in the tuition centre

Chinese tuition in a tuition centre can be in a large or small group setting which ranges from a group of 6 to sometimes 30 or more students. Students usually have to travel to a physical location for tuition classes that are set out on a fixed schedule. 

Some Chinese tuition centre only specialise in Chinese tuition, there are a couple that only focus on creative and essay writing. This allows the centre to pay attention on curriculum and developing good Chinese teaching strategies as compared to the other centres offer tuition in multiple subjects. As compared to private Chinese tuition, there is little freedom to select the Chinese tutor, especially one that can match your timeslot and preferred tuition centre outlet. Usually, the popular Chinese tutor’s classes are packed full, and you might be put on a waitlist with an indefinite waiting time. Moreover, there is also additional time spent on commuting and make-up lessons can be hard to schedule since the lessons are less flexible as there is a need to cater to other students and classroom availability.

2. Home Chinese tuition

Parents can hire an Chinese tutor to provide one-to-one tuition services either in the comfort of your own home or at the tutor’s place (if your place is not conducive) at a timeslot which is convenient for you. A private Chinese tutor does not play the role of a teacher, which is defined as someone who will deliver lessons in a more formal and bigger setting. Therefore, the skillsets of being a good tutor can differ from that of a teacher. 

Home tuition is in a more intimate and private setting, effective home tutors are better able to aid weaker students in mastering Chinese quickly because they are usually equipped with good interpersonal skills. This allows them to build rapport and credibility with their students to elevate their joy and learning experience as compared to a group setting.  

3. Private small group Chinese tuition

Due to budget constraints, some tertiary students or their parents might hire a private Chinese or General Paper tutor to teach a small group of 2 to 4 students who can be friends or classmates at an indicated location, such as the tutor’s place or a co-working space and split the hourly tutor fees among themselves.

Besides reducing tuition costs, small-group private Chinese tuition is popular at the tertiary level (upper secondary or JC, IP) because students can share their ideas such as writings, argument or viewpoints through discussions. The communication among the students will help in their Chinese language usage and expression. Lastly, learning in a group enhances motivation as the interaction can help students to be more engaged and look forward to attending the Chinese tuition sessions. 

4. Online Chinese tuition

Online learning has taken off post-covid, and both tuition centres and private home tutors offer the option of online Chinese tuition for students who prefer this. 

This option can be explored, for instance, if an Chinese tutor is not able to meet your schedule due to the commuting time needed to travel to your place as he or she has a lesson prior to yours. Remote Chinese tuition is advantageous if you would like to minimise your child’s contact with people so as not to fall sick, especially when it is close to important examinations such as PSLE or O/A Levels.   

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Qualities To Look for In a Chinese Tutor

When it comes to choosing a suitable tutor for your child, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The best fit will depend on many factors that are unique to your child’s situation. However, some key considerations should remain the same, such as making sure that any tutor you choose is qualified and experienced. At Tutor City, we take the time to understand your needs before making the best recommendation(s) to you. Here are some of the essential qualities you should look out for when choosing a Chinese tutor:

1. Qualifications

Chinese tutors need to have the right language qualifications and training in order for them to guide students successfully. To this end, you should always make sure that any tutor you choose has undergone training by NIE or MOE. Such qualifications mean that the teachers have gone through a training process that makes them proficient in teaching Chinese.

At Tutor City, we highlight all tutors' qualifications and academic achievements so you can choose the right one. It will allow you to make an informed decision and choose a tutor with the right qualifications for your needs.

2. Experience and Suitability

The tutor you choose needs to have experience in teaching at the level your child is at. For example, if you are looking for a JC Chinese tutor, it does not make sense to hire a teacher who has experience teaching Chinese at the primary level. Having relevant experience means that a tutor is familiar with the syllabus at the level your child is at, understands the common challenges faced by students and are familiar with tactics that work in overcoming these challenges. At Tutor City, we are able to recommend tutors who have experience in teaching at the level your child is at.

3. Access to Learning Materials and Resources

As tutors gain experience with helping students improve their grades successfully, they also amass a range of learning materials that work best. They gather these materials from top schools and a range of other sources to help students excel in Chinese. This means that students will have access to past papers, notes, assessment books and much more. At Tutor City, we will indicate if the tutor is able to provide additional learning materials for the student. This will allow you to make an informed decision based on how much additional help your child needs.

4. Successful Track Record

Naturally, you will want to know that any tutor you choose has a strong track record of successful students. You should never be afraid to ask for testimonials in order to find out if the tutor is capable of delivering the results your child wants. Of course, while a large part of this depends on your child’s attitude as well, you will want to know that you have the best tutor in your corner, cheering your child on and helping them reach their fullest potential.

5. Teaching Mode and Flexibility

Depending on your child’s schedule, you may have very specific requirements when it comes to the day and time each tuition session takes place. Or you may even be looking for online tuition that your child can attend from anywhere. Here is where you will need to find a tutor who’s fully onboard with the teaching mode that will best suit your child. Some degree of flexibility may also be required if your child has many commitments that may change at a moment’s notice.

It is important not to compromise when searching for a tutor who will meet your child’s every need. After all, your end goal is for your child’s grades to improve, which will ultimately open up more pathways for them, whether that is in higher education or career options. Searching for a tutor can also be a challenging prospect with so many options out there today. Here is where you should reach out to us at Tutor City and let us make the most suitable recommendations for you within a short turnaround time.

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Support from Tutor City to select a suitable Chinese tutor

Tutor City is committed to helping you select the best Chinese tutor for your child. Here is the support you will receive when hiring a tutor for Chinese tuition:

• Carefully screen and highly qualified Chinese tutors with excellent teaching skills and experience
• Fast response time of within 24 hours to receive tutor profiles for your selection when you put in a Chinese tutor request form 
• Arrangement of a phone interview with the shortlisted tutor
• Free consultation with us to understand your requirements and advise you on a suitable Chinese tutor profile
• Follow up service on the feedback of the Chinese tutor after your first lesson
• Flexibility to change tutor if you find him or her unsuitable, only the lessons taught will be charged
• 100% no fees charged to you for our Chinese tutor-matching service

Let Tutor City Assist You with Finding a Chinese Tutor

When looking for a suitable Chinese tutor, you may have information bombarding you from various fronts. From tuition centres to private tutors, you may have trouble deciding on the most suitable one for your child’s needs. Once you have ascertained that your child will benefit most from a private tutor who can give them one-on-one attention, it’s time to start the search. Tutor City can help you cut through the noise and recommend the best tutor to meet your child’s needs.

All our tutors undergo a strict vetting process before being approved to teach with us. After letting us know your basic requirements, such as your budget and the level your child is at, we will recommend a few tutors for you to take your pick from. From there, you can arrange a trial lesson with no commitment – all you need to do is pay for the first lesson if you do not feel that the tutor is a good match for your child afterwards!

Getting started with us is quick, easy and convenient. Simply fill out this form and we will get back to you with our recommendations within 24 hours! We look forward to helping your child along their academic journey, whether they require help with Chinese or any other subject.

Let our tutors help! View Our Tutor Listings

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