IB Chinese ab Initio is one of the IB curriculum subjects that you can choose from. As the name implies, this subject will mainly help you improve your Chinese skills in different aspects, including listening, reading, writing, and speaking. 

If this is your first time taking IB Chinese ab initio as your subject, beginning to learn Chinese may be challenging. Without the right resources and understanding, learning Chinese can be harder than it may seem. Through this article, we will provide a quick overview of the IB Chinese ab initio exam and provide tips to begin learning and improving your Chinese skills. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The IB Chinese Curriculum Explained: Which One Should You Choose?

IB Chinese ab initio is one of the available courses for students with little to no prior knowledge in Chinese. This course is usually targeted for non-native children with minimal exposure to the language. Since it is meant for children with no knowledge of the language, IB Chinese ab initio will let students learn the fundamentals of Mandarin and mostly aims for fluency in daily communications. 

Just like how other subjects are, you are expected to finish a complete IB Chinese ab initio at the end of the course. This exam will be separated into 3 sections as the following: 

• Writing Section will consist of two questions where you will be tasked with creating two different writings such as essays, letters, and emails. 

• Listening and Reading Section will consist of answering questions based on given text or audio.  

• Oral Assessment will consist of describing a visual stimulus and interacting in a short question and answer section with the teacher. 

Preparing ahead for your IB Chinese ab initio class is an important matter that can bring significant improvement in your overall performance. Starting ahead and preparing yourself for this course can be very effective especially if you have no prior knowledge in Chinese. Here are several steps that you can do before your first IB Chinese ab initio class to help you be well prepared for the learning process. 

Read Syllabus and Gather Resources

A simple thing that you can do before your IB Chinese ab initio class starts is to find the syllabus or resources to start with. Reading IB Chinese ab initio syllabus is a great way to understand learning objectives and align your focus with what is expected upon finishing the course. Another thing you can start doing is finding reliable resources such as textbooks or reputable websites as supplementary materials. You can get a great headstart by reading these materials before your class starts. 

Find Enjoyable Chinese Media

If finding reliable Chinese learning resources is currently impossible, you can also try finding Chinese media that suits your preferences. For example, you may start listening to Chinese songs or watch Chinese dramas that feature your favorite genre. Enjoying this media will not only be a supporting resource for you, but also can help you get more familiar with the Chinese language as a whole. 

Consider Taking Chinese Class

Another alternative that you may try if you aim to understand Chinese faster and achieve great scores is by finding extra Chinese courses outside your school. This is especially important if you are willing to expand your Chinese skills beyond daily communications. If you’re still unsure whether you want to take an extra lesson or not, you can start by gathering information such as pricing and class format before making your final decision.  

Achieving a great score in your IB Chinese ab initio exam may not be easy if you have limited resources or if you don’t understand how the assessment works. In this section, you will find practical study tips to help you achieve better results in your exam. 

Start with Pronunciation 

The oral exam in IB Chinese ab initio plays an important role in your exam. Although there are other skills that you need to master, understanding Chinese pronunciation is often considered the building block of the language itself. Understanding pronunciation will help you avoid misunderstandings and differentiate similar sounding words. 

Find Learning Partner

Finding motivation and keeping consistency may be hard to many students if they’re learning alone. In this situation, finding a learning partner can be a great way to help you practice Chinese language and prepare you better for your exam. Through learning partners, you can find yourself becoming more motivated from the constant encouragement. Furthermore, having a learning partner can also help you deal with the interactive oral exam section in the future. 

Study Past Papers

Learning from the previous IB Chinese ab initio exam is also a great way for you to understand how the assessment works. Finding IB Chinese ab initio past papers will give you the opportunity to to understand question patterns and anticipate them in advance. These exercises are also a great way to track your progress and focus on your weakest point. This way, you can raise your overall IB Chinese ab initio scores. 

Find Practical Example

One beginner mistake that students often make while studying for IB Chinese ab initio is sticking solely on their official textbooks. Although learning through textbooks is still highly recommended to help build a strong foundation, the key to fluency is finding practical usage on what you are currently learning. When learning IB Chinese ab initio, this can be integrated by finding articles, letters, or other sources that correspond with your current learning material. After finding this extra source, you can also try coming up with your own examples that align with your daily activities.