Mandarin Immersion Program

The Mandarin Immersion Program in Union County Public Schools is a “one-way immersion” program. Students learn to speak, listen, read and write in Mandarin Chinese. Students learn math, social studies and science in Mandarin. They take art, music and PE in English. They also receive instruction in English language arts in English from Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Late entry to the program past kindergarten is rare unless the students have an academic foundation in speaking, reading and writing Mandarin.

Teachers are native speakers are from multiple cities in the People’s Republic of China and are fluent in English.

Students and teachers participate with their grade level counterparts in recess, assemblies, and other school-wide events.

District personnel and Participate© provide continuous support to the district and school administration to ensure the program is of the highest quality and Participate provides consultation in all areas including program model alignment, instructional delivery, and teacher support and staffing. 

The Mandarin Immersion Program in Union County Schools began in the 2102-2013 school year with one class in kindergarten. Each year, students moved up a grade while teachers and students started a new cohort in kindergarten.  There are two elementary schools with a Mandarin Immersion instructional model: Kensington Elementary and Marvin Elementary.

The Mandarin Immersion Program was designed to offer students the opportunity to develop literacy in two languages, English and Mandarin. The program offers students a structured environment in which they will develop oral fluency, listening, reading and writing skills across all elementary academic areas.

In the Asia Society’s Chinese Language Learning in the Early Grades: A Handbook of Resources and Best Practices for Mandarin Immersion, 2012, the general goals of immersion education are defined as those that will “develop a student’s (1) proficiency in English; (2) proficiency in a second language; (3) intercultural competence; and (4) academic performance in the content area, at or above expectations.” (p.16)

Listen to Marvin Elementary parent, Jennifer Pollino, explain why she and her husband chose the Mandarin Immersion model for their daughter in 2012. Mrs. Pollino explains the benefits she finds in immersion education, specifically Mandarin Immersion.