Today’s class is called ‘I am a Student’ (我是小学生）from pages 4 and 5 of 小学语文一年级上册，the textbook used in primary school classrooms in state schools across China. It is part 2 of our series of our comprehensive free Mandarin course. Complete this lesson to learn about topics including classrooms in a Chinese school, subjects at school, and some rules that Chinese students are encouraged to follow at primary school. The link to the video, which appears on Chinese videosharing platform Bilibili is here: I am a student.
The accompanying was made by the Chinese Government during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow children to continue their studies from home. We believe this content can also be utilised as an invaluable resource for Mandarin chinse learners across the globe. Therefore we have provided a link to the video on YouTube and a translation of the transcript into both Pinyin and English.
In our previous lesson the overall topic was love of China, including the 56 nationalities, the flag, the culture and the national anthem. In today’s focus the topic shifts to love of school and the importance of study. This lesson would be perfect material for any EFL teacher who has lined up a job at a school in China.
Lesson 2 – I am a Student 我是小学生
If you have watched the previous video you will recognise Teacher Dou （窦丽娜老师）from Haidian People’s school in Beijing (海淀区民族小学).
00.00: 亲爱的同学们，你们好。我们有见面了我是北京市海淀区民族小学的窦丽娜老师。上一节课我们一起学习了我是中国人感受到了族位中国人的自豪。
Qīnàide tóngxuémen nǐmen hǎo wǒmen yǒu jiànmiàn le。 Wǒshì Běijīng Shì Hǎidiànqū mínzú xiǎoxué de dòu línuó lǎoshī 。 Shàng yī jié kè wǒmen yīqǐ xuéxí le wǒshì Zhōngguórén gǎnshòu dàoliǎo zú wèi Zhōngguórén de zìháo。
Dear students hello! We meet again. I am teacher Duo from Beijing Haidian District People’s School. In our last class we studied the topic ‘ I am Chinese’ and spoke about how this leads to a feeling of pride among our various nationalities.
00.25: 这节课我们一起来学习我是小学生，让我们开心的说：
我是小学生。
Zhè jié kè wǒmen yìqǐlái xuéxí wǒshì xiǎoxuéshēng ràng wǒmen kāixīn de shuō wǒshì xiǎo xuéshēng.
In this class we will study ‘I am a Student,’ (pages 4 and 5 of the compulsory Chinese Primary School year 1 textbook). Let’s say happily: I am a student.
On page 4 of our book (小学语文一年级上册), if we look on the left hand side we see some students arriving at school. Next to them is a song which forms the body of today’s class. In our first task the teacher invites the students to say what they can see in the picture.
00.39: 同学们再这副图中你看看都有谁啊？他们在干什么呢？
Tóngxuémen zài zhè fù tú zhōng nǐkān kān dōu yǒu shéi a? Tāmen zài gànshénme ne?
Students, who are the people in this picture? And what are they doing?
00.52: 我看到了有五位小同学背着书包来上学，他们都在开心的笑。
Wǒ kàndào le yǒu wǔ wèi xiǎo tóngxué bèi zhe shūbāo lái shàngxué， tāmendōu zài kāixīn de xiào
I can see five students each of whom are carrying a school bag. They are also wearing a happy smile.
00.59: 我还看到几只小鸟在飞来飞去。太阳也
笑眯眯的看着小朋友。
Wǒ hái kàndào jǐzhǐ xiǎo niǎo zài fēilái fēiqù。Tàiyang yě xiàomīmī de kànzhe xiǎo péngyǒu
I can also see a few birds flying here and flying there. And the sun is looking down with a duchenne smile (smiling with the eyes!).
1.08： 是啊他们都成为了一名小学生多快乐呀。这些小同学们迈着欢快的脚步。还开心的唱起了一首歌呢。我们一起来听听吧。
Shì a tāmen dōu chéngwéi le yīmíng xiǎo xuéshēng duō kuàilè ya。 Zhè xiē xiǎo tóngxuémen mài zhe huān kuài de jiǎobù. Hái kāixīn de chàng qǐ le yī shǒugē ne. Wǒmen yìqǐ lái tīng tīng ba.
Yes, happy to see they have become students. They have made progress very quick progress. Let’s continue to be happy with a song. Let’s listen together.
The going to School song – 上学歌
Next we get to listen to a catchy tune called 上学歌，this song is about students arriving at school happily.
