IB Chinese / Chinese Literature

IB Chinese studies are divided into Group 1 (Language A) and Group 2 (Language B, Mandarin ab initio).

Group 1 (Language A): Students study both literary and non-literary texts. Options include the Literature course or the Language and Literature course (both available at Higher Level and Standard Level). Assessments evaluate the student’s understanding of the relationship between language, literature, society, and life, as well as their ability to appreciate literary works.

Group 2 (Language B): Students focus on language and culture. Through thematic studies, they enhance their language application skills and understanding of Chinese culture (Higher Level requires the study of literary texts). Assessments evaluate the ability to communicate and express ideas in Chinese. Students can choose from Higher Level (HL), Standard Level (SL), or Mandarin ab initio.

Overview: Generally, Language A is more challenging than Language B. IB Chinese A is suitable for students with high Chinese proficiency; bilingual students who achieve high predicted scores in this subject are highly competitive when applying to top-tier universities. IB Chinese B is better suited for students with heavy academic workloads who need to balance their time and energy across multiple subjects.

The CANA Chinese teaching team consists of IB Chinese A examiners and senior tutors with professional assessment guidance expertise. In class, teachers focus on helping students build a framework for textual analysis, master logical argumentation techniques, and grasp overall textual styles. By combining this with close readings of specific works, we help students:

• Improve understanding of context, themes, and styles across literary genres (Criterion A).
• Enhance analysis, evaluation, and comparison skills (Criterion B).
• Refine writing organization and language use (Criteria C & D).
• Identify learning patterns and establish personal systems to elevate assessment performance.

1. In-depth Analysis of Texts for Individual Oral (IO) and Paper 2: Deconstructing core themes from multiple perspectives to deeply expand critical thinking and analytical entry points.
2. Systematic Training via Past Papers and Mock Cases: Using Paper 1 past papers and classic simulations to conduct systematic research training by genre and category, summarizing analysis logic and answering techniques.
3. Targeted Improvement for the Four Assessment Criteria: Teachers provide live writing demonstrations and deconstruct various argumentation techniques. We offer precise, targeted corrections and personalized feedback on short writing assignments to help students build professional literary mindsets and exam logic, while refining the quality of both oral and written expression.

• Culture, Identity, and Community: The hardships of individuals living in the "cracks" between cultures.
• Beliefs, Values, and Education: The pressure that utilitarian education places on developing individuals.
• Politics, Power, and Justice: The spiritual oppression of the intellectual class under totalitarian politics.
• Art, Creativity, and Imagination: Using "stream of consciousness" dream writing to explore the complexity of the inner thought world.
• Science, Technology, and the Environment: Challenges to social ethics and morality posed by technological achievements.

The Literature course focuses on depth, while the Language & Literature course focuses on breadth.

The Chinese B teaching system designed by CANA is oriented toward preparing for both Internal Assessments (Individual Oral) and External Assessments (Paper 1 Writing, Paper 2 Listening & Reading). We select high-frequency exam content from the five core themes to resolve typical problems students face while enhancing comprehensive language proficiency. We help students find learning patterns to elevate performance in conceptual understanding of communication, mastery of advanced vocabulary/sentence patterns/idioms, and the structural presentation of content.

In class, teachers help students build personal vocabulary banks and provide precise, targeted feedback on short writing and oral exercises to improve the quality of language use.

• Paper 1 (Writing): Based on past paper drills, we develop mock exams to predict assessment trends. Teachers guide students in building frameworks, provide writing demonstrations, and show how to organize content using advanced vocabulary. We help students master the logic of language learning and exam strategies—focusing on grammar, idioms, and advanced phrasing—to improve writing across three dimensions: Message, Language, and Conceptual Understanding.
• Paper 2 (Listening & Reading): We focus on the efficient memorization of common testing vocabulary, capturing effective information, and identifying exam "traps" to improve performance in difficult sections like multiple-choice and cross-matching. We guide students to master answering techniques based on a rapid establishment of textual understanding.
• Individual Oral (IO):
• Standard Level (SL): Teachers assist students in selecting high-value photos related to the themes, demonstrating how to describe and narrate, link to personal experience, and expand on the topic.
• Higher Level (HL): Teachers guide students through the plots of literary works, provide analytical perspectives, and co-write oral scripts. We conduct personal expression training and Q&A drills to master core techniques and scoring points.