Chinese Classes Expand into Second Year

Ms. Sun helps her students with a writing activity. *Photo: Ruibin Zhu*

By RUIBIN ZHU and XINYAN ZHOU

Last year, Midwood introduced Chinese as a language course for the first time, offering students an alternative to Spanish and French. Due to strong student interest and administrative support, the program has added a second-year and could potentially expand even further.

In a student survey conducted two years ago, Chinese was one of the most popular choices for language options. Ms. Dan Sun, an existing French teacher at Midwood, was also certified in Chinese, so the school was able to introduce its first-year course with her at the helm.

This year, the language department has grown with the hiring of Ms. Rong Zhu, who has taught Mandarin at previous positions from kindergarten to high school. Ms. Zhu’s teaching style emphasizes interactive learning and real-world application, she said, ensuring that students not only become experts in the language but also engage with Chinese culture in a meaningful way.

"In my lessons, I want students to do activities that show their learning," Ms. Zhu said. "I also design different activities to make them feel like they own the classroom.”

For many students, learning Chinese for the first time is a new and exciting challenge. “It's very different from anything we’ve learned before,” said freshman Catori Chen. “It’s really interactive. I feel like I can learn a lot, and when I go home, I practice with my family.”

Mandarin’s tone markers can be a challenge. For example, yǎnjīng means “eyes,” but yǎnjìng, with the second syllable emphasized, means “glasses.” “You have to say [the words] very specifically,” said freshman Wahab Jajr. “It’s completely different from English.”

During an activity in the Mandarin 1 class, students formed groups and practiced their conversation skills, and Ms. Zhu would call up groups to present their discussion.

“It’s very funny. We’re doing presentations, and now that we have more of them, it’s not as awkward because the whole class is engaged,” freshman Madison Angus said.

Compared with the Level 1 classes, students in the second-year course are now diving deeper into the language, working on more advanced vocabulary, sentence structures, and conversational skills. The interactive environment of Ms. Sun’s class allows students to engage with the language in meaningful ways.

“In Level 1, we focus on the reading and speaking, but in Mandarin 2, we focus more on the writing part,” said Ms. Sun.

Although Chinese written characters are difficult to learn, the knowledge can pay off in real life. Jajr said, “When I drive by a Chinese neighborhood, I see Chinese words, and now I kind of know [what I’m seeing].”

While the first-year students are still dealing with the basics, the second-year students are gaining confidence in their ability to hold conversations and write in Chinese.

Sophomore Stefany Cen He said, “I have fun in the class because I have friends, and if I ever go back to China, I’ll know how to read and write.”

“I like learning about the culture, too,” sophomore Luyi Zhang said. “I enjoy the activities where we get to practice conversations.”

“It's pretty fun,” sophomore Ivanyu Harris said. “The lessons Ms. Sun makes are cool and interesting.”

Building on the success of the first two years, the language department hopes to introduce a third-year Chinese course, with a long-term plan of being able to offer AP Chinese, Foreign Language AP Mr. Max Pinsky said.

During a recent classroom visit, Mr. Pinsky observed students interviewing each other to practice both their speaking and listening skills.

“Everything we look for in a language class is happening in those classes,” he said. “My hope is that students leave our school proficient in Chinese, and those that may come in with a background in the language can further their learning.”

If you are one of those students who is considering whether to take a Chinese class, maybe hear some advice from the two teachers, whether you’re a native speaker or not!

“I think if you go to Mandarin class and really put in your effort, it will go well. Don't be scared,” Ms. Zhu said.

“If you're interested in Asian culture,” said Ms. Sun, “I encourage you to take Mandarin class, because all the cultures are connected to each other.”