Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

Mandarin and English

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion
Two-Way Bilingual Immersion

Elementary (K-5)

The session focuses on introducing Chinese Bilingual (Immersion) Program teachers to many fun, practical and ready-to-use games, ideas, and technology tools to increase student productivity, engagement, motivation, and language acquisition.

Although Chinese (Mandarin) Bilingual Elementary education dates back over 30 years in North America, significant changes are yet to be experienced in the way Mandarin language instruction (especially in relation to reading and writing)  is delivered to young learners. Unlike languages that use the Roman alphabet, learning the character-based Mandarin language requires memorization and rote practice in order to acquire basic reading and writing skills.  As a result, teachers often struggle to find new and exciting ways to engage and motivate learners to practice and maintain their literacy skills.  At Highwood School, a Chinese (Mandarin) Bilingual School with the Calgary Board of Education, we have found a more balanced approach to teaching Mandarin.  We recognize that there is a time, a place, and a purpose for direct instruction and pencil and paper, rote activities based on the nature and properties of the Mandarin language, but we have also found great value in incorporating more play based, interactive, experiential, and participatory approaches to engage and motivate young learners.

Activities such as hands-on games, rhythmic word recognition, word picture inductive model, kinesthetic movements, interactive teacher designed technology based projects and games, thematic writing, on-line programs, and visual representation are intentionally and purposefully integrated and embedded into daily language lessons.  By engaging young learners in various different types of Mandarin language learning activities, students have experienced greater language acquisition and knowledge retention because learning becomes interesting, meaningful, multi-faceted, and personalized.

The focus of this session would be to introduce Chinese Bilingual (Immersion) Program teachers to many fun, practical and ready to use games, ideas, and technology tools to increase their confidence through expanding their teaching strategies, and to increase student productivity, engagement, motivation, and language acquisition.