Participate Learning partners with schools and districts to implement authentic and effective dual language immersion programs in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. Students in dual language programs learn core subjects in the target language, building fluency by the time they reach fifth grade.
Being bilingual and biliterate has cognitive benefits, boosts academic achievement, and prepares students for their future careers in a global marketplace. Students at Harrisburg, Kensington, Marvin, and Stough Magnet elementary schools enrolled in the dual language immersion programs are learning Mandarin Chinese with the help of Participate Learning’s Ambassador Teachers.
Through a series of contest submissions over the last few months, students demonstrated their Mandarin Chinese fluency, cultural knowledge, and creativity. Read on for more information about the schools, the contests, and these amazing student achievements!
National Chinese Talent Contest
Hosted by Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS), the National Chinese Talent Contest asked students to showcase their skills in six categories: singing, dancing, instruments, sports, arts, and language.
For contest entries, students showcased their language skills and cultural knowledge in creative ways. They created original artwork representing Chinese culture and showed off their skills using the Diabolo, derived from the Chinese yo-yo.
Twenty-nine students at Stough Magnet Elementary participated in the contest with submissions in the categories of language, arts, and sports. Six students won first-place awards, three students won second-place awards, ten students won third-place awards, and ten students won Honorable Mentions.
At Harrisburg Elementary, five students submitted entries for the categories of language and arts. One student won a first-place award, one student won a second-place award, and three students won honorable mentions.
Picture Book Reading Contest
The Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP), in collaboration with the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California (CLTAC) and Level Learning, hosted the Picture Book Reading Contest. The contest provided a platform for K-8 students to engage with the Chinese language and culture through the art of storytelling.
Students, with the help of teachers and parents, recorded video submissions of themselves bringing picture book stories to life in Mandarin Chinese. Students’ hard work and creativity paid off, with multiple schools winning awards, as well as books for their classrooms.
A third-grade class at Marvin Elementary won a first-place award, a student won a second-place award at Harrisburg Elementary, and Stough, Harrisburg, and Kensington Elementary all won third-place awards.
Pioneering Leadership in Language Learning
As part of the Picture Book Reading Contest, three Participate Learning Ambassador Teachers received the Pioneering Leadership in Language Learning Award. They were recognized for their innovative teaching methods and commitment to language education. Congratulations to these outstanding educators:
- Luling Yan, Kensington Elementary
- Yang Liu, Stough Elementary
- Wenchan Zeng, Harrisburg Elementary
Congratulations to all the students and teachers who participated in these contests! Your hard work, creativity, and dedication to language learning continue to inspire us.
For more information on the benefits of dual language immersion programs for students and how they boost academic achievement, check out the Positive Impacts of Dual Language Programs.
