The actual question was Should Spanish-speaking students get credit for doing well in AP Spanish in the Washington Post, but it's a good question for the Chinese AP.

Just as with the Chinese SAT II - do native Chinese speakers have an unfair advantage?

My thought is no, but it helps on the Chinese SAT II if you get the right study material so if you are a native Chinese speaker, you get a high score. I did appreciate the point made in the comments that just because you speak a language, does not mean you have a good understanding of the rules of grammar and such. That is especially true in English, which has all sorts of inconsistent grammar, pronunciation, and spelling rules (the challenge of a language that continually borrows from other languages).

Labels: Chinese SAT II

In some families, a 1759 on the SAT would be good. Not in our area... My daughter has a class mate who got 2400 in the 7th grade. As one person said, in Asia Town the standards are a bit higher for a good score. And of course this does put a bit of pressure on the students around here and explains all the SAT tutoring centers here.

And of course to do really well on the Chinese SAT II. What is an acceptable score on the Chinese SAT II here is much higher, and since the scores are based on a curve, and there is a very steep curve on the Chinese SAT II due to all of the native speakers taking it, it's challenging.

Labels: Chinese SAT II, SAT

Interesting discussion at SAT II Chinese - College Discussion asking if you should take it.

Positives:

1. Preparation material is available! 2 Volumes of Chinese SAT ii Test Review Books with hints and 6 sample tests.
2. Relatively easy SAT II to add for your college application.
3. Shows your proficiency in a Foreign Language.
4. For the UC's, you need to take 3 SAT II's currently.
5. Some private colleges also require 3 SAT II's
   

Negatives:

1. It's imposssible to be in the top 1% on this test, sincesince so many native Chinese take the test and ace it (getting perfect scores).
2. If your native Chinese, the college will discount your score.
3. You could get less than a perfect score if you don't study, especially if your Chinese is not that great.
   

Labels: Chinese SAT II

Summer break is around the corner and small and big kids alike are looking forward to fun days ahead. We parents would like them to have fun but wouldn’t it be nice if we could sneak in some learning time for them as well?

You might or might not be met with rolling eyes when you suggest further Chinese practice, but I'm quite sure by this time you know how to get around having them gain extra learning without their noticing (or at least we like to believe they don't notice).

• For kids who thrive on textbook learning – even in summer – there are plenty of excellent textbooks written for teens beginning Chinese as a second language. Kuaile Hanyu has a textbook/reader and follows teen students as they visit China and try to converse in basic Chinese. Lessons used in the book are more about teens and keeps in mind the more advanced language skills of adolescents.

• For those who are to take the Chinese SAT II in a year or two (or three), it doesn’t hurt to start preparing now with Chinese SAT II practice books and tests .
  

• Videos. No talking baby pandas please for these young adults. There are interesting documentary videos hosted by young people that will have them pick up Chinese words and see more about Chinese culture as well. Favorites are: “New Year in Ping Wei”, “Land of the Dragon,” “Families from China” and "Chinese Cooking for Kids DVD".
  

• If you can’t get your teen off the computer to do Chinese lessons, why not bring the Chinese lesson to the computer instead? Kuaile Hanyu also has a 3-level software that features videos of exchange students visiting China , some practice tests and games. (Maybe you can haggle for your teen to look through the Kuaile Hanyu textbook reader as well? No? Just try?)

• A lot of Chinese words and grammar can be picked up from songs it will be a waste to not to try this medium. Thankfully, songs from other countries are not as hard to look for these days. Why not try to sit down together in front of the internet and look through Chinese singers that teens like? Maybe you can help download Chinese songs your child likes, and do it as the parents of smaller kids learning Chinese do. Play it while in the car or while having some down time at home. (Ear plugs can be of help here.)

• Books are an excellent antidote to whines of boredom after the computer is shut down. Kids who are used to reading Chinese can read Chinese Harry Potter in Simplified or Traditional characters. For those who want to REALLY keep their kids unplugged for a longer time, Chinese Harry Potter bundle set is also available. Yes, all books number 1-7 are included so your teen can read in Chinese that first day Harry received his invitation to study at Hogwarts, to the time Harry has a family with… never mind. Just read so I don’t spill. Chinese translations of the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit, plus also Eragon, can keep your teen busy reading for days and speeding up those Chinese reading skills as well.

Are you up to it? Think you can sneak in speeding up your child's Chinese this summer?

Labels: ChildBook products, Chinese Harry Potter, Chinese SAT II, Kuaile Hanyu, Learn Chinese for Teens, parenting, Spend Time with kids learning Chinese

Chinese SAT II Test review books are here! There is a real lack of material out there for the Chinese SAT II for studying, these review books include sample tests. I came across these books by accident and Chinese Teachers I know did not know they existed. The price of $24.95 each includes a CD, so they are a good deal. It's recommended that the student buy both. They include 6 mock Chinese SAT II tests, which are great to study from. What's nice about the book is by a Chinese Association of Schools, so it's very high quality. The average mean score on the Chinese SAT is 764 and are scored from 200 to 800. If you write your name, you got 200 and no SAT test has more than 95 questions. Some of the questions are test questions and not counted, so you may be able to miss some and still get a perfect score. The Chinese SAT II language test should only be taken if you have two years of High School Chinese or are a native speaker and have gone to the weekend Chinese schools.

Some colleges look at the number of SAT II's completed to help in determining admission. The UC System in California requires each incoming student to have taken two SAT II's, and for native Chinese speakers, the Chinese SAT II is easy. The only worry is not getting a perfect score, which is why these study guides are so important, including the six sample tests. You can take up to 3 SAT II's the same day, but you want to space them out to maximize your results. It's also possible to retake the SAT Subject Matter tests if you are not happy with your first score.

				Chinese SAT II : Sample Tests, Softcover Book & CD
				Our Price: $24.95
				Chinese SAT II: Sample Tests, Softcover Book & CD Compiled by the Association of Northern California of Chinese Schools, this study guide includes sample tests and tips on how to score high on the SAT II Subject Test in Chinese. Each book includes two free audio CD’s and questions that test grammar, reading and listening comprehension. The Listening Comprehension portion is in Mandarin Chinese. The Grammar Section are presented in four different writing systems: Traditional Characters, Simplified Characters, Pinyin Romanization, and Chinese Phonetic Alphabet (Bo Po Mo Fo). Reading Section is presented in two writing systems: Traditional Characters and Simplified Characters.
				Chinese SAT II, Vol 2: Sample Tests, Vol 2, Softcover Book & CD
				Our Price: $24.95
				Chinese SAT II, Vol 2: Sample Tests, Vol 2 Softcover Book & 2 CD'S Compiled by the Association of Northern California of Chinese Schools, this new study guide expands on Vol 1. It includes more sample tests and tips on how to score high on the SAT II Subject Test in Chinese. Each book includes a free audio CD and new questions that test grammar, reading and listening comprehension. The Listening Comprehension portion is in Mandarin Chinese. The Grammar Section are presented in four different writing systems: Traditional Characters, Simplified Characters, Pinyin Romanization, and Chinese Phonetic Alphabet (Bo Po Mo Fo). Reading Section is presented in two writing systems: Traditional Characters and Simplified Characters.

Labels: Chinese SAT II