Hello and Welcome!

Hello and Welcome!

Nǐhǎo! (Hello!)

Welcome to Mandarin Chinese class! You will be acquiring Mandarin Chinese this year in some fun yet very effective ways. Our central goal is COMMUNICATION in Chinese language. 

How will we learn in this class?

We will use many fun and interesting strategies to acquire Chinese language. Research on how we learn has proven that we remember better and longer what we have actually experienced physically.  Gesturing and acting out commands will help you acquire the language more quickly. Another very powerful way to acquire language (also supported by research) is through stories or narrative.

Stories

We will create and even act out situations or stories in class to work with new vocabulary. Often the stories will be short, silly or strange. This serves two purposes:

1)         to maintain focus while communicating in the language

2)         to aid long-term memory.

We use props and movement to make it easy for you to understand at all times. I prefer to laugh a lot in class and I hope that you do as well because we tend to have a lot of fun in class.

Props needed! If you have stuffed animals, toys, wigs, costumes that you are no longer playing with or using, bring them to Chinese class! We NEED them!

What do I need for Mandarin class?

The most important thing you need this year is not something you will go out and purchase.  It’s participation in class – every day that class meets.  You need to be in class!!!  If you miss class, you miss HUGE amounts of input in the language and practice.

My Philosophy

I believe that ALL students can acquire a second language.  I have a passion for World Languages and I will do all that I can to help you acquire Chinese.  By making a commitment: showing up to every class and participating, you will make significant progress this year and receive a grade that reflects that progress.  I know that this is going to be a fun and exciting year…full of laughs and success for all.

Huānyíng!  (Welcome!)

Lǐ lǎoshī