More schools offer Chinese to children.

More schools teach Chinese

MASON - China's expanding global reach is taking hold in the classrooms of Greater Cincinnati as more schools are offering courses to teach Chinese.

And some schools are reaching halfway around the world to learn more about Chinese language and culture - and to recruit teachers.

Next school year, the Mason school district will join a small but growing list of area schools adding Chinese to the traditional menu of Spanish, French and German offered at most public schools.

"We are very excited to be able to offer this," said Nicole Huelsman, an assistant principal at Mason High School. "With China accounting for about 21 percent of the world's population, it is necessary to look in this direction."

The years three and four pupils at St Paul's Primary School in South Manchester will be the first children ....

Primary is first to put Chinese on curriculum

A primary school in Manchester has become one of the first in the UK to teach Chinese as part of its curriculum with help from teachers supplied by the Confucius Institute at The University of Manchester.
The years three and four pupils at St Paul's Primary School in South Manchester will be the first children in the north west to learn Mandarin during school time - even though only one of the pupils is of Chinese descent.

The Children - from Withington - will be celebrating Chinese New Year with a special performance at the school assembly this Friday (8 Feb) partly delivered in Chinese.

They have been in e-mail contact with youngsters at a primary school in Beijing to help them perfect their language skills and hope to gain an internationally recognised language qualification next year.

And in recognition of their success, the Office of Chinese Language Council International has just awarded the school the status of 'Confucius Classroom', which will enable it to act as resource for other schools in the area - with the help of University of Manchester staff.

The Mayor wants children to learn Mandarin so they can develop business links with China.

I'll help London Mayor to solve China crisis

A PRIMARY head is set to help the Mayor of London out of a China crisis.

Don Berry of St Paul’s in Withington is to advise Ken Livingstone on how to take Chinese into the capital’s classrooms.

The Mayor wants to see pupils given the opportunity to learn Mandarin so they can develop business links with one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

But faced with the headache of how to get the project off the ground he is being put in touch with Mr Berry, whose school has been hailed as a model for teaching Chinese to young pupils.

Education minister Ed Balls has promised to set up the meeting between the pair after a chance meeting with Mr Berry at a Labour Party fundraiser in Didsbury this week.

It came just days after the London Mayor had revealed his plans to the minister over a dinner at the Shepherd’s restaurant on Marsham Street, Westminster.

Mr Balls told the Reporter: "Ken said he wanted children in London to learn Chinese because today’s pupils are tomorrow’s business leaders and he thinks it is vital to improve links with China. He told me that he thinks it’s important for the growth of London’s economy to forge closer ties with China.

A book of traditional Chinese stories has been created by pupils and parents at Edinburgh's Chinese Community School.

Chinese school brings in new year with book on culture
Marking the beginning of the Year of the Rat, the book is designed to encourage children to learn more about Chinese culture and promote family values.

The text is in Mandarin and Pinyin, which helps teach Mandarin pronunciation, as well as English.

Mark Tang, chairman of the Edinburgh Chinese Community School, which is based in Liberton, said: "We are delighted to be able to develop and distribute this book to our pupils in our language classes.

"We hope that it will help young children to learn more about Chinese culture and virtues with its collection of short stories and illustrations and, ultimately, help them to develop their Mandarin language studies."

The book was created with planning and printing help from Telford College, and funding from City Literacy and Numeracy Edinburgh.

But Mandarin Chinese is set to become the second most popular foreign language learned in UK schools.

It is already studied by more children than German or Russian. Only French and Spanish are more popular. If the rate of growth continues it will overtake Spanish in three years. Gareth from Wales, says 'I am learning Chinese, and find it fun.' Another student, Thomas from London, says 'Just telling people that I learn Mandarin turns heads. Even a basic insight gives you an edge.'

Multiple Learning Outcomes, Child Powered, Designing a Linguistic Play Unit

Following the success of an innovative summer school programme last year we are getting far more innovative this year! Our programme is ambitious but nothing GFT children cannot rise too. We can adapt it to your needs or create something similar with you. The programme is typical of Bamboo – West meets East seamlessly in a way relevant to the future.

The Challenge – Can you run a business (in Mandarin Chinese)?
Skilled Chinese tutors + a University Business Lecturer run the programme in partnership with you

Learning a language is made easier if relevance is revealed. Working across the curriculum is great fun.

Experts generally agree that learning a language is made easier if its relevance is revealed. We work closely with schools to integrate Chinese language learning with other subjects. Where in China were endangered species last spotted? (geography) And can you say these animals names in Chinese? Just how many kms long is the Great Wall of China? (Maths / Geography and History). This interlinked 'Need to Know' way of learning Chinese is our speciality.

Children broadcast new Chinese skills by recording their own podcasts. Lost your login? Contact us

As Bamboo only teaches children we work innovatively with them. For example, children in our clubs design and record their own podcasts.

We find this activity is motivational, promotes practice and involves parents. Children and parents are given their own login to access their podcast.

It can then be downloaded onto MP3 players and iPods for sharing and practicing.