Academics & Curriculum

1. What is the core focus of your curriculum?
   
   Our curriculum emphasizes practical vocabulary, oral communication, and listening comprehension. This approach ensures that all students (including those with limited or no prior exposure to the language) can confidently build a functional foundation in Chinese.
   
   

2. What grade levels do you offer, and do you teach Pinyin?
   
   We offer classes from Kindergarten through 7th/8th grade. To ensure strong phonetic and reading foundations, Han Yu Pin Yin is integrated into the curriculum across all grade levels.
   
   

3. Do you teach Traditional or Simplified characters?
   
   Our primary instruction is in Traditional characters. However, recognizing the value of both systems in a globalized world, we introduce older students to character recognition in both styles to foster comprehensive visual literacy.

4. What is the primary language of instruction? Is it Mandarin or Cantonese?
   Mandarin is our primary medium of instruction. However, to ensure every student fully grasps the material, our teachers will seamlessly incorporate English as needed to facilitate clearer communication and support learning.
   
   

5. What are your teachers’ qualifications?
   
   All of our instructors are native Chinese speakers with years of teaching experience. The majority hold degrees in Chinese Language and Literature or Education, and many have spent years teaching Chinese here in the U.S. Additionally, every faculty member is fully bilingual and highly proficient in teaching in both English and Chinese.
   
   

6. My child is not very excited about attending Chinese school. How do you keep children engaged?
   
   We firmly believe that language lives in culture and learning thrives in fun. Moving beyond textbook learning, we enrich our school terms with vibrant social activities including Ice-Cream Social and Halloween Parade. We also feature prize-awarding Brain Teasers in our electronic newsletters. To ensure the educational experience is both rewarding and fun, our instructors actively weave traditional festival activities (e.g. Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and/or Double Ninth Festival) into their curriculum, complemented by our school-wide highlights, Lunar New Year Celebration and End-of-the Year Carnival.
   
   

Admissions, Evaluation & Homework

7. Can students enroll mid-semester or mid-year?
   
   No. To ensure optimal academic progression and curriculum continuity, we do not accept mid-year registration and only open enrollment at the end of the current academic year for the following school term.
   
   

8. How does student placement work for new and returning families?
   
   New students (with the exception of kindergarteners and first graders) take a written placement test to determine their appropriate class level. For returning students, if an instructor assesses that a child would thrive in a more advanced grade, they will communicate with the parents. With the teacher's formal recommendation, the student becomes eligible to take a skip-grade examination.
   
   

9. What are the expectations regarding homework and exams?
   
   Yes, consistent practice is key to language acquisition. Students are expected to complete weekly homework assignments and take end-of-unit quizzes, though the exact format varies by instructors. We also administer a comprehensive final exam at the conclusion of each semester.

10. How much parental involvement is required in their child’s learning?
    
    While parental encouragement is vital, our curriculum is structured so that students can complete assignments independently. Additionally, many teachers provide digital audio resources so that students can confidently practice their pronunciation at home without requiring a native speaker's assistance. Our website, eNews and homework instructions are provided in both English and Chinese. Parents without a Chinese language background can easily navigate our resources and stay connected.
    
    

Logistics & Community

11. With classes running from 7:00 to 8:50 p.m., there seem to be two periods. Are both academic?
    
    Yes, both periods are core academic sessions designed to build a strong linguistic foundation. We balance this rigor by keeping the learning environment highly engaging and interactive. Please note that we do not offer high school credit for our courses.
    
    

12. Are there opportunities for parents to get involved?
    
    Absolutely. Our school is a community-driven organization that thrives on parent participation. Parents are required to assist with campus patrol. Additionally, you can deeply engage with our community by serving as a room-parent, joining our administrative staff group, or volunteering for school-wide events.