With 1.3 billion speakers and a further 6 million learners worldwide, Chinese is widely recognized as one of the most important languages of the future.
So it should come as no surprise that demand for Chinese language programs in schools is slowly growing around the world – especially among families with children in private schools.
This growing interest in the language is making Chinese a key differentiating factor for private kindergartens and schools. However, starting a Mandarin language program is easier said than done for institutions that don’t have easy access to a teacher or a quality curriculum.
The good news is that there are a number of ways you can introduce a Chinese program into your school. And in this article, we’re exploring some of the most accessible options.
Here are 5 ways to start a Chinese program in your school.
1. Hiring a Mandarin teacher
One of the most direct routes to starting a Chinese program in your school is to hire a qualified Mandarin teacher. Depending on where you’re located, you may be able to find experienced teachers via educational recruitment agencies or websites.
While this can be a good option for some schools, its effectiveness depends on whether or not the teacher has experience in designing a curriculum for different levels. If not, you’ll need to consider how your team will monitor the progress of the program.
Hiring a teacher may not be the most cost-effective option if you don’t plan to offer enough Chinese classes to fill a full-time schedule. Instead, you may want to consider alternatives.
2. Taking advantage of government initiatives
Governments around the world are recognising the need for future generations to be proficient in Chinese. As a result, many have launched funded programs that make it easier for schools to launch Mandarin language courses. The British Council’s Mandarin Excellence Programme for schools in the UK is one example.
The downside to such programs is that they’re usually restricted to state schools only.
3. Using local institutes or resources
The growing demand for Mandarin has also led to an increase in the number of institutes and associations dedicated to teaching the language around the world.
Depending on where you’re based, you may find local organizations or language centers that provide language teachers or resources.
One of the most well-known examples is the Confucius Institute. This is a non-profit initiative run by the Chinese government to promote Chinese language and culture worldwide. Although these Institutes are located in many countries, they tend to collaborate mainly with universities. Plus, their traditional teaching methods tend to be less effective and engaging for young learners.
4. Purchasing online programs
If you have limited resources or don’t wish to employ new staff, digital teaching resource packages offer an easier way to start an in-school Chinese program. These are pre-designed curriculums that non-Chinese speaking teachers can use to introduce the language to beginner learners.
Including videos, audio and activities, the platform takes care of the teaching. All the in-classroom teacher has to do is lead the lesson.
If you want to offer Chinese as an extra-curricular activity for students, you may want to consider live online lessons. Companies like LingoAce, Wukong, and Biling offer such services, although they tend to follow a more traditional approach to teaching.
At hihilulu, we’ve developed the hihilulu Atelier® Online Chinese Class. With this program, one of our experienced teachers delivers Chinese classes over Zoom, in line with our immersive, child-friendly curriculum. Unlike the China-based companies listed above, our teachers live in our clients’ countries and fully understand the local culture and customs.
You can learn more about this service here or contact us to arrange a demo.
5. Partnering with Chinese teaching experts
Lastly, if you’re looking to offer an in-person Chinese program with an experienced teacher, but you don’t want to spend time hiring new staff or developing a curriculum, you may want to consider partnering with a company like hihilulu.
We specialise in Chinese language education for kids, and we’ve developed an all-in-one teaching solution that enables preschools, kindergartens and elementary schools to quickly and easily launch effective Chinese language programs.
Not only do we provide the teacher and the curriculum, but we also offer regular progress reports, so your staff can follow the course progress, whether or not they can speak Chinese.