International trip for 5th graders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The students are in China

The English speaking parents are also on the trip to China

The students can practice Mandarin in China even with their parents along on the trip.

At the hotel room at night, obviously, the family will speak English. So the presence of so many English speaking parents dilutes the immersion experience.

Are you suggesting that if the parents weren't there, then it wouldn't "dilute the immersion experience"? Do you imagine that in the absence of their parents, the students would speak Chinese to each other in their hotel rooms?

That would be astounding. I've traveled overseas with quite a number of Americans, and even when we're fluent in a country's language, we still speak English together when we're alone. That's not just an American phenomenon, by the way. It would be astounding to expect these children to behave any differently.

They're fluent not bilingual. Bilingual kids tend to speak the native language and refuse to speak the other depending on where they are. I did when I was a kid. Not that I'm suggesting that YY kids are bilingual but their language skills will certainly improve and it's a good idea to actually visit the place whose language and culture you've been studying since you were 6 yrs old, yeah, even with your English dominant classmates and monolingual English speaking parents.

Thank you, I believe that was my point. Sorry if it was unclear.

[Anonymous]

With or without parents going along on the trip, I highly doubt that the kids will be whipping out their Mandarin and practicing it with the locals. When my DD went to France with her MS a few years ago, she said everyone stuck with their fellow Americans and talked in obvious English all the time. They were just happy talking to their buddies about everyday things like songs and clothes, in France! I asked her if she or her peers tried speaking French to French people, she said they spoke English to them if they were struggling coming up with the French words. It was very much a cultural experience at best and not a language experience. It was not a language immersion class so I can't blame them. With the language immersion class, I expect more language practice to happen, but then again, I am very skeptical about it. Americans are very comfortable speaking English, here or there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With or without parents going along on the trip, I highly doubt that the kids will be whipping out their Mandarin and practicing it with the locals. When my DD went to France with her MS a few years ago, she said everyone stuck with their fellow Americans and talked in obvious English all the time. They were just happy talking to their buddies about everyday things like songs and clothes, in France! I asked her if she or her peers tried speaking French to French people, she said they spoke English to them if they were struggling coming up with the French words. It was very much a cultural experience at best and not a language experience. It was not a language immersion class so I can't blame them. With the language immersion class, I expect more language practice to happen, but then again, I am very skeptical about it. Americans are very comfortable speaking English, here or there.

Exactly the point. I don't think YY kids are going to converse among themselves in Chinese just because they're in China. Besides their Chinese are not that good -- not good enough to have real conversations with the locals. Their Chinese is more text-book style. Since Mandarin is so fluid and locals have many different ways of expressing themselves, kids most likely can't have a true conversation. I don't think they would even comprehend what most tour guides say which will be in pretty formal and advanced form of Chinese, something the kids are not used to. Besides some tour guides will have regional accents that are different from Mandarin. [b]

[Anonymous]

sigh.
must be nice to criticize everything and have to do nothing.
lucky you.

[Anonymous]

I did an immersion program in China during university. We were required to speak Chinese at all times (even with each other), even for those at a more basic level. I think often people of all ages are hesitant to speak in A foreign language for fear of making mistakes. Or outof fear of looking like one is showing off. So when there is a strict rule, students do speak the foreign language and will improve. I was amazed by the mat of progress I made during my summer program.

[Anonymous]

I did an immersion program in China during university. We were required to speak Chinese at all times (even with each other), even for those at a more basic level. I think often people of all ages are hesitant to speak in A foreign language for fear of making mistakes. Or outof fear of looking like one is showing off. So when there is a strict rule, students do speak the foreign language and will improve. I was amazed by the mat of progress I made during my summer program.

[Anonymous]

University level and 5th grade can't and shouldn't be compared. Good that you went as a college student. How fluent are you now? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

NP. I took some Chinese in college. I only remember how to count from 1-10 and then basics like ni hao, xie xie. Wish I kept up.

[Anonymous]

International travel is good for kids whether they speak the language in the country they're visiting or not. It gives them lots of new experiences and shows them different perspectives that can't be duplicated in the US. I hope all the kids who want to go are able to.

[Anonymous]

Whatever form the trip is, the kids will benefit greatly. My friends are currently overseas and at their international school, 6th grade is the first year for international trips (4 hour plane ride roughly). Parents go as chaperones but they are not allowed on the same trip as their child which I found interesting. Not saying this can be compared (since children at the international school would presumably have much more international experience) but I thought the chaperone policy was interesting.

[Anonymous]

Fifth grade is too young. Son went with school on international trip in 7th and had horrible home-sickness. Tour guide (landon) was poor. He clearly just wanted a free trip to his homeland and actually stayed there to visit relatives and sent kids back unescorted (of course this was not revealed at time of planning). Kids allowed to drink all the cola they wanted on plane and started acting out. Teachers checked out. Kids couldn't figure out money exchange rates and were taken advantage of. And no parents at all allowed as chaperones. Bad idea at fifth grade, especially with the world in turmoil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fifth grade is too young. Son went with school on international trip in 7th and had horrible home-sickness. Tour guide (landon) was poor. He clearly just wanted a free trip to his homeland and actually stayed there to visit relatives and sent kids back unescorted (of course this was not revealed at time of planning). Kids allowed to drink all the cola they wanted on plane and started acting out. Teachers checked out. Kids couldn't figure out money exchange rates and were taken advantage of. And no parents at all allowed as chaperones. Bad idea at fifth grade, especially with the world in turmoil.

Your experience isn't remotely the same as the trip being planned for the 5th graders. They're not using a fly-by-night operation as a "tour guide." Parents are allowed to go, and by some accounts, quite a few are.

[Anonymous]

For what it's worth, my Kindergarten student is now insanely excited about this trip (excited on behalf of the current 5th graders and excited that he'll get to go to China someday). At my request, he's already started saving for it. (Obviously his contribution will be a tiny fraction of the trip's cost, but it's becoming a great exercise in long-term planning.)

[Anonymous]

It is sad that only 11 kids and 10 parents out of 30 families are attending the trip. It is creating a lot of commotion in the school because parents weren't even considered in the decision making process. I support it in theory, but as with many things at Yu Ying, the communication is seriously lacking.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone ever answer the question about what the kids who stay will be doing at school? I don't remember seeing anyone who knew...?