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Making Chinese language second nature
January 26, 2011, Wednesday
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WHEN Irish expat Eoin Murphy chose Yew Chung International School of Shanghai (YCIS Shanghai) for his two sons, he knew that the school had a strong Chinese program. However, he never imagined that his son Tiernan would go on to a place in the finals in a national Chinese-language competition only a few years after moving to Shanghai.
"Not only are my children fluent, but they love speaking in Chinese," said Murphy.
"I also noticed that Tiernan acts Chinese when he speaks Chinese. When he thanked YCIS Shanghai for helping him prepare for the competition, he bowed to his Chinese teacher but then shook hands with the Western co-principal without even having to think twice."
The Irish government recognized Tiernan's achievement in a formal letter to the family, praising his performance and YCIS' Chinese program for making it possible.
Developing bilingual students is one of the cornerstones of YCIS Shanghai's curriculum. The study of Chinese is required from kindergarten through to secondary school, aiming to develop the student's listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities.
Mary Yu, co-principal of primary and secondary schools in Pudong, explained that the Chinese curriculum is divided between non-native speakers and native speakers to better meet student needs.
Outside of the classroom, parents may not know what types of Chinese books or materials their children should be reading. They benefit from the experience of the teachers, as well as from YCIS Shanghai's online Chinese curriculum support portal.
"This is a place where parents for whom Chinese is an additional language can check for book recommendations. Even native Chinese-speaking parents check to see what literature is appropriate for their children," Yu said.
Tanja Wojcik, whose four American-Dutch children study at YCIS Shanghai, finds the portal "extremely useful - it really helps parents support the children in their learning."
Show-and-tell periods, in which students share Chinese books they have read at home, is another way that helps YCIS Shanghai students become proficient in the Chinese language. Christa Welty, head librarian at Puxi campus, explained that teachers and students often request specific Chinese titles, and that children are encouraged to check out at least one Chinese book each time they visit the library.
"The Chinese librarians make sure that our Chinese fiction and non-fiction collections are balanced with our English materials. They are aware of what kind of titles the children are interested in and are able to select books the children will enjoy," said Welty.
Chinese culture classes are also an integrated part of the curriculum, where students from both streams of Chinese classes - native and non-native - learn and experience together. The program enables students to gain a deep understanding of Chinese culture and language by emphasizing folk culture, festivals, technology, history and art.
Part of YCIS Shanghai's success in its Chinese program is anchored in, and can be attributed to, the co-teaching method. One Western and one Chinese teacher work and teach collaboratively in the Early Childhood Education and Primary programs. The teachers are role models who show, every day, what it means to work together in a respectful, global environment.
Julie Zheng and Andrew Mellor, primary co-principals at the Puxi campus, explained that acquiring a bicultural awareness not only helps students see the differences and similarities with their own home culture but also encourages an open attitude toward other cultures in general.
"The ability to speak Chinese brings us closer to people, and opens up opportunities for our children in the future, both socially and academically," said Wojcik.
"Not only are my children fluent, but they love speaking in Chinese," said Murphy.
"I also noticed that Tiernan acts Chinese when he speaks Chinese. When he thanked YCIS Shanghai for helping him prepare for the competition, he bowed to his Chinese teacher but then shook hands with the Western co-principal without even having to think twice."
The Irish government recognized Tiernan's achievement in a formal letter to the family, praising his performance and YCIS' Chinese program for making it possible.
Developing bilingual students is one of the cornerstones of YCIS Shanghai's curriculum. The study of Chinese is required from kindergarten through to secondary school, aiming to develop the student's listening, speaking, reading and writing abilities.
Mary Yu, co-principal of primary and secondary schools in Pudong, explained that the Chinese curriculum is divided between non-native speakers and native speakers to better meet student needs.
Outside of the classroom, parents may not know what types of Chinese books or materials their children should be reading. They benefit from the experience of the teachers, as well as from YCIS Shanghai's online Chinese curriculum support portal.
"This is a place where parents for whom Chinese is an additional language can check for book recommendations. Even native Chinese-speaking parents check to see what literature is appropriate for their children," Yu said.
Tanja Wojcik, whose four American-Dutch children study at YCIS Shanghai, finds the portal "extremely useful - it really helps parents support the children in their learning."
Show-and-tell periods, in which students share Chinese books they have read at home, is another way that helps YCIS Shanghai students become proficient in the Chinese language. Christa Welty, head librarian at Puxi campus, explained that teachers and students often request specific Chinese titles, and that children are encouraged to check out at least one Chinese book each time they visit the library.
"The Chinese librarians make sure that our Chinese fiction and non-fiction collections are balanced with our English materials. They are aware of what kind of titles the children are interested in and are able to select books the children will enjoy," said Welty.
Chinese culture classes are also an integrated part of the curriculum, where students from both streams of Chinese classes - native and non-native - learn and experience together. The program enables students to gain a deep understanding of Chinese culture and language by emphasizing folk culture, festivals, technology, history and art.
Part of YCIS Shanghai's success in its Chinese program is anchored in, and can be attributed to, the co-teaching method. One Western and one Chinese teacher work and teach collaboratively in the Early Childhood Education and Primary programs. The teachers are role models who show, every day, what it means to work together in a respectful, global environment.
Julie Zheng and Andrew Mellor, primary co-principals at the Puxi campus, explained that acquiring a bicultural awareness not only helps students see the differences and similarities with their own home culture but also encourages an open attitude toward other cultures in general.
"The ability to speak Chinese brings us closer to people, and opens up opportunities for our children in the future, both socially and academically," said Wojcik.
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