MENLO SCHOOL • SINCE 1915

Mandarin 6

Biography

The Middle School Mandarin Chinese program is an interactive course designed with a dual emphasis on communicative skills and cultural understanding. In the first year, students will learn to talk about themselves and the people in their lives. They will be able to carry out conversations in Mandarin to exchange basic information related to themselves. Discussion and exploration of Chinese culture are integrated into the curriculum and enriched by an annual field trip and hands-on activities such as dumpling making. While the emphasis is on developing overall proficiency, considerable attention is devoted to building a strong foundation in pronunciation and character writing to prepare students for success in higher level classes.