Mandarin immersion in Louisiana

Lafayette, Louisiana’s World Languages Academy, at Alice Coucher Elementary school, added Mandarin this year. There are 14 students in the first Mandarin Kindergarten class.   Here’s an AP article about the program…

Apple for teacher is manzana, pomme or ping guo

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — In some classrooms at Alice Boucher Elementary, students who bring their favorite teacher a red, shiny apple have to call it a manzana, pomme or ping guo.

The school’s World Languages Academy offers immersion programs in Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese. About 150 students are enrolled in the academy, one of the schools of choice in the Lafayette Parish School System. Parents must apply to enroll their child in the program, which begins at PreK for Spanish immersion and kindergarten for the French and Mandarin Chinese. A computerized lottery decides which children get open spots. Students learn their core subjects — all except English language arts — in their chosen foreign language. Some enrichment activities — physical education, music, art — may also be taught in English.

Read more here.