Heritage Language Programs - Chinese
Huaxia Chinese School of Lehigh Valley
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Address: 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem, PA 18020
Web address: http://www.hxcs.org/HX_Branches/LehighValley/Info.htm
Contact person:
Name: Jin Cao
Title: Principal
Email: djcao@ptd.net
Levels:
• PreK-K
• 1-5/6
• 6-7/8
• 9-12
• Other: Chinese as a second language classes and culture classes
Languages/dialects taught: Mandarin Chinese
Program Description
Purposes and goals of the program: The school is a non-profit, non-religious, and non-political cultural education institution that teaches the Chinese language and culture and engages in cultural awareness activities in the community.
Type of program: Heritage language; foreign language; Saturday academy
Program origin: Founded in 1998 by a group of local Chinese residents. At the time, there was a growing local mainland Chinese community, but no schools were teaching simplified Chinese characters.
Parents
Parents’ expectations for the program: Parents want their children to have basic conversational, reading, and writing skills in Mandarin Chinese.
Staff
Instructors’ and administration’s expectations for the program: Program directors want to serve the community by effectively teaching the Chinese language to anyone interested, regardless of their background, while promoting Chinese culture.
Students
Students:
• Second generation immigrants, 88%
• Children of interethnic marriages, 5%
• Children of interethnic adoption, 5%
• Native Americans, 2%
Total student enrollment: 180
How the program determines the language background and language proficiency of students: Placement test; Oral interview
Percentage of students who complete the program: 80%
Possible reasons for student withdrawal: Relocation; loss of interest
Instructors
Number of instructors in the program: 25
Languages in which instructors are proficient: Chinese and English
Instruction
Total contact hours per week: 2 hours per week
Times per week: 1 time per week
Language skills
Heritage language skills:
• Listening
• Speaking
• Reading
• Writing
Culture
Aspects of culture taught:
• Geography
• History
• Festivals
• Customs
• Traditions/Beliefs
• Arts and crafts
• Dances
• Songs
• Rhymes
• Social and cultural norms
• Cultural appropriateness
• Literature
