Frequently asked questions
Clear answers about lessons, levels, handwriting, AI feedback, progress, accounts and safety.
Learning approach
What children learn and how each lesson works.
What is 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese)?
妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) is a guided Chinese-learning app for Singapore primary pupils. It helps children understand and use vocabulary, practise character strokes, build sentences and gradually write clearer paragraphs.
Does 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) follow the MOE syllabus?
妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) is designed for Singapore Primary 1 to Primary 6 pupils and complements what children learn in Chinese or Higher Chinese. It is not an official MOE product and does not reproduce school textbooks chapter by chapter.
School lessons cover a broad curriculum. 妙笔 provides additional, focused practice for a common difficulty: a child may recognise Chinese words but still struggle to use them naturally in a sentence or paragraph. Vocabulary, instructions and writing expectations are adjusted by primary level.
What skills does the app cover?
The current learning path focuses on listening, reading, vocabulary, handwriting, sentence construction and paragraph writing. Activities include read-aloud support, picture-linked word cards, stroke demonstrations, multiple-choice comprehension, sentence building and guided writing feedback.
How is a topic organised?
A topic moves from learning useful words to practising characters, understanding words in context, completing and arranging sentences, and writing independently. The steps are designed to build confidence before the child reaches open-ended writing.
Why are lessons organised around feelings, values and familiar settings?
Children often know a word when they see it, but cannot recall it when writing. Grouping language by a clear writing situation helps them connect meaning, context and use. Topics include feelings, everyday values, school settings, community life and festivals familiar to children in Singapore.
For example, a child can move from a basic word such as 开心 to more precise descriptions such as 笑容满面 or 嘴角不由自主地扬起. The child hears and reads each expression, sees when it fits, practises it in a sentence and then applies it in independent writing. The aim is not to memorise one model answer, but to build a usable range of expressions.
Can my child return to a topic after completing it?
Yes. A completed topic remains available for revision. Children can revisit its word cards and examples, practise handwriting again and retry the Memory Challenge.
Over time, the Word Bank becomes a reusable collection of useful words and descriptive phrases that the child can return to before school writing practice or composition work.
Does my child have to complete every handwriting activity before moving on?
No. Children may continue without completing every character. Characters practised correctly are marked as completed so the family can return to unfinished ones later.
Is 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) a replacement for school or tuition?
No. It is a supplementary practice tool that gives children more guided practice and gives parents practical ways to support learning. It does not replace the child’s school curriculum, teacher or professional educational advice.
Levels and suitability
How the experience changes from Primary 1 to Primary 6.
Which ages and levels is the app for?
The app is designed for Primary 1 to Primary 6 pupils. Instructions, vocabulary, questions and writing expectations are adjusted according to the child’s selected primary level.
How different are the primary levels?
Lower-primary pupils receive shorter instructions, familiar words, picture support and simple sentence tasks. Middle-primary pupils work on context, actions, results and descriptive details. Upper-primary pupils meet richer expressions, connected ideas and paragraph-level writing.
Does it support both Chinese and Higher Chinese pupils?
Yes. Families can record whether the child takes Chinese or Higher Chinese. The main learning difficulty is currently adjusted through the primary level and Core or Stretch writing challenge. The app supplements classroom learning rather than copying one school textbook sequence.
What are Core and Stretch?
Core is the main writing target for the child’s selected level. Stretch is an optional harder writing challenge with richer language or structure. It is not necessary to choose Stretch in every topic.
Can I change my child’s primary level later?
Yes, but changing level restarts that child’s learning progress so that records from different difficulty levels are not mixed. The app displays a warning before the change is confirmed. A child’s display name can be corrected without resetting progress.
Handwriting, devices and audio
Using a stylus, handwriting input and read-aloud support.
Do we need an Apple Pencil?
No. The app is not limited to Apple Pencil. A compatible tablet and stylus can be used with the device’s Chinese handwriting input. iPad, Android tablets and other supported touch devices may work differently depending on their keyboard and browser settings.
Why are my handwritten strokes not turning into Chinese text?
Turn on Chinese handwriting input in the device keyboard settings. On iPad, families may use Scribble or a Chinese handwriting keyboard. On Android, select a Chinese handwriting keyboard supported by the device. Browser and keyboard behaviour can vary by model.
Can the app prevent a child from typing Hanyu Pinyin?
The learning design encourages handwriting, and the app can record observed input methods for product improvement. However, a normal browser cannot completely prevent every device keyboard, dictation feature or accessibility tool from entering text.
Which browsers and devices are supported?
The app is designed for modern mobile, tablet and desktop browsers. For lesson writing, a tablet with a supported stylus and Chinese handwriting input usually provides the best experience. Parents may preview or manage the account on a phone or computer.
