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2026 KICD CBC Curriculum Design3 Strands · 8 Sub-strands48 Suggested Lessons

Grade 4 Mandarin Strands, Sub-strands & Schemes of Work (2026)

Access the complete curriculum designs, strands, sub-strands, specific learning outcomes, inquiry questions, and downloadable schemes of work for Grade 4 Mandarin. Preview Term 1 below or choose your specific term for direct export to Microsoft Word (.docx) and PDF.

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Grade 4 Mandarin Curriculum Facts

Summary of syllabus structure, strands, lesson periods, and approved textbooks for Grade 4 Mandarin under the Kenya CBC curriculum framework.

Class / Level
Grade 4
Pre-Primary Education
Major Strands
3 Strands
8 Sub-strands
Annual Lessons
48 Lesson Periods
5 Lessons Per Week
Terms Available
Terms 1, 2 & 3
Complete Word & PDF
Term 1 Live Preview

Grade 4 Mandarin Term 1 Scheme Table

13-week teaching matrix with specific learning outcomes, inquiry questions, learning experiences, and assessment methods.

Scheme Font Size:

Changes text size in this preview and in downloaded Word (.docx) & PDF files.

65 Lessons · Weeks Merged← Swipe horizontally to see all columns →
WkLsnStrandSub-strandSpecific Learning OutcomesKey Inquiry Question(s)Learning ExperiencesLearning ResourcesAssessment MethodsReflection
11Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) identify Pinyin initials (b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h) and finals (a, o, e, i, u, ü)

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- listen to audio recordings of Pinyin initials and finals and repeat

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
2Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) identify Pinyin initials (b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h) and finals (a, o, e, i, u, ü)

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- listen to audio recordings of Pinyin initials and finals and repeat

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
3Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) articulate Chinese sounds with accurate tongue and mouth positions

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- sing the Pinyin initials and finals song with gestures

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
4Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) articulate Chinese sounds with accurate tongue and mouth positions

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- sing the Pinyin initials and finals song with gestures

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
5Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
21Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
2Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
3Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
4Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
5Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
31Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
2Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
3Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
4Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
5Listening and SpeakingPhonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

By the end of the sub strand, the learner should be able to;

a) blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables

1. How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?

- use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them

Approved course textbooks, realia, charts

- Observation

- Oral questions

- Written exercises

(Handwritten after lesson)
Official KICD Syllabus

Grade 4 Mandarin Strands and Sub-strands (Full Curriculum)

Explore the complete curriculum designs for Grade 4 Mandarin. Includes specific learning outcomes (SLOs), key inquiry questions (KIQs), learning experiences, and teaching resources.

1
Strand 1.0

Listening and Speaking

4 Sub-strands24 Lessons

1.1 Phonological Awareness: Pinyin Initials and Finals

Term 16 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • identify Pinyin initials (b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h) and finals (a, o, e, i, u, ü)
  • articulate Chinese sounds with accurate tongue and mouth positions
  • blend initials and finals to pronounce syllables
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How does Pinyin help us learn Chinese pronunciation?
Suggested Experiences
  • listen to audio recordings of Pinyin initials and finals and repeat
  • sing the Pinyin initials and finals song with gestures
  • use syllable wheels to combine initials and finals and pronounce them
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

1.2 Tone Discrimination and Pronunciation

Term 16 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • recognize the four tones of Mandarin Chinese (first, second, third, fourth tone)
  • pronounce syllables with the correct tonal pitch using hand gestures
  • appreciate the tonal nature of Chinese language
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • Why are tones crucial to the meaning of words in Chinese?
Suggested Experiences
  • practise the four tones using the syllable 'ma' with accompanying pitch hand gestures
  • listen to audio recordings and identify which tone was spoken
  • chant tonal rhymes in unison
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

1.3 Imitative Speaking: Basic Greetings and Courtesy

Term 1 Term 26 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • greet others using Ni hao, Zaijian, Xiexie, Bu keqi
  • introduce oneself in Chinese (Wo jiao..., Wo shi xuesheng)
  • demonstrate polite etiquette in Chinese interactions
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How do people greet each other politely in China?
Suggested Experiences
  • practise greetings in pairs: Ni hao, Ni hao ma? Wo hen hao, xiexie!
  • role-play saying goodbye (Zaijian) and thank you (Xiexie)
  • sing Chinese greeting songs with actions
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

1.4 Listening for Gist: Family and Daily Routine

Term 26 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • name family members (baba, mama, gege, jiejie, didi, meimei)
  • count numbers 1 to 10 in Chinese (yi, er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, ba, jiu, shi)
  • respond to simple questions about family and age
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How do you introduce your family members in Chinese?
Suggested Experiences
  • listen to family dialogues and point to corresponding family photos
  • count numbers using Chinese finger counting gestures
  • state one's age using numbers (Wo jiu sui - I am 9 years old)
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

