How My Son Scored Full Marks in P3 Higher Chinese WA1, WA2 and WA3

We are an English-speaking family, and my son attends a SAP school in Singapore. Although he studies Higher Chinese, English is still the language we naturally use at home.

Like many parents, I want him to do well in Chinese. But I also want him to enjoy the language—to pick up a Chinese comic willingly and understand a Chinese television programme.

He scored full marks in his Primary 3 Higher Chinese WA1, WA2 and WA3. Our approach combines daily practice with Chinese reading and television.

I am also the founder of PandaHuaWen. This is my personal experience as a parent and the thinking behind the website. It is not a guarantee that every child will achieve the same results.

Our Daily Routine: 20 MCQs and 5 Written Questions

Our daily target is 20 multiple-choice questions and 5 written questions. Having a clear target makes practice easier to organise alongside schoolwork and other activities.

MCQs give him practice in recognising characters, understanding vocabulary and choosing words that fit a sentence. Written questions require him to formulate and express an answer independently. Being able to recognise the correct answer does not always mean a child can write a complete answer without options.

Assessment Books Are Useful—Tracking Is the Difficult Part

I find assessment books and practice papers useful. The challenge is keeping track of what happens after marking them.

When mistakes are spread across different books and papers, it becomes difficult to see the pattern. Has he misunderstood the same word several times? Does he repeatedly confuse two similar characters? Did he understand the explanation, or simply remember the answer? A score alone does not tell me enough.

This is where I find MCQs particularly useful for tracking. With PandaHuaWen, I can review the questions he answered incorrectly and return to them later. It makes it easier to identify what needs attention instead of continually moving on to new questions.

The five written questions remain part of our routine because they practise skills that MCQs cannot fully cover.

Reviewing Mistakes Matters More Than Completing a Number

Although we have a daily target, completing the questions is only part of the process. When an answer is wrong, I want to understand why. Sometimes he does not know a word. Sometimes two options look similar. At other times, he has read too quickly and missed an important clue.

We look at what the sentence means, why his answer does not fit and why the correct answer is more suitable. Returning to a mistake later helps us check whether he has understood it, rather than simply remembered which option to choose.

Chinese Comics Make Reading Enjoyable

My son reads Chinese comics such as Doraemon, along with other humorous comic series. The illustrations help him follow the story, and the humour gives him a reason to keep reading.

I do not want every Chinese book to become another assessment. He should have opportunities to read simply because he wants to find out what happens next. As an English-speaking parent, I value having Chinese books that he chooses to pick up himself.

Chinese Television Adds Everyday Exposure

We also watch Chinese television programmes. This gives him opportunities to hear Chinese used in conversations and different situations. Voices, expressions and actions provide context that is different from reading a passage or answering a worksheet.

Together, comics and television help give Chinese a place in our home beyond homework and examinations.

Looking Ahead: Building a Foundation for PSLE Chinese

My son is only in Primary 3, so PSLE is still some distance away. I hope the habits we establish now will help him approach the upper-primary years with confidence.

Our plan is to continue with 20 MCQs and 5 written questions a day, adjusting the difficulty as he progresses. For vocabulary questions, I want him to understand why a word fits. For passage-based questions, I want him to look for evidence before choosing an answer.

As he moves towards PSLE, we will adapt his preparation to the Higher Chinese requirements applicable to his examination year. Written practice, reading and listening will continue alongside MCQs.

Why I Created PandaHuaWen

As a parent, I wanted a more convenient way to organise Chinese MCQ practice and keep track of mistakes. That is the thinking behind PandaHuaWen: regular practice, immediate feedback and a way to revisit questions that need another look.

I am proud of my son’s full marks in P3 Higher Chinese WA1, WA2 and WA3. Beyond the scores, I hope he continues to grow comfortable with Chinese and enjoy using it.

If you would like to explore our approach, try our P3 Chinese practice questions and see how question practice and mistake review fit your child’s routine.

Written by Lim, parent and founder of PandaHuaWen. This article shares our family’s experience; results will vary between children.