Why does the Chinese voice sound different on another device?
Read-aloud uses voices available through the browser or device. Voice, speed and pronunciation can therefore vary between Safari, Chrome, iPad, Android and desktop systems.
School spelling practice
Uploading Ting Xie sheets, practising independently and reviewing results.
What is the Ting Xie spelling feature?
Parents can upload one or several school spelling sheets. 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) identifies the lessons and items, then turns each saved lesson into a practice round that the child can complete independently using Chinese handwriting input.
Should I check the detected words before saving?
Yes. After each upload, review every lesson title, word, phrase and sentence against the original sheet. You can correct the text, change an item type, add a missing item or remove an unwanted item before saving. Clear, straight and well-lit images give the best results, but no text-recognition system can guarantee perfect accuracy.
Can a saved spelling lesson be changed later?
Yes. Open the Ting Xie area in Word Bank and choose Review / edit. You can rename the lesson, edit or add items, and delete individual items. You may also delete the whole lesson; doing so permanently removes that lesson and its practice history.
How does the child practise?
Choose a saved lesson, then select List order or Random order and either Mark each answer or Mark after finishing. In Random order, words and phrases always come first, sentences follow, and memorised-dictation items come last. Normal words and sentences are read aloud; for a memorised-dictation item, the app says only “默写” so the child writes the sentence from memory.
What Ting Xie progress is saved?
The child’s attempts, latest and highest scores, submitted answers and frequently missed items are saved to that child profile. Needs more practice is grouped by spelling lesson. Parents and linked teachers can use these records to see which words need another round of practice.
Who can use School Spelling Practice?
It is available after a parent creates a child account. A registered child may try the spelling feature before completing payment, while the anonymous homepage free trial does not save uploaded spelling sheets or progress.
How many spelling-sheet pages can we upload?
A registered child without paid access can upload up to 12 pages per month. A child with active monthly or annual access can upload up to 30 pages per month. Retrying an upload counts towards the monthly page allowance, so check that each image is clear before submitting it.
Writing feedback and AI
How submitted writing is assessed and what parents should expect.
How does the writing coach assess an answer?
It checks whether the writing matches the topic, forms complete and meaningful sentences, uses vocabulary appropriately and includes the elements expected at that level. The visual checklist shows what the child has included and what to improve next.
Is there only one correct model answer?
No. Open-ended writing can be expressed in many valid ways. The coach assesses what the child actually wrote and suggests a possible revision. Its example is a teaching aid, not the only acceptable answer.
Will the AI always be correct?
No AI system is perfect. A parent should review surprising feedback with the child and may report an issue through Feedback & Support. 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) is designed to guide practice, not make high-stakes school decisions.
Why does the app ask the child to try again?
The answer may be too short, unrelated to the picture or situation, incomplete, or missing an expected element such as an action, result or useful detail. Feedback should point to one practical improvement at a time.
Should a child use the app independently?
Either approach is possible. A child can follow the read-aloud guidance independently, while a parent can also review progress and use the suggested next-practice ideas. Parents do not need to prepare their own lesson materials.
Progress, revision and rewards
What is saved and how families can review learning.
What progress is saved?
For a signed-in child, the app saves lesson progress, completed activities, handwriting records, collected reward characters and relevant learning evidence. Each child profile has separate records.
What is the Memory Challenge?
After completing a topic’s learning path, the child can retry a short rotating challenge to strengthen recall and usage. The topic card keeps the child’s highest score while still allowing further attempts.
What can parents see in Learning Progress?
Parents can review started and completed topics, question attempts, recent handwriting, writing evidence, relative strengths and suggested next steps. The report is intended to support useful practice rather than show only a completion tally.
Are rewards the same for every child?
Reward collections may vary according to the child profile and app configuration. Rewards are revealed as the child completes required lesson sections, and collected characters can be viewed again in the Collection area.
For teachers
Using the Teacher Workspace, reviewing assigned students and requesting access.
Is there a Teacher Workspace?
Yes. 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) offers a separate Teacher Workspace for teachers who want to experience the full learning journey and follow the progress of students assigned to them.
What can a teacher see?
A teacher can select an assigned student and review topic progress, school-spelling results, frequently missed words and recorded question attempts. For each recorded attempt, the original lesson question is shown beside the student’s answer and the feedback received, so the teacher can understand the answer in context and compare first, second and later attempts. Filters make it easier to focus on a topic, section or questions that required several tries.
Can teachers change a student’s work or progress?
No. Student review is read-only. Opening an answer, moving between attempts or reviewing feedback does not change the student’s score, rewards, lesson position or saved work.
How are students added to a teacher?