太阳当空照 (tàiyang dāngkōng zhào)
花儿对我笑 (huāér duì wǒ xiào)
小鸟说 早早早 (xiǎoniǎo shuō zǎo zǎo zǎo)
你为什么背着小书包 (nǐ wèishénme bēi zhe xiǎoshū bāo)
我去上学校 (wǒqù shàng xuéxiào)
天天不迟到 (tiāntiān bù chídào)
爱学习爱劳动 (ài xuéxí ài láodòng)
长大要为祖国立功劳 (zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōngláo)。
The sun is shining down
The flowers are smiling at me
The bird says: early, early, early
Why are you carrying a school bag on your back?
Because I’m going to school
I arrive on time every day
I love study and I love hard work
When I’m older I will contribute to my country
1.47： 好同学们这首歌你喜欢吗？他的名i叫上学歌。这首歌的歌词是很有趣的儿歌，就在我们语文说里。
Hǎo tóngxuémen zhè shǒugē nǐ xǐhuan mǎ? Tāde míng
jiào shàngxué gē zhè shǒugē de gēcí shì hěn yǒuqù de érgē jiù zài wǒmen yǔwén shuō lǐ.Good. Students, do you like this song? The name of the song is going to school. The meaning is very interesting in our language.
2.03: 那接下来啊。老师朗读一边你们要认真的听：
上学歌（shàngxué gē）
太阳当空照， （tàiyang dāngkōng zhào）
花儿对我笑。 （huāér duì wǒ xiào）
小鸟说：‘早，早，早，（xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， zǎo，zǎo）
你为什么背上小书包？’ （nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo）
我去上学校，（wǒqù shàng xué xiào）
天天不迟到。（tiāntiān bù chídào）
爱学习，爱劳动，（ài xuéxí ài láodòng）
长大要为祖国立功劳。（zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōng láo。）
2.44: 同学们你们喜欢这首儿歌吗？那接下来我们一起来读一读老师读一句你跟读一句。
In the next section of the class our teacher advises the students to practice the song again。This time slowly with a gap between each sentence to focus on perfecting the pronunciation and register. We recommend that readers do this too. By repeating this simple song line by line we can pick up some new vocabulary and work on our pronunciation. Listen carefully to the tones and use the pinyin below to help improve your Mandarin Chinese pronunciation.
上学歌 – Going to School Song
3.02：Teacher: 太阳当空照 （tàiyang dāngkōng zhào）
Student: 太阳当空照
Teacher: 花儿对我笑 huāér duì wǒ xiào）
Student： 花儿对我笑
Teacher： 小鸟说：”早，早，早，
你为什么背上小书包？” （xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， zǎo，zǎo nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo）
Student: 小鸟说：”早，早，早，
你为什么背上小书包？”
Teacher: 我去上学校 （wǒqù shàng xué xiào）
Student： 我去上学校
Teacher： 天天不迟到。（tiāntiān bù chídào）
Student：天天不迟到
Teacher：爱学习，爱劳动，（ài xuéxí ài láodòng）
Student：爱学习，爱劳动，
Teacher：长大要为祖国立功劳。（zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōng láo。）
Student：长大要为祖国立功劳。
3.59: 好同学们我们再读这样的是歌词。每读完一句呀我们就停顿一下别人才能听的清楚这样多二个也才会更好听。
Hǎo tóngxuémen wǒmen zàidú zhèyàng de shì gēcí měi dú wán yī jù wǒmen jiù tíngdùn yīxià biéren cáinéng tīng de qīngchu zhèyàng duō èrgè yě cái huì gènghǎo tīng
Good。Students， we read the lyrics again pausing after each sentence, so that others could clearly understand what we were saying and hear us better.
4.15: 那接下来我们在听一位同学来读一遍吧。
Nǎ jiēxiàlái wǒmen zài tīng yīwèi tóngxué lái dú yībiàn ba
Now, let’s listen to a student read it again.
This time try to listen without the Pinyin and English translation. Can you understand the meaning and can you recognise some of the tones?
4.23: 上学歌。太阳当空照，花儿对我笑。小鸟说：‘早，早，早’ 你为什么背上小书包？我去上学小，天天不迟到。爱学习，爱劳动，长大要为祖国立功劳。
上学歌 – Interpretation
4.50: 同学们早晨红红的太阳从东方升起小花儿也阳气笑脸。
Tóngxuémen zǎochén hóng hóng de tàiyang cóng dōngfāng shēngqǐ xiǎo huā yě yáng qì xiàoliǎn。
Students in the morning the red sun rises from the East, and this brings a smile to the faces of the flowers.
