​​The Chinese (Mandarin) Bilingual Program provides students with the opportunity to acquire the basic skills for speaking, reading, writing, listening and communicating in both English and Mandarin at a young age. It is a program in which Mandarin and English are used as the languages of instruction, beginning in kindergarten or Grade 1 and continuing to Grade 9.

Registration

• Students entering kindergarten or Grade 1 can register. Previous Chinese experience is not required and parents do not need to know the language.
• Students with previous Mandarin language experience may start the Mandarin Bilingual program at other grade levels. In the case of alternate entry points, the student, parents and principal of the designated school will meet to determine a personalized plan for successful entry.

Benefits of Learning Mandarin

• Expands the intellect
• Teaches responsible citizenship
• Develops enhanced feelings of self-esteem due to pride in having acquired a tangible skill
• Strengthens English literacy skills
• Encourages the joy of lifelong learning
• Promotes exploration, understanding and appreciation of the cultures of the Mandarin-speaking world and contributes to multilingualism and multiculturalism
• Allows students to compete internationally
• Provides students with more choices for advanced education and career options
• Broadens students' cultural life through access to literature, art, music and theatre in another language

Benefits of Chinese (Mandarin) Program

• In elementary, a 50/50 split, and in Grades 7-9, a 30 per cent split in instructional time between English and Mandarin allows students to build fluency in both languages. Children learn to understand and respond appropriately in Mandarin in a range of everyday situations.
• Students may write the language credentialing​ exam.

Languages of Instruction

From kindergarten to Grade 6:

• Chinese Language Arts is taught in Mandarin
• Simplified Chinese script is taught beginning in Kindergarten
• The Han Yu Pin Yin pronunciation system is taught to accelerate the process of learning to read in Chinese
• Math is taught in Mandarin
• Science is taught in Mandarin
• English Language Arts is taught in English
• All remaining subjects are taught in Mandarin or English or bilingually as determined by schools

From Grade 7 to 9:

• Chinese Language Arts and Math are taught in Mandarin
• All remaining subjects are taught in English

Visit the CBE website to help determine whether or not the Chinese (Mandarin) Bilingual Program (K-9) is right for your child and for information on language credentialing. 

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