Mandarin / English Bilingual Program
The Mandarin / English Bilingual Program at HongDe Elementary is designed for both English-speaking and Mandarin-speaking students to develop communication and literacy skills in both languages. Students learn and study both English and Mandarin Chinese throughout their K-5 education, with 40% of the curriculum taught in Mandarin and 60% in English.
Curriculum Taught in Mandarin
The Mandarin / English Bilingual Program uses the BC Curriculum, following the Big Ideas, Content, Curricular Competencies, and Core Competencies. Coursework focuses on the application of language to real-life situations and deepens understanding of the cultural and spiritual aspects inherent in both languages.
Mandarin Language Arts
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Cultural and Language Proficiency
Students are encouraged to adopt an open-minded view of different world cultural heritages and to identify with the essence of both Chinese and Western heritage. Graduates from HongDe’s bilingual education program will have a strong command of both languages, allowing them to comfortably engage with native speakers and achieve academic success on par with their monolingual peers.
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Language Instruction
Students are exposed to traditional and simplified Chinese characters, as well as Zhuyin and Pinyin romanization systems. Extensive reading at each grade level establishes a strong foundation in the language. By the end of the program, students will have a command of 1500-2000 Chinese characters.
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Textual Sources
Textual sources are selected based on their adherence to traditional Chinese values, which include the cultivation of virtue, respect for elders and learning, diligence, and propriety. Key texts include the Thousand-Character Classic (千字文), Three-Character Classic (三字經), and Rules for Children (弟子規). The school’s name, HongDe, reflects the values our program aspires to impart, translating to “spreading virtue widely.”
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Language Proficiency Goals
The Mandarin/English Bilingual Program aims for all students to achieve near-fluency by the end of grade 7, reaching B1 to B2 levels (Intermediate-High to Advanced-Mid). At these levels, students can:
- Read simpler newspaper articles on current affairs
- Understand the main points of many TV programs
- Confidently interact with native speakers on a wide range of topics
Arts Education (Dance, Music, Visual Arts, & Drama)
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Dance
Students will learn traditional Chinese dance 傳統中國舞。Dance Programs at HongDe are culturally enriched, energetic and fun-filled experiences that students absolutely love! They are geared to teach students to become more aware of their bodies and movements through gentle classical dance skills.During classes students will learn teamwork and self-confidence as they work together to create a grand finale dance piece with cultural props and costumes to perform at the Year-End Performance.
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Music
The school provide Children’s Music Enlightenment Education 兒童音樂啟蒙教育。Students can develop their individual potential and interact with the music around them. The program focuses on fundamental skills with singing, movement, literacy, improvisation & composition, evaluating music, and instrument playing. The instrument used by students include ukulele, guitar, violin, recorders, Orff instruments, and a variety of percussion instruments. All students have opportunities to perform in front of their classmates or a bigger audience.
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Visual Arts
Students explore the Traditional Western and Chinese Visual Arts 中西方傳統繪畫視覺藝術. Sketching, painting, calligraphy, and film are introduced, including a wide variety of classic artists and their works. -
Drama
Students learn about Traditional Chinese and Western Drama 中西方古典戲劇. They learn the dramatic forms of expression at the elementary level and develop themselves as performers. As students progress through the dramatic forms of expression at the elementary level, greater emphasis is placed upon the development of the individual as a creator, performer, historian, critic and patron.
Physical and Health Education
