Language for ISF Foundation Year interview

pppwong

Hi, we are a Cantonese speaking family and we have been quite focused in training up our kid's English to prepare for interviews.  May I know for ISF' Foundation Year, would his level of Mandarin be tested?  We do not wish to expose our kid to Mandarin too soon as we wanted him to focus on developing a very good level of English first, given this is already his second language.  Should we get him some help on Mandarin too to prepare for the ISF interview this Sep?

connieluo

pppwong 發表於 17-2-21 16:13
Hi, we are a Cantonese speaking family and we have been quite focused in training up our kid's Engli ...

They will ask you to choose which language to use prior to the interview

pppwong

connieluo 發表於 17-2-21 16:39
They will ask you to choose which language to use prior to the interview

I saw that I'm supposed to choose the kid's native language.  But I presume if I pick Cantonese, it would be quite disadvantaged?

connieluo

pppwong 發表於 17-2-21 17:06
I saw that I'm supposed to choose the kid's native language.  But I presume if I pick Cantonese, it  ...

I think it is better to choose the child's mother language to get best out of children.

hong0706

pppwong 發表於 17-2-21 16:13
Hi, we are a Cantonese speaking family and we have been quite focused in training up our kid's Engli ...

They will use your chosen language in stage 1A , and all three languages in 1B. In 1B, there are 3 rooms each with English ， mandarin and Cantonese teachers and kids are to rotate and go to each room.
But then they are said for FY, you are not expected to know mandarin, then in another briefing, someone else said knowing mandarin would facilitiate learning!

係咪有D精神分裂？！

我估，你金頭髮， 或英文好好甚至native, 唔識mandarin 係ok. 一般香港人，最後識小小

pppwong

原帖由 hong0706 於 17-02-21 發表
They will use your chosen language in stage 1A , and all three languages in 1B. In 1B, there are 3 r ...

Yes that's exactly why I asked. In the briefing they specifically said they are not expected to know mandarin. But from my experience interviewing for ISF kindergarten, they already asks if my child speak mandarin even though I picked English. Also, on the website they say that they are looking for kids who can adapt to their program in mandarin and English. Hence I really don't see why they have to offer stage 1A in Cantonese...

fatcni

回覆 pppwong 的帖子

We are also very local and Cantonese based family and we took Cantonese as both my child and parents as our first language. And we successfully got an offer. I don't think it is an disadvantage! The school has good and enough resources to teach mandarin even for a zero mandarin candidate. I believe school has given candidates three languages in the interview. If your child can manage one in native level and the other two in good level, it is very high chance. If I were school, I would of course choose those who can handle these three languages well and the teachers would be less burden to help them to catch up.
Mandarin program is quite intense in FY but it was fun. Children are so easy to pick up.

pppwong

fatcni 發表於 17-2-21 23:35
回覆 pppwong 的帖子

We are also very local and Cantonese based family and we took Cantonese as both ...

Thanks for your kind sharing.  Am I right to say that the candidate is still expected to show a certain level of mandarin at the Stage 1B interview, after picking Cantonese at Stage 1A?  What do you think are the key qualities to be successful at the interview?  Thanks much! :)

fatcni

回覆 pppwong 的帖子

Knowing mandarin is not a must but it definitely a plus during the interview. I believe during the 1B interview, multi languaages will be used. Thinking the majority of candidates can manage both English and mandarin well, the teachers will probably pick from them.
Honestly, the class schedule and content is quite intense and if a child is well equipped with multi languages, he or she will pick up quicker.
FYI, my child can manage well in both English and Cantonese but conversational mandarin in her interviews years ago.