Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What instructional model will be used?
Elementary Level
K/1st Grade – 80%/20%
2nd Grade – 70%/30%
3rd Grade – 60%/40%
4th/5th Grade – 50%/50%
Middle School
6th & 7th grade - 2 class periods taught in Mandarin
8th grade - 1 class period
High School
9th grade - 2 class periods
10th-12 grade - 1 class period
What will be the qualification of a Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP) teacher?
California multiple subject credential with a Bilingual Authorization in Mandarin BCLAD/BAMA.
Do I need to speak Mandarin Chinese?
No, the program was designed for children of families who do not speak the Mandarin. For families who don’t speak Mandarin at home, additional effort will need to be made to bring that language and culture into their homes; language is not just acquired at school. We hope to provide support through a variety of sources including after school programs local and private libraries and other Friends of MIP families.
Do you teach simplified or traditional characters?
The program will start with traditional characters then introduce simplified in the upper grades. Some reasons to teach both:
1. Traditional characters carry more of Chinese history, culture, and essence of each word.
(easier for people to learn because each character is made up of a radical)
2. It’s relatively easy to read simplified after learning traditional.
3. Simplified was created for convenience's sake and there are only about 2,000 simplified
characters in use vs over 100,000 (although 8,000 are in regular use) traditional characters.
4. Many private schools in China are teaching traditional characters in addition to simplified vs
the public schools in China to gain competitive advantage
5. Mainland China is also encouraging the use and learning of traditional characters in the upper
grades since ancient history and medicine and other fields still use traditional characters
Do you teach Mandarin phonetics (ZhuYin) or Pin Yin (English characters)?
Along with traditional Chinese characters, Mandarin phonetics (Zhu Yin) will be taught as a fundamental building block which could be conceptually transferred to English phonetics. The Pin-Yin (the spelling out of Chinese using letters of the Roman/Latin alphabet) are introduced in 3rd grade when students begin using Chromebooks to learn how to type in Chinese as well.
Approximately how many characters will my child learn each year?
The following is an estimate based on other Mandarin Immersion schools:
Kindergarten - approximately 30 characters (recognition only)
1st Grade - approximately 150 characters (reading and writing)
2nd Grade - 5th Grade - an additional 100-150 phrases per grade level
Students have learned approximately 600-800 characters/phrases at the end of 5th grade
What is the student teacher ratio?
Since the Mandarin Immersion program is not a program at a Title 1 School, the same ratios of regular kindergarten classes would apply. If extra funds are raised (other than District funds), the ratio can be lowered via Teacher Aides.
If there is an overwhelming interest from parents for the class how will children be selected to attend? A lottery system or is it based upon who signed up on the “interest list” first? Would children who live in the district have priority over children who do not?
A lottery system will take place. A series of mandatory orientation parent meetings will take place to ensure only committed families are part of the process. Children who live in the district and siblings of existing program students WILL have priority over out of district students.
Elementary Level
K/1st Grade – 80%/20%
2nd Grade – 70%/30%
3rd Grade – 60%/40%
4th/5th Grade – 50%/50%
Middle School
6th & 7th grade - 2 class periods taught in Mandarin
8th grade - 1 class period
High School
9th grade - 2 class periods
10th-12 grade - 1 class period
What will be the qualification of a Mandarin Immersion Program (MIP) teacher?
California multiple subject credential with a Bilingual Authorization in Mandarin BCLAD/BAMA.
Do I need to speak Mandarin Chinese?
No, the program was designed for children of families who do not speak the Mandarin. For families who don’t speak Mandarin at home, additional effort will need to be made to bring that language and culture into their homes; language is not just acquired at school. We hope to provide support through a variety of sources including after school programs local and private libraries and other Friends of MIP families.
Do you teach simplified or traditional characters?
The program will start with traditional characters then introduce simplified in the upper grades. Some reasons to teach both:
1. Traditional characters carry more of Chinese history, culture, and essence of each word.
(easier for people to learn because each character is made up of a radical)
2. It’s relatively easy to read simplified after learning traditional.
3. Simplified was created for convenience's sake and there are only about 2,000 simplified
characters in use vs over 100,000 (although 8,000 are in regular use) traditional characters.
4. Many private schools in China are teaching traditional characters in addition to simplified vs
the public schools in China to gain competitive advantage
5. Mainland China is also encouraging the use and learning of traditional characters in the upper
grades since ancient history and medicine and other fields still use traditional characters
Do you teach Mandarin phonetics (ZhuYin) or Pin Yin (English characters)?
Along with traditional Chinese characters, Mandarin phonetics (Zhu Yin) will be taught as a fundamental building block which could be conceptually transferred to English phonetics. The Pin-Yin (the spelling out of Chinese using letters of the Roman/Latin alphabet) are introduced in 3rd grade when students begin using Chromebooks to learn how to type in Chinese as well.
Approximately how many characters will my child learn each year?
The following is an estimate based on other Mandarin Immersion schools:
Kindergarten - approximately 30 characters (recognition only)
1st Grade - approximately 150 characters (reading and writing)
2nd Grade - 5th Grade - an additional 100-150 phrases per grade level
Students have learned approximately 600-800 characters/phrases at the end of 5th grade
What is the student teacher ratio?
Since the Mandarin Immersion program is not a program at a Title 1 School, the same ratios of regular kindergarten classes would apply. If extra funds are raised (other than District funds), the ratio can be lowered via Teacher Aides.
If there is an overwhelming interest from parents for the class how will children be selected to attend? A lottery system or is it based upon who signed up on the “interest list” first? Would children who live in the district have priority over children who do not?
A lottery system will take place. A series of mandatory orientation parent meetings will take place to ensure only committed families are part of the process. Children who live in the district and siblings of existing program students WILL have priority over out of district students.