Student access is assigned by the 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) administrator. The teacher supplies the parent-account email and the child profile name for each student, together with a class label if useful. The student must already have an account. A teacher sees only explicitly assigned students, and the same student may be assigned to more than one teacher. Please obtain any permission required by your school or the family before requesting access, and never send us a student or parent password.
Can a teacher try the lessons too?
Yes. Teacher access includes a lesson-experience mode for exploring the learning path across primary levels. This is separate from student records, so the teacher’s testing does not overwrite a child’s answers, progress or rewards.
How does a teacher enquire or sign up?
Teacher access is currently arranged directly at S$59 per year. Email support@miaobichinese.com with your name, teacher email, school or learning centre if applicable, and the approximate number of students you may wish to follow. We will reply with payment and setup instructions. Once the account is ready, use Teacher sign in on the homepage with the teacher email and password provided.
Accounts, free trial and access
Signing up, adding children and trying the app first.
What is included in the free trial?
No account or payment is needed. Choose your child’s primary level, browse the full topic catalogue and complete all seven learning sections in Topic 1 at that level. The trial Word Bank includes Topic 1 vocabulary and the available school characters up to the selected level. Other lessons remain locked until an account is activated. Trial progress is temporary and stays only for the current browser session.
Can one parent account have more than one child?
Yes, with annual access. One parent email can manage multiple child profiles, each with separate progress and rewards. The first child is S$59 per year; each additional child receives the S$39 Sibling Discount. Monthly access is limited to one child and does not include sibling accounts.
How much is annual access?
Annual access is S$59 for the main child and S$39 per year for each additional child under the same parent account. Every child keeps their own subscription and expiry dates. The earliest-subscribed active annual child is treated as the main child. If that child expires without renewing, the earliest-subscribed remaining active child automatically becomes the main child and renews at S$59 next time.
Is monthly access available?
Yes. Monthly access is S$10 for one month and is available for a single-child account. Annual access remains selected by default and offers better value. Monthly access does not have a sibling rate and a monthly account cannot add another child. You can renew for another month or switch to annual access from Parent settings.
What happens when access expires?
For both monthly and annual access, we email the parent 7 days before expiry at 9:00 a.m. SGT and again 3 days before expiry at 8:00 p.m. SGT. After expiry, the account and all learning progress remain safely stored, but lessons cannot be opened until access is renewed. If you return after a gap, the new month or year starts from the new payment approval date; an early renewal extends from the current expiry date.
Can siblings use the same child profile?
This is not recommended. Sharing one child profile mixes levels, answers, progress and rewards. Create a separate child profile for each learner.
What if I forget my password?
Use Forgot password on the sign-in page. If an account exists for that parent email, a time-limited reset link will be sent to the email address.
What happens after I complete payment?
Once payment is confirmed, the selected monthly or annual access will be activated and we will email you. If the payment page is still open, it updates automatically so you can sign in and start learning.
Are payments refundable?
Payments are non-refundable. Please use the free trial to check the learning experience and device compatibility before purchasing monthly or annual access.
Service availability and permitted use
What families can expect and how learning materials may be used.
Will 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) always be available?
We work to keep 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) reliable, but we cannot guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. Maintenance, updates, internet or third-party service problems, and unexpected technical issues may occasionally affect availability. As the app improves, features, exercises and content may also be corrected, updated, replaced or removed.
What does paid access allow me to do?
Monthly or annual access is for the registered child’s personal, non-commercial learning. The app and its questions, exercises, model compositions, illustrations, videos and other materials remain the intellectual property of 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) or the relevant rights holders. Content and accounts must not be copied, recorded, shared, redistributed, resold, republished or used commercially without permission. Please do not share a child profile with another learner. Siblings using annual family access should have separate child profiles so their learning records and progress remain accurate.
Privacy, safety and support
How to use the app safely and where to get help.
What personal information should a child enter?
Children should not put real names, school names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses or other identifying details into writing exercises. Use the fictional people and situations provided by the lesson.
How does 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) use data to improve the app?
妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) uses account information and learning records to provide the service, save progress, support families and resolve problems. Usage information—such as opened pages, topics, sections and word cards—helps us understand what is useful or unclear and improve lessons, levelled exercises and the app experience. Submitted writing is processed to provide AI feedback, but is not saved to the learning account or included in analytics. We do not sell personal data or use it for unrelated purposes without appropriate notice or consent. See the Privacy Notice for more information.
Are writing answers sent for AI assessment?
Yes. Submitted writing is sent to the AI service so feedback can be generated. 妙笔 (Wonder Chinese) does not save the writing answer or AI comments in the learning account. See the Privacy Notice for more information.
How do I report a content problem or get technical help?
Use Feedback & Support inside the app, or email support@miaobichinese.com. If possible, include the child’s level, topic and section—but do not include the child’s full name or other sensitive information.