Reply to Yu Ying - Do/Can Non-Native Kids Actually SPEAK Chinese?

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Reply to " Yu Ying - Do/Can Non-Native Kids Actually SPEAK Chinese?"

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[quote=Anonymous]Yes, absolutely, even without an influx of native speakers, YY could take bold steps to improving Mandarin instruction. Parents putting in for the YY lottery could be advised to expect higher standards, harder work and a lot more kids who can't cope being bumped down to the non-immersion track.

YY has made a strategic error in hiring almost all of its Chinese teachers from the Mainland, where teacher training generally leaves a lot to be desired. Putting them under the direction of a HOS who doesn't speak Mandarin and another major dialect hasn't helped. The Chinese staff should be a mix of ABCs (including Canadians) and Asians (including Taiwanese, Singaporeans and Mainland Chinese) as at the MoCo programs.

Chinese after-care could be made mandatory for students without a native speaker in the home (normal in Cal, Canada, Switzerland etc.), along with 4-6 weeks of summer immersion camp, either on site or off (e.g. Concordia). With effort, the PA could raise the funds for the extra immersion. Pricey trips to China aren't as useful.

YY could also partner with Metro area programs serving native-speaking kids. Some of the MoCo heritage programs would love access to flashy YY's facilities on weekends, with chances for the bilingual and YY kids to mix.

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