Upper School Curriculum

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Fall

PREREQ: Placement assessment or placement by the Upper School Chinese Program

Chinese Heritage: Diversity and Us in Literacy is one of two semester-long courses designed for students raised in households where Mandarin Chinese is the primary language. This course emphasizes language basics, including the pinyin phonetic spelling system, recognizing and writing hanzi characters, and constructing cohesive essays. The curriculum incorporates language drilling activities to help students understand their Chinese names, family backgrounds, various spoken Chinese dialects, and written systems (including simplified and traditional characters). Monthly literacy projects are included in the curriculum, addressing critical issues relevant to Chinese diaspora communities. Instructional materials will be tailored to the heritage speakers’ language backgrounds.