Many parents in Prince George’s County, MD have been waiting for this day – an Elementary School in the PG school district now offers students a Chinese Language Immersion program. Paint Branch Elementary School now joins public schools in Washington, DC, Montgomery County, MD and both Fairfax and Arlington Counties in Northern Virginia that offer Chinese Language programs at various levels.
Why, you ask, is the Chinese language so important to our children, compared to the more common choices of Spanish, French and even Latin? Consider the following:
- Mandarin Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world. In fact, 1/5 of the world’s population lives in China.
- Learning Chinese will give children a global advantage in the business world. China currently has the second largest economy in the world, and has a huge growth rate averaging 10% per year.
- Wouldn’t you like to read the menu in its entirety at your favorite Chinese Restaurant? Or at least have your child translate it for you?
There are so many more good reasons to teach your child Chinese, and the immersion approach has been credited with giving children the most thorough understanding of a second language, particularly if it is not spoken at home.
For more information on Paint Branch Elementary’s program, read the following article:
cocomamadc 