Parents & Students

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Science Exploration

Doss students experience hands-on science exploration.

Art & Culture

Nancy Chiu鈥檚 second-grade class displays their Beijing opera mask artwork.

Skype Exchange

Kelly Long鈥檚 Anderson High School student exchanges with family in XiShuangBanna, China).

How Can Parents Supports their Children in Dual Language Mandarin?

Whether you speak the immersion language or not, the best way to support your child is by creating a supportive learning environment in the language of the home. This literacy-rich foundation is built as you read, write, listen, and talk with your child in your own language and culture, building a bond of learning with them.

  • Support your child in the language of the home. Read with them and to them in your native language every day.
  • Ask your child open-ended questions about what they are learning in school. Encourage curiosity by teaching your child to question the world around them.
  • Emphasize the value of acquiring another language. Applaud their efforts in the dual language program.
  • Help your child develop effective study skills. Ask your teacher how much homework to expect and regularly set aside time to work on it.  Remember that homework is the child鈥檚 responsibility and encourage your child to be accountable by following up with them later.
  • Become involved in your child鈥檚 school experience by volunteering in the immersion classroom or helping with materials, activities, or field trips.
  • Extend cultural experiences beyond the classroom. Take your child to a local event such as a Spanish festival, a Vietnamese restaurant, or a Chinese New Year party.
  • Expose your child to the language through technology and media. Use apps, movies, TV, or internet to increase the amount of time your child spends engaging in the immersion language. For example, watch a favorite movie in target language instead of English, or listen to music in target language.
  • As your child grows, consider participating in an exchange or work program, summer language camp, or a family vacation to another country.

(Based on suggestions from French Immersion in Manitoba: A Handbook for School Leaders)

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