GSIS vs KCIS

leschelems

Somehow our dicussion goes off track.  The caption is GSIS vs KCIS.  Why don't we start another topic to pursue it? Or join the existing one?

原帖由 wisekid2007 於 09-7-7 14:21 發表
Hi nintendo,

You have mentioned before that you have relatives'/friends'  kids studying in DGJS and you found there is a distortion of the values that is not acceptable.

Please consider to share wi ...

ShatinIvy

I come across 2 parents from GSIS. They express their children's Chinese as failure despite they have tried various methods. They children refuse to use Chinese. They can barely read and write, but not in essay or letter by Chinese. How about your kid? Please advice.

原帖由 wisekid2007 於 09-6-30 13:47 發表
Regarding your five factors, my comments are:

1. If you are talking about academic achievement, I don't think GSIS will let you down or inferior to KCIS.  There is no public exams for kinder or prima ...

eaymom

GSIS is very clear that they won't teach Chinese until Year 4.  So parents need to seek private tutoring for Chinese separately.

For children in IS, it's unrealistic to expect that they can achieve the same level of Chinese as local school.  However, if the parents are committed and persistent through private tutoring, the children will be able to achieve an acceptable level of Chinese.  I have seen many of these cases with children from IS.

This is an issue with all international schools.  But if IS is the route we choose, this is the compromise we need to accept.

Isaacmommy

If money is not a consideration, I would defintely choose GSIS and give the child private Chinese lessons.

I think GSIS is the top 3 IS in HK (if not the best).
My cousin graduated from GSIS, got 4As in his A-level and went to Standford Univ. Another friend I know also got 4As and went to a very good Univeristy too.  

Isaacmommy

Ruby1219

I agree that if Chinese is a major concern, GSIS is definitely out of question.
My son is now in Y.5 of GSIS. We love the school a lot despite its low level of Chinese (we are local Chinese) and high school fee (haha).

My son says that he would like to take French instead of Chinese in secondary (in GSIS, you can choose French or Chinese as third language to learn after English and German). By first response, me and my husband said "no way!". But after second (and third) thought, I think "why not?" cos GSIS's Chinese standard is so low and my son is not learning any thing more from it. We've been giving him extra private tutorial since he was 2.5years old. So, I think probably we will take French in secondary but supplement him with more private Chinese lessons.

Ruby

eaymom

Thankful and Ruby1219,

My daughter is in Year 1.  She's getting extra lesson on Chinese outside of school.  By the time she gets to year 4, I think her chinese proficiency should be quite good.

What I thinking is whether the school can let choose either French or Chinese when they get to Year 4.  Since we are already getting private tutoring in Chinese long before my daughter gets to year 4, I prefer for her to starting taking French, if possible, instead of Chinese.  That will give her more years of French study.  When she gets to secondary school, we will add Chinese back.

My point is if they are going to pick up another language in primary school, they should have a choice of the languages.  I don't see there is a need to start Chinese in Year 4 since they are already proficient to a certain extent

Chinese would probably be more useful for foreginers who have not had exposure to the language.

Just my 2cents.

原帖由 thankful 於 09-11-11 10:04 發表
Yes, Chinese standard is low in the Primary.  But once you go to the Secondary, the kids will be split into different groups.  The highest group's Chinese is far from being a breeze.  Even pupils from ...

eaymom

Really?  You can only do Chinese or French in Secondary?  I thought Chinese is standard for all children starting year 4 and then they can add French when they get to Secondary.  Not true?

原帖由 thankful 於 09-11-11 10:55 發表
eaymom,

Sorry, I don't know if the school would allow the kids to choose either French or Chinese when they get to Year 4.  Perhaps Ruby1219 and others could help you on this.  

But there is one thi ...

eaymom

So if we decide to take French in secondary then pretty much the 3 years spent in Chinese (year 4, 5,6) will not be continued.  Is that correct?

原帖由 thankful 於 09-11-11 11:20 發表
I remember asking this question when we were asked to make the choice and the answer was "no" - you can't take both.  Perhaps other parents can verify my understanding or correct me if I am wrong.

eaymom

If that is the case, it warrants the change to offer French as one of the choices in Year 4, in addition to Chinese.  Since if the goal is to select French in secondary, there is no point to take Chinese in primary school.  Parents will just have to supplement Chinese via private tutoring.

原帖由 wisekid2007 於 09-11-11 11:28 發表
So far as I know that starting from Year 4, you can choose either "Chinese language" or "Chinese culture" but not French.

For Chinese language, even starting from year 4, it will also be divided int ...

[ 本帖最後由 eaymom 於 09-11-11 11:33 編輯 ]

Chole

Sorry, a bit of diversion.

I am planning to have my kid applying for GSIS.  Do you think that I can go to the Open Afternoon this Friday?

Thanks.

Chole

Good!  I will go then.

Thank You!

原帖由 wisekid2007 於 09-11-11 12:38 發表
Yes, I think so.

There will be some performance and my boy will also participate in.