5.00: 几只小鸟叽叽喳喳的为只小伙伴们在说什么呢？
Jǐ zhǐ xiǎoniǎo jījīzhāzhā de wèi zhǐ xiǎohuǒ bàn men zài shuō shénme ne？
A few birds are chirping, what are they saying to the little friends?
5.07：老师我知道了。小鸟说早早早，你为什么背上小书包？
Lǎoshī wǒzhīdao le xiǎoniǎo shuō zǎo， zǎo zǎo， nǐ wèishénme bēi shàng xiǎoshū bāo？
Teacher, I know. The little bird says early, early, early. Why are you wearing that school bag on your back?
5.15: 是啊。这几位小伙把早早的就背上了书包是去干什么呢？
Shì a. Zhè jǐwèi xiǎohuǒ bǎ zǎo zǎo de jiù bèi shàng le shūbāo. Shì qù gān shénme ne?
Yes. It’s very early and these youngsters have their bags on their backs. What are they doing?
5.22: 所以啊，小鸟好气的问：‘早，早，早，你为什么背上小书包？’
Suǒyǐ a xiǎoniǎo hǎoqì de wèn: ‘zǎo ，zǎo ，zǎo nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo.
So the little bird asks out of curiosity: ‘Early, early, early, why are you carrying that bag on your back?
The teacher then invites us to ask the same question, replicating the sense of curiosity conveyed by the student reading below:
5.34: 让我们也带着好奇的心情来读的这句话吧。
Ràng wǒmen yě dài zhe hàoqí de xīnqíng lái dú de zhèjù huà ba.
Let us also read this sentence with curiosoity.
5.41: 早，早，早，你为什么背上小书包？
Zǎo ，zǎo ，zǎo, nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo?
Early, early, early, why are you carrying that small school bag?
Did you note and were you able to replicate the stress on the word 为什么？
5.48：同学们，是怎样回答的呢
Tóngxuémen shì zěnyàng huídá de ne。
How did the students respond?
5.50: 请你和老师一起读。我去上学校天天不迟到爱学习，爱劳动，长大要为祖国立功劳。
Qǐng nǐ hé lǎoshī yīqǐ dú。 Wǒqù shàng xuéxiào tiāntiān bù chídào ài xuéxí ài láodòng。 Zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōngláo。
Please read with (teacher) me: I’m going to school and don’t want to be late, as I love study and love hard work. When I’m older I want to make a contribution to my country.
6.10：同学们小同学是怎样回答小鸟的呢？他告诉小鸟成为小学生之后应该怎样做呢？
Tóngxuémen xiǎo tóngxué shì zěnyàng huídá xiǎoniǎo de ne? Gàosù xiǎoniǎo chéngwéi xiǎoxuéshēng zhīhòu yīng gāi zěnyàng zuò ne?
Students. How do the small students respond? In what way do they tell the bird that students should behave after they have started school?
6.23： 你在事个中找到到了吗？
Nǐ zài shì gèzhōng zhǎodào le ma？
Did you work out the way to respond?
6.29: 小伙伴说他会天天不迟到.
Xiǎo huǒ bàn shuō tā huì tiāntiān bù chídào
The little comrade says that every day he won’t be late.
6.34: 他还说成为小学生后要爱学习。
Tā háishuō chéngwéi xiǎo xuéshēng hòu yào ài xuéxí。
He also said that when you become a student you ought to love your studies.
6.40: 上学后我们还要爱劳动。
Shàngxué hòu wǒmen hái yāo ài láodòng
After starting school we ought to love hard work.
6.45: 让我们一起来读读小同学是这样说的。当他成为小学生之后他会不迟到 ，爱学习，爱劳动。
Ràng wǒmen yìqǐlái dú dú xiǎo tóngxué shì zhèyàng shuō de. Dāng tā chéngwéi xiǎo xuéshēng zhīhòu ， huì bù chídào, ài xuéxí, ài láodòng
OK, let’s all read what the small students said.. When we become a student, we shouldn’t be late, we should love studying and work hard.
Vocabulary for Classrooms in Chinese
Much like the seven dwarves our students walk happily to their day of work, singing and smiling on their way. They have now arrived at school and it is time for them to settle into their classes for the day. In this section we get to learn the Chinese names for different rooms we can find in a school.
