Chinese as 2nd Language (CSL)

troduction to the Chinese as Second Language (CSL) Program

• • The Chinese as Second Language (CSL) program (also referred to as Chinese Bilingual, or Chinese as a Foreign Language program) is designed for students whose main language at home is not Mandarin

  • Classes are conducted in both English and Chinese and use pinyin as the phonetic aid for the beginning levels

  • The goal is to make the classes fun and interactive so that the students will stay engaged

  • The levels span from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th Grade (see CSL Course Objectives below for more details)

• The curriculum is built around an expanding scope (by level) of daily and real life experiences

  • The focus shifts from listening and speaking to reading, writing & composition in the advanced levels

  • We use a spiral learning approach whereby previously learned materials is revisited frequently and integrated with the new material (the key to learning a second language)

  • At the end of each level, the student should be able to understand and respond to simple questions in Chinese and have some basic exposure to recognizing and/or writing (Traditional Chinese) characters

  • Parents’ and students’ observations in the classroom is recommended to help your children select the level that fit them best

CSL Course Objectives