We understand that you are interested in having your children learn a second language through their elementary year, but you might have concern about the immersion approach. From this FAQ section, we want to assure you that the immersion approach to learn a second langue has been empirically-proved to be the most effective and efficient way for young learners to reach native speaker-like proficiency in the second language while maintain their native language proficiency.
When will CE Academy open?
CE Academy will be open and operation starting in the 2021-2022 Wake County traditional calendar school year.
Where will CE Academy be located?
Please see our website to find our upgrade location.
What does an immersion classroom look like?
In CE Academy, students in grades K- 2 will receive 70% of instruction in Chinese and 30% in English. Teachers will teach each subject, including Chinese language arts, math, science, music, arts, PE and technology, in Chinese, except for English language and social studies (which will be taught in English). For students in grades 3-5, the portion of Chinese-mediated instruction will decrease to 50% so the students will have balanced exposure to the two languages.
Will my child’s English proficiency fall behind due to the Chinese immersion instruction?
The answer to this question, according to decades of solid empirical studies on bilingual immersion education, is NO. Large-scale studies has shown consistent results where English-as-native-language immersion students have been able to achieve equally as well, in some cases, even better, than the non-immersion counterparts, on standardized tests in math and reading. Studies also showed that English-speaking immersion students who achieved higher level of proficiency in the second language would acquire higher level of English language skills and perform better on their metalinguistic awareness measurements. For more information regarding this topic, please refer to the publication, Chinese Language Learning in Early Grades, by Asia Society
Why choose Chinese as your child’s second language?
Despite the fact that Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken native language in the world and the Mandarin language has increased in importance for international business and foreign relations in the past decade, studies show that children benefit in many ways from learning Mandarin while they are young. Here are just a few:
Develop Accurate Hearing and Interpretation of Sounds
Learning tonal languages is easier for children, who are sensitive to the differences in sounds. Furthermore, this familiarity with tones and sounds actually helps cultivate musical ability in children. A study at the University of California in San Diego found a strong correlation between fluency in a tonal language, and the development of perfect pitch. Perfect pitch is indicative of certain advanced cortical processes. So not only does Mandarin potentially benefit the brain, it potentially makes the child a better singer!
Better Interpretation of Symbols
Since Mandarin writing relies on thousands of character, learners of Mandarin Chinese have to read and interpret a vast number of visual symbols, activating more regions of the brain than English, which relies on a phonetic alphabet. Through learning Mandarin, children can become more adept at visual communication, more readily interpreting symbols in visual art and understanding nuances in symbolism and visual communication.
Improved Hand-Eye Coordination
While most Western languages are written in one direction, the act of writing Mandarin characters requires brush or pen strokes in multiple directions, with differentiating hand pressure. Writing in this way has been shown to improve fine motor skills and spatial recognition in children.
Stronger Math Skills
Yes, there is actually a scientific correlation between learning Mandarin and improved mathematical ability. Scientists theorize that because Mandarin representation of numbers is less abstract than Arabic numbers, and because the act of practicing handwriting requires repeated counting, young children gain greater familiarity with math and with numeric thinking. In learning Mandarin, the mathematical concepts are integral to the language fluency, and not a separate subject activating a different part of the brain.
What will my child learn at school?
CE Academy follows NC State Standers to design our curriculum. Students will learn Math, English, Social Study, Science and Specials, including PE, Music, Art and Technology. In addition, students will learn Chinese language arts, which will be based on the standards set up by American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). By the time the students graduate from the 5th grade, students’ Chinese proficiency is expected to reach the level of Intermediate Mid or even Intermediate High.
How many students are in each class?
There’s about 20 students in each class.
For ELA and social studies, are the teachers native English speakers? Do you have different teachers to teach math and CLA, or the same teacher?
ELA and Social Studies will be taught by native English teachers, and all other subjects will be taught by bilingual teachers.
Will it online class or in person class?
We understand some parents are concerned about the pandemic. Therefore, We will have both of the online class and in person class for parents to choose.
