Welcome to the Lake Forest District 67 kindergarten community! We'd like to share information about the unique language-learning opportunity available to all children in District 67. The district's Mandarin Language Program is a kindergarten through 8
th
grade program. Children from all three elementary school areas are eligible to participate in the program. Most students join the Mandarin program in kindergarten or first grade and attend Cherokee as their elementary school for kindergarten through 4
th
grade, with bus transportation being available to all students in the district.
Students in the Mandarin program learn to read, write, speak, and comprehend the Mandarin language through integrated units that incorporate social studies concepts and Chinese language arts. In the K-4
th
grade program, students participate in 40-60 minutes of Mandarin instruction every day. The program continues daily at Deer Path Middle School, providing 5
th
-8
th
grade advanced Mandarin classes for students who have participated in this elementary program.
Classes are taught in an immersion style by native Mandarin speakers. The children don't just memorize flashcards and complete pages of homework; they listen, absorb, and speak from the first days of class. Being exposed to an immersion-style environment helps students learn the language more naturally, like a child learns his or her native language. Teachers use modeling, manipulatives, gestures, and explanations to teach students academic content in Mandarin. This means learning the language through culture, art, and music with less emphasis on rote vocabulary memorization. Many fun events and programs enrich the curriculum throughout the year, enabling the students to use their language skills while participating in meaningful cultural activities (e.g. Chinese New Year celebrations, music performances, special exhibits, field trips, etc.).
Although there is additional homework and expectations for the students, the Mandarin program provides extra enrichment and learning opportunities for the students that participate. Studies have shown numerous cognitive benefits for early learners of a foreign language. Learning a foreign language can also provide academic benefits, such as better critical thinking skills, increased problem-solving skills, and greater mental flexibility.
Next year, the District 67 Mandarin program will be in its ninth year and will have children participating in Mandarin learning from kindergarten through 9
th
grade. Lake Forest High School is preparing additional advanced learning opportunities for these students to continue to master the Mandarin language. Please see the attached flyer for more information and to contact parents of children in the program for additional information. There are also specific details and highlights of the program found at the District's Mandarin webpage
, as well as the APT (Association of Parents and Teachers) Mandarin webpage:
http://cherokeeapt.weebly.com/mandarin.html
.
If you are interested in enrolling your incoming kindergartener in the Mandarin program, please contact Cherokee Principal Jeff McHugh at
[email protected]
.
Sincerely,
Lisa Lersch and Nicole Korczak
APT Mandarin Program Liaisons
