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Impact of Hanyu Pinyin input method on the learning of Chinese among lower secondary pupils in Singapore
Author
Lim, Si Hui
Supervisor
Chua, Chee Lay
Abstract
This dissertation reports an exploratory study on the use of Hanyu Pinyin Input Method to learn the Chinese Language among lower secondary pupils. They are encouraged to express themselves in Chinese with the aid of Hanyu Pinyin Input in this research. The main focus of this study was to find out if the number of Chinese characters learnt, writing skills and motivation, could be improved with the approach of using this method.
The samples used in the present study were drawn from one government secondary school in Singapore. The subjects were 79 secondary two pupils taken from eight classes across three academic streams respectively and 29 secondary one Express stream pupils. The experiments of using Hanyu Pinyin method as well as the traditional pedagogy in learning the Chinese Language were conducted over a period of ten weeks.
Results showed that pupils' performance generally improved regardless of their prior knowledge of the Hanyu Pinyin Input Method. Writing skills in terms of sentence construction improved. Furthermore, the numbers of written errors made were also reduced. Pupils' were motivated to learn the language using this new mode of learning as seen through observations of their responses in Chinese classes.
The Hanyu Pinyin Input Method is unique to Singapore Chinese pupils as compared to China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other parts of the world. It is significant for the lower secondary pupils to use this new mode of learning in Singapore. Due to our pupils' strength in conversing in the Chinese Language, they were able to grasp and make use of the prescribed methodology in their learning.
The samples used in the present study were drawn from one government secondary school in Singapore. The subjects were 79 secondary two pupils taken from eight classes across three academic streams respectively and 29 secondary one Express stream pupils. The experiments of using Hanyu Pinyin method as well as the traditional pedagogy in learning the Chinese Language were conducted over a period of ten weeks.
Results showed that pupils' performance generally improved regardless of their prior knowledge of the Hanyu Pinyin Input Method. Writing skills in terms of sentence construction improved. Furthermore, the numbers of written errors made were also reduced. Pupils' were motivated to learn the language using this new mode of learning as seen through observations of their responses in Chinese classes.
The Hanyu Pinyin Input Method is unique to Singapore Chinese pupils as compared to China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other parts of the world. It is significant for the lower secondary pupils to use this new mode of learning in Singapore. Due to our pupils' strength in conversing in the Chinese Language, they were able to grasp and make use of the prescribed methodology in their learning.
Date Issued
2003
Call Number
PL1068.S55 Lim
Date Submitted
2003