2
Strand 2.0

Reading

2 Sub-strands12 Lessons

2.1 Reading Aloud: Pinyin and Character Recognition (Hanzi)

Term 26 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • read Pinyin words with tone marks aloud accurately
  • recognize basic pictographic Chinese characters (ren, kou, ri, yue, shan, shui, mu)
  • associate characters with their visual origins
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How did ancient Chinese pictographic characters originate?
Suggested Experiences
  • read flashcards containing Pinyin and simple Chinese characters
  • observe the evolution of pictograms from ancient drawings to modern characters
  • match characters with pictures of sun, moon, mountain and water
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

2.2 Guided Reading: Short Illustrated Phrases

Term 26 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • read short sentences with Pinyin support
  • understand the meaning of simple illustrated dialogues
  • cultivate interest in Chinese storybooks
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How does Pinyin support us when reading Chinese characters?
Suggested Experiences
  • read simple comic strips with Pinyin annotations
  • read short sentences aloud in pairs and translate meaning
  • complete matching exercises linking Chinese phrases with English meanings
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

3
Strand 3.0

Writing

2 Sub-strands12 Lessons

3.1 Basic Strokes and Stroke Order of Chinese Characters

Term 36 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • identify the basic strokes of Chinese characters (heng, shu, pie, na, dian, ti)
  • follow standard stroke order rules (top to bottom, left to right, horizontal before vertical)
  • write basic characters inside grid boxes with proper proportion
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • Why is correct stroke order important when writing Chinese characters?
Suggested Experiences
  • practise writing individual strokes using calligraphy brushes or pens
  • follow animated stroke-order apps on digital screens
  • write numbers 1 to 10 in Chinese characters inside Tianzige (gridded paper)
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

3.2 Guided Character Writing: Common Characters

Term 36 Lessons
Specific Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this sub-strand, the learner should be able to:

  • write common characters (ren, da, xiao, hao, zhong, guo)
  • write own Chinese name or simple greetings
  • take pride in neat Chinese character writing
Key Inquiry Questions (KIQs)
  • How do balance and proportion affect the appearance of Chinese characters?
Suggested Experiences
  • trace and write target characters in gridded workbooks
  • create decorative greeting cards with the character 'Hao' (good) or 'Fu' (blessing)
  • display character writing samples on the class cultural board
Teaching Resources

Approved course books, concrete realia, charts, manipulatives & digital devices.

Grade 4 Mandarin Schemes of Work by Term (1, 2 & 3)

Download editable schemes of work and explore strands for all terms in Grade 4 Mandarin.

Term 1 Scheme13 Weeks
  • Listening and Speaking
View Term 1
Term 2 Scheme14 Weeks
  • Listening and Speaking
  • Reading
View Term 2
Term 3 Scheme9 Weeks
  • Writing
View Term 3

Other Grade 4 Learning Areas & Schemes

Download complete, editable schemes of work and explore strands for all subjects in Grade 4.

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Explore Schemes for Other CBC Classes

Browse curriculum designs and ready-to-print schemes across Pre-Primary, Primary, and Junior Secondary levels.

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Curriculum Compliance & Official Accreditation

All schemes of work on this platform are meticulously aligned with official standards set by Kenyan educational statutory authorities:

Help & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main strands in Grade 4 Mandarin?

The official KICD strands for Grade 4 Mandarin are: Listening and Speaking, Reading, Writing. Each strand is broken down into structured sub-strands with specific learning outcomes, inquiry questions, and suggested lesson periods.

Which sub-strands are taught across Term 1, Term 2, and Term 3 in Grade 4 Mandarin?

The curriculum is systematically distributed across all three terms based on Ministry of Education term durations. Term 1 covers foundational strands, Term 2 advances core competencies, and Term 3 focuses on measurement, geometry, application, and revision. Review the curriculum breakdown above for the term-by-term allocation.

Are specific learning outcomes and inquiry questions included in these schemes?

Yes, every lesson in our Grade 4 Mandarin schemes contains exact KICD specific learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, and attitudes), key inquiry questions, learning experiences, and assessment methods.

Can I download editable Word (.docx) and PDF schemes for Grade 4 Mandarin?

Yes! You can instantly download formatted, editable Microsoft Word files (.docx) or print-ready PDFs for Term 1, Term 2, and Term 3, or customize them with your school name, TSC number, and term dates.