Mandarin Immersion Parents Council

Information for parents of kids in Mandarin immersion education

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  • Pioneer Valley Chinese immersion expands by 38,500 feet

    Chinese Charter School in Hadley celebrates start of expansion that will double the school’s size

    chin.JPG
    Fontaine Brothers of Springfield started buidling a 38,500-square-foot addition to the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley last month. State, school and United States officials celebrated the groundbreaking last week. (Diane Lederman/The Republican)
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    Diane Lederman | dlederman@repub.comBy Diane Lederman | dlederman@repub.com 

    on June 24, 2014 at 3:57 PM, updated June 24, 2014 at 3:59 PM

    HADLEY – Seven years ago, the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School began in a rental space in South Amherst with just a kindergarten and first grade class.

    And now the immersion school is on the cusp of seeing a full kindergarten through grade 12thgrade program.

    The school, which relocated to space in Hadley soon after opening, recently celebrated the groundbreaking of a new 38,500-square-foot space behind the school on Route 9. It will more than double the current space now.

    Work on the site began May 1. Fontaine Brothers of Springfield is building and Principal Kathleen Wang said they are hoping the new building will be ready for January 2015.

    Please read more here.

  • Help choose the cover for A Parent’s Guide to Mandarin Immersion

    Note that the title in Chinese translates as “Chinese-English bilingual education – Parent’s guide”

    (And as a careful (thanks!) reader notes below, the 中 in 中英双语教育-家长指南 got dropped off, I’ll make sure the designer adds it back.)

    That’s specifically because all two-way immersion programs in the United States are meant to teach English-speaking student Chinese and Chinese-speaking students English. So they are meant to be bilingual. It’s the wording that’s used in most Mandarin immersion programs in California.

    There is a chapter in the book for Chinese-speaking parents, although it’s mostly aimed at English-speakers who know no Chinese.

    The last round on the design, several people suggested adding in the grid lines that are commonly used to help students correctly write characters, which I liked. Any other major red flags? I only get one more round with the designer so I want to make it count.

    And should anyone else need to find someone to design a book cover, I highly recommend http://humblenations.com. Nice, guy (he’s in England), reasonable fees and he works quickly.

    Beth

     

    Second round

  • Pioneer Valley immersion program begins new building construction

    Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School celebrates as construction of addition begins in Hadley

    • JERREY ROBERTS<br/>Members of The Singing Dragons sing Tuesday during a ground-breaking ceremony at the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley. The addition will double the size of the school. Sally Rogers, right, leads the group.JERREY ROBERTS
      Members of The Singing Dragons sing Tuesday during a ground-breaking ceremony at the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley. The addition will double the size of the school. Sally Rogers, right, leads the group. Purchase photo reprints »
    • JERREY ROBERTS<br/>Members of The Singing Dragons sing Tuesday during a ground-breaking ceremony at the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley. The addition will double the size of the school. Sally Rogers, right, leads the group.
    • JERREY ROBERTS<br/>A group of children play soccer Tuesday at the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley while waiting for a ground-breaking ceremony to begin. An addition to the school will double its size.

    By GENA MANGIARATTI

    Staff Writer

    Tuesday, June 17, 2014

    HADLEY — Andrea Cummings of Shutesbury sent her son and daughter to the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School because she wanted them to understand a second language, but she did not know one herself.

    “It wasn’t a gift I could give them,” she said.

    Now, she is excited about the opportunity to expose her daughter Libby Hayes, who is finishing first grade, and her son Robbie Hayes, a fourth grader, to the Chinese language through their high school years.

    Cummings was among several dozen parents at an upbeat ceremony Tuesday outside the school to celebrate as construction begins of a four-story, 38,400-square-foot addition that will more than double the size of the school, now at 30,000 square-feet.

    The addition will also make it the first kindergarten through Grade 12 Chinese immersion school in the country, Keith Barnicle, district representative for U.S. Congressman James McGovern of Worcester, told those in attendance Tuesday. McGovern’s office wrote a letter in support of the $10.6 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development that made the addition possible.

