Hanban Representative Office in Thailand Holds Pep Rally for Chinese Tests

Bangkok, September 4th—the Hanban representative office to Thailand held a Chinese test pep rally, aiming to call up Chinese teachers and volunteers in Thailand to strengthen publicity, further promote Chinese tests in Thai schools, encourage and organize Thai students to take the HSK and YCT as well as other Chinese tests. More than 50 volunteers attended the meeting.

At the request of the Thai Ministry of Education regarding the gradual establishment of Chinese teaching assessment criteria, Hanban developed Chinese proficiency test papers suitable for Thai students in 2007. Through the great efforts of the representative office, around 200,000 Thai students took the test in 2009.

The meeting passed on Hanban’s guidelines for this year’s Chinese testing. The Hanban representative office to Thailand would continue to encourage Chinese teachers and volunteers to promote Chinese tests across a broader range, and encourage more Chinese enthusiasts participate in Chinese tests, so as to increase its popularity in Thailand. Meanwhile, the volunteers have been required to seek more flexible test forms, make Chinese tests both interesting and practical, so as to help more students build up their confidence in learning Chinese.

Pang Li, a Hanban representative in Thailand stressed that the differences between China and Thailand in teaching methods and educational environments make the promotion of Chinese tests in Thailand special. The aim of Chinese tests is not to “beat” students, but to encourage them to adopt the view that “the important thing is participation”. Therefore, volunteers should help ease the students’ apprehension related to Chinese tests through various questions and flexible test forms, so as to further their interest in learning Chinese. It is also a requirement for the volunteers to organize Chinese tests, the results of which will be used as an important basis for their performance assessment.

The volunteers explained the fact that September and October was the final examination period for Thai schools. They will actively respond to their calling and commit themselves to the working of the Chinese tests. (Reporter: Wen Han)