In Mandarin Chinese class, the students will be divided into the Kindergarten and First grade groups.  The younger students will meet with the instructor from about 12:40 to 1: 05, the older ones from about 1: 10 to 1: 40.  The times will be adjusted as we observe the students’ attention span.  While one group is attending Chinese across the hallway, Miss Sheray and Miss Sandy will be working with the other students in small groups on specialized reading and writing projects.

 

The instructor is Mrs. Jenny Lu Morris, a native of China, who earned her degree in early childhood education in China where she taught kindergarten before marrying her husband who moved the family to the Niskayuna area. The first graders still fondly remember Jenny’s daughter, Kassie Morris, who attended St. George’s last year.  Jenny taught our after school Mandarin class all last year and has been asked to co-write a Chinese instruction program for use with Apple Apps.  We are fortunate to have her willing to make time in her schedule to come to us from Niskayuna to offer Mandarin to our students.

 

For the kindergartners, she will begin by showing pictures of young school children in China, and teach them "hello and how are you" in Chinese. She also weaves movement, games and Chinese songs into each session. The students will learn to write basic Chinese numerals and their names in Chinese.   Jenny also likes to show the students how to use some of the excellent Apple iPad Apps to let them reinforce their learning on our school iPads.

 

The first graders will review songs, do a variety of movement activities to Chinese music, and practice Chinese characters. They will also do review activities with the iPads. 

 

Recent studies by neuroscientists and foreign language researchers show that early exposure to and instruction in a foreign language has a strong positive effect on the developing brain and is far more effective way to teach and learn foreign languages. If you would like to see some of these studies, please let us know.