    Please read more here.

  • How China sees Mandarin immersion programs

    American kids enjoy early Chinese learning

    By Mu Dong (Xinhua)    09:45, June 02, 2014

    In a classroom decorated with paintings featuring Chinese folk tales and cute symbols ofChinese characters, a dozen of local children, from five to eight years old, are performingpopular Chinese songs, such as “Daddy, where are we going” and “Stars in the Sky.”

    Anna, a seven-year-old girl, has studied Chinese for two years in the Confucius Classroomof Washington Yuying Public Charter School, a Chinese-immersion educationorganization.

    Founded in 2008, the school is aimed to inspire and prepare kids to create a better worldby challenging them to reach their full potential in a nurturing Chinese educationalenvironment.

    So far, the school’s steady development and great progress of its Chinese-immersionteaching model have captured widespread attention.

    From Monday to Friday every week, Anna spends two hours learning Chinese here,enjoying the charm of the language by writing characters, playing games, and reciting the”Three Character Primer,” or San Zi Jing, one of the ancient Chinese classic texts.

    Please read more here.

  • Gilbert, Arizona adds Mandarin immersion program

    Coronado School is opening a free Chinese Mandarin Program for kindergarten and first grade students beginning Fall 2014.
    Screen Shot 2014-06-04 at 9.17.56 AM
    They district did a very nice video introducing the program to families, which is a brilliant way to cheaply and easily get the information out to a broad range of families. Check it out here.
    =====
    From the Gilbert district website:
    What are the proven benefits of acquiring second language skills?
    • High proficiency in the immersion language
    • Performance on English standardized tests meets or exceeds non-immersion students
    • Promotes greater cognitive flexibility, increased attention control, better memory, and superior problem solving skills
    • Enhanced understanding of primary language
    • Increased cultural sensitivity
    • Better prepared for the future in a global society
    Informational meetings
    June 4 | 6 p.m. | Coronado School, 4333 S. De Anza Blvd.
    June 24 | 6 p.m. | Coronado School, 4333 S. De Anza Blvd.
    July 16 | 6 p.m. | Coronado School, 4333 S. De Anza Blvd.
     
    For more information:Ting Sun 孙婷
    ting.sun@husd.org
    (480) 279.6900
    Assistant, Mandarin Immersion Program 中文沉浸式教学

  • Steal like an artist…

    To paraphrase a book I read recently.

    The wonderful parents at Broadway Elementary School in Los Angeles have made a stellar brochure about their Mandarin immersion program.

    Seeing as programs nationwide don’t compete, I’d like to suggest that anyone who wants to might use it as a template for a brochure at your school.  (Hope that’s okay with the Broadway folks, you folks rock!)

    There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, especially when LA’ clearly got this whole car things down.

    Click to access 168613167123399727.pdf

    Broadway brochure

    Broadway brochure

  • Delaware’s Governor lauds state immersion programs

    Gov. Markell applauds growth of language immersion program in weekly message

    Gov. Markell applauds growth of language immersion program in weekly message

    By WDDE 91.1 FM
    May 31, 2014

    Video

    Gov. Markell applauds growth of language immersion program in weekly message

    Governor Jack Markell’s Weekly Message

    In this week’s message, Gov. Jack Markell (D-Delaware) is touting the success of educating Delaware children in different languages for part of the school day.

    Established two years ago, the world language immersion program launched with Spanish and Chinese options beginning as early as kindergarten.

    Markell says the results have been phenomenal.

    “More than 800 of our youngest students can talk about their school day in more than one language. By next year, more than 1,500 will be able to do so and nearly all of the students’ parents have agreed that our seven Spanish and three Chinese programs enrich their child’s education.”

    He notes that with a more global economy, speaking two languages offers a distinct advantage for those who are able to.

    Earlier this week, Markell renewed a partnership with the Spanish government that sends teachers to staff those programs and offers Delaware educators a chance to teach in Europe.

    Please read more here.