Bilingual Education Tools
For parents who enroll their children in Mencius Mandarin Preschool, it is very important that they encourage their child's interest in Mandarin Chinese and the Chinese culture. A child who senses and experiences his/her own parents' appreciation for his/her Mandarin Chinese-learning will be much more motivated to continue in his/her efforts in school. Parents can provide support by:
1. Attending cultural events that relate to Chinese holidays and festivities, whether held at Mencius Mandarin Preschool or in the community
2. Participate in their children's Mandarin Chinese-learning activities such as watching Nickelodeon’s cartoon series Ni Hao, Kai Lan that instructs children how to speak Mandarin Chinese
3. Parents who read and speak Mandarin Chinese should read Chinese books to their children. For non-Mandarin Chinese speaking parents, purchasing books and videos from the following sites can also be tremendously helpful:
www.betterchinese.com
www.chinasprout.com
www.asiaforkids.com
www.chinabooks.com
www.chinesetapes.com
4. Volunteer in school activities, which will expose parents to our daily Mandarin Chinese instructions. The lessons can then be “carried over” to home for fun practice with your children!
5. Learn about bilingual education and get answers to the most commonly asked questions about bilingual education by reading Colin Baker's A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism. It even has a specific chapter devoted to the role of schools in supporting bilingualism.