Minnetonka, Minn. graduates its first 5th grade
MINNETONKA, Minn. – Fifth-grade students murmer to each other as they read through their text at Scenic Heights Elementary.
Bend in a little closer and you will hear they are speaking Mandarin Chinese. Scenic Heights and Excelsior each host Chinese immersion programs in the Minnetonka School District and now these students are ready to move on to middle schoool.
“We were told when we came into the program that there was a commitment to take it all the way through the high school,” said parent Nancy Getzkin whose son, David, is about to make the leap.
So is the Minnetonka District, which starting next year will offer Chinese and Spanish immersion for its students who have completed the programs at the elementary level.
Please read more here.
Houston to open Mandarin immersion school in August
Principal Bryan Bordelon tries to reassure parents taking a chance on his new school: Don’t panic when you can’t understand your 4-year-old’s assignments.
Your child may even tell secrets in a language you don’t understand, he says. That’s a good thing. It means the students are learning.
Bordelon is leading a new public elementary school in Bellaire that will immerse mostly English-speaking students in Mandarin Chinese, teaching them to read, write and speak a language with growing importance in the global business arena.
The Houston Independent School District campus, which will open in August, is one of the first schools in Texas to offer a Mandarin immersion program and is among a small but growing number nationwide.
Please read more here.
Australia says forget French, Mandarin’s the thing
It’s adieu to the French language at schools as experts advise a shift of focus from European languages
- LAURA SPERANZA
- The Sunday Telegraph
- May 13, 2012 12:00AM
Rouse Hill Public School’s Chloe Van Der Houen, Alessandra Valle, Keenan Davis and Joel Wright learn Mandarin. Picture: Rohan Kelly Source: The Daily Telegraph
TO get ahead, children should learn Mandarin: that’s the advice from education experts who say schools need to shift their focus from European languages.
Although learning any second language is beneficial to children, the one that will deliver career and salary benefits is Mandarin – and students should stick with the same language through primary and high school to have any hope of fluency.
Reviving the language debate, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott used his Budget reply speech on Thursday to pledge a boost in language studies so at least 40 per cent of Year 12 students were learning a language other than English within a decade.
Mr Abbott would focus on languages of key regional partners like China, Japan, South Korea and India (see the story at right).
UNSW school of education Professor Chris Davison said anyone considering a career in business would have a competitive edge by being fluent in Mandarin, the most widely spoken language in the world.
Please read more here.
A note from one of the parents says “We got a Spanish charter school’s approval to include us as a mandarin immersion extension of their program in 2012. Still pending school District ok at end of may but early talks w them are promising. It would be k-2 in 2012.
Get ready for summer and some reading in Mandarin
As the school years nears its end, it’s time to start thinking about various ways to keep your kids listening to and reading in Mandarin over the summer.
A nice blog listing books in Mandarin for children
http://vickietsui96.blogspot.com/
Really useful English write ups of books that do well with smaller kids.
She’s also got a blog about raising Mandarin/English bilingual children.
http://mandarin-tiger-mom.blogspot.com/
Shanghai Mandarin camp with homestay
Dear Parent,Greetings from YK Pao School! As you may know, this year we are organizing the Mandarin Summer Camp and instermediate Chinese program for 5-12 year olds and we would be delighted to have your child take part.
Our Summer Camp is a constructive and enjoyable way for your child to pass the long summer months, experiencing life in Shanghai and learning Mandarin in a fun and educational environment. We will have activity based classes including sports, art and excursions round Shanghai and to nearby areas. We also have homestay opportunities. As you know, unlike many other language camps, our Camp is held on campus at our School and makes use of our indoor and outdoor teaching and sports facilities.
We are currently running an ‘Early-Bird’ promotion, by which you can enjoy a 10% discount on course fees if you enroll your child before the end of March.
Please check our website for more information: www.ykpaoschool.cn or email us on summercamp@ykpaoschool.cnWe hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Helen Feng
