Help Chinese-speaking newcomers ask for help, understand classroom messages and connect with classmates through illustrated English communication cards with Simplified Chinese support.

The English-Chinese Classroom Communication Pack brings together 125 message cards in 12 topic sets, bilingual communication boards, desk strips and portable supports for everyday school situations. Designed for lower-primary classrooms, the pack gives children ways to communicate through pointing, showing a card, gestures, Chinese or emerging English.

Useful words with a reason to communicate

Classroom object cards pair a useful word with a practical sentence. A pencil card, for example, includes “Can I have a pencil, please?” Other cards support meaningful exchanges such as “What do I do next?”, “Can I play too?”, “Me too!”, “Excuse me” and “Please stop.”

The 12 topic sets cover:

1. Classroom objects — 16 cards, including pencils, scissors, trays, pencil sharpeners, whiteboards and headphones.

2. Help with learning — 15 cards for understanding, clarification, questions and next steps.

3. Everyday needs — 10 cards for help, water, the toilet, food, rest and other daily needs.

4. Playing together — 10 cards for joining play, taking turns, choosing and setting boundaries.

5. Learning together — 7 cards for sharing materials, making choices and working with a classmate.

6. Friendly exchanges — 12 cards for greetings, polite requests, thanks, apologies, introductions and shared interests.

7. Feelings and comfort — 6 cards for worry, tiredness, noise, quiet space and supportive company.

8. People and places — 13 cards for finding adults, classrooms, the toilet, office, reception, canteen, sick bay and other school locations.

9. My body — 4 cards, including “It hurts here” and “I don’t feel well.”

10. Classroom tasks — 10 messages for reading, drawing, cutting, matching and other learning tasks.

11. Classroom routines — 12 messages for sitting, listening, lining up, washing hands and packing up.

12. Replies and support — 10 messages for permission, waiting, encouragement and practical help.

Bilingual cards

Print the English cards on their own, or print the matching double-sided version. Each front has English and an illustration. Each back includes the same English message, its Simplified Chinese meaning and pinyin, with a smaller illustration.

Use the face that helps the child understand or communicate in the moment. Pinyin is a guide to Mandarin pronunciation. Children do not need to read English, Chinese or pinyin to participate; introduce the pictures through real objects, actions and supported interaction.

Keep useful messages within reach

• Five bilingual boards: At my desk, Learning together, Playing together, My everyday needs and I can be polite.

• Four desk strips: asking for help, everyday needs, taking turns and saying no.

• Six portable message cards, with a matching bilingual back sheet.

• Feelings and support choices for pointing and discussing what would help.

• A body pointing aid with simple discomfort messages.

• An optional picture-only essentials board, with an adult meaning key in the file guide.

What’s included?

1. English cards — illustrated cover + 35 card sheets

2. Double-sided bilingual cards — cover, printing notes + 35 front/back pairs

3. Boards and portable supports

4. Printable blank templates — labelled examples + empty versions

5. Teacher’s Guide — one-page quick start + visual resource overview

129 pages across alternative formats, plus six editable PowerPoint template pages. The English and double-sided editions reuse the same 125 message cards; they are printing alternatives, not additional cards.

START-HERE and a complete message index are also included.

Preparation and editing

All PDFs are A4 portrait, colour.

Print at Actual Size / 100%.

For double-sided cards, select matching page pairs, choose flip on the long edge and test one pair before cutting.

Card pairs begin on pages 3–4, after the cover and printing notes.

Only the six supplied PowerPoint templates are editable. Use them to add school photographs, local place names and your own reviewed English and Chinese messages.

Select a few messages that match the child’s immediate needs, model them in everyday situations and keep communication support accessible. Accept pointing, gestures, Chinese and partial English; help does not depend on producing a full sentence or saying “please.”

Suitable for classroom teachers and ESL, ELL and EALD staff supporting Chinese-speaking newcomers in primary schools.

This pack can be used independently or alongside the Yeah Chinese First Days Kit. It expands everyday classroom language; some essential help, play and routine phrases are shared with that kit. Timetables, family forms and welcome activities belong to the First Days Kit and are not included here.

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