Lessons are explained mainly in English. Cambridge IGCSE papers are written and answered in English, so every lesson works with the English terms the exam uses.
Language subjects are the exception. Malay, Chinese, French and English lessons are taught in the subject language.
Why does BM or Chinese still come up?
Many students learn faster when a new idea is first thought through in the language they know best. A student who struggles with “upper bound” may understand “had atas” straight away, and then link it to the English term.
Other families simply feel more comfortable discussing learning in BM or Chinese at home. That is a fair reason too, and it sits well alongside English lessons.
What stays in English?
Everything the exam will ask about. That means:
- The terms on the syllabus, such as “mole ratio”, “supply curve” or “simultaneous equations”.
- The command words in questions, like “explain”, “compare” and “suggest”.
- The written answers, since these are assessed in English.
For language subjects such as English Language, Malay, Chinese or French, the lesson is taught in that language throughout. See keeping the assessed language clear in resources for how to check this in any material your child uses.
What should you write in the first message?
Keep it short and specific. For example:
Subject: Chemistry, Year 10. My child understands ideas better when they are linked to Chinese, but the exam is in English. Exam date: November. Could the first lesson focus on the English terms for rates of reaction?
That tells us the subject, the exam date and the topic. The teacher can then plan the trial around the English terms your child needs, and the rate for the trial is confirmed before the lesson.
What should you ask about the lesson?
- Will the English exam terms be explained clearly and used in practice questions?
- How will my child practise writing answers in English?
- What can my child do at home to prepare?
- What happens if the lesson does not suit my child?
The rate is confirmed before the trial and stays the same for ongoing lessons. Schedule and frequency are arranged with the teacher.
How can you prepare your child at home?
The English, BM and Chinese concept bridge pairs a term with a short example in all three languages. Your child can look up a term before the lesson and bring questions.
It is a study aid on this site, not a promise about the language a teacher uses in the lesson. It helps your child connect what they know to what the exam will ask. To see how the trial works, read the paid trial in BM or Chinese and how the trial works.