7.02：这几位小同学就这样一路的说着唱着笑着，就来到学校了。
zhè jǐwèi xiǎo tóngxué jiù zhèyàng yīlù de shuō zhe chàng zhe xiàozhe jiù láidào xuéxiào le.
The little students spoke, sang and smiled all the way, and now they have arrived at school.
7.11: 我们快看这就是我们漂亮的教师，小书桌都摆放的整整齐齐的。以后这里就是我们快乐的学习，健康成长的家了。
Wǒmen kuài kàn zhè jiùshì wǒmen piàoliang de jiàoshī xiǎo shū zhuō dōu bǎifàng de zhěngzhěngqíqí de。 Yǐhòu zhèlǐ jiùshì wǒmen kuàilè de， xuéxí jiànkāng chéngzhǎng de jiā le。
Quick, let’s have a look at our beautiful classroom. The small desks for your your books are very neatly arranged. From now on this will be your happy place of study and growth.
7.28：那接下来，老师带你们再到校园中，去走一走看一看吧。
Nà jiēxiàlái， lǎoshī dài nǐmen zài dào xiàoyuán zhōng， qù zǒu yīzǒu kàn yī kàn ba。
Now teacher will give you a tour of around the school so we can have a look around.
7.39: 看，这是我们的操场。以后啊你们就会在这里上体育课。你们还可以在这里快乐的玩耍，尽情的奔跑。
Kàn zhè shì wǒmende cāochǎng. Yǐhòu a nǐmen jiù huì zài zhèlǐ shàng tǐyùkè 。 Nǐmen háikěyǐ ，zài zhèlǐ kuàilè de wánshuǎ jìnqíng de bēnpǎo.
Look, this is the playground. Later you will be able to do sports here. You will also be able to play happily and run about.
7.54: 这是我们的图书室，这里有好多的书呀。你可以挑选自己喜欢的书，在这里开心的阅读。是不是特别的期待呢？
zhè shì wǒmende túshū shì zhèlǐ yǒu hǎoduō de shū ya. Nǐ kěyǐ tiāoxuǎn zìjǐ xǐhuan de ， zàizhèlǐ kāixīn de yuèdú. Shìbùshì tèbié de qīdài ne.
This is our library, in here there are lots of books. You can choose one that you like and read it happily. Are you looking forward to it?
8.10：这里是我们的音乐教师，我们会在这里欣赏音乐学习唱歌。在我们学校像这样的教师还有很多。我们也会学习语文，数学，体育，科学，美术，等等很多的学课。
Zhèlǐ shì wǒmende yīnyuè jiàoshī wǒmen huì zài zhèlǐ xīnshǎng yīnyuè xué xí chànggē。 Zài wǒmen xuéxiào xiàng zhèyàng de jiàoshī。 háiyǒu hěnduō. Wǒmen yě ， xuéxí yǔwén, shùxué, tǐyù, kēxué, měishù, děngděng hěnduō de xué kè.
This is our music room, where we enjoy music and learn to sing. Besides this this there are lots of other things to learn. We can also study Language and Literature, Maths, P.E., and Art, and lots of other subjects.
8.37: 当然啦你们也会认识各学课的老师。他们都非常的亲切，而且知识渊博.
Dāngrán la nǐmen yě huì rènshi gè xué kè de lǎoshī. Tāmendōu fēicháng de qīnqiè érqiě zhīshi yuānbó.
Of course you can get to know the teachers of other classes too. They are all very kind-hearted and also knowledgeable.
Classroom etiquette in Chinese Primary Schools
In the next section we get to learn about some rules that children are encouraged to abide by in Chinese classroom. Then we move on to how to introduce yourself in Chinese. This next section will be of huge benefit to Chinese beginners, or ayone interested in how children conduct themselves in a typical Chinese classroom.
8.50: 好了，快上课了。我们一起回教室吧。那么在上课的时候我们小学生应该怎样坐呢老师送给你们一首儿歌：
Hǎole kuài shàngkè le wǒmen yīqǐ Huíjiào shì ba。 Nàme zài shàngkè de shíhòu wǒmen xiǎo xuéshēng yīnggāi zěnyàng zuò ne lǎoshī sònggěi nǐmen yī shǒu érgē：
Good. Let’s return to the classroom together. How should we sit during the class? Teacher has a song for you about this:
上课歌 (shàngkè gē)