Chinese learning catching on in Hall schools
Four young teachers from China were recognized at Tuesday's regular board meeting.
Carrie Woodcock coordinates the special learning program at the World Language Academy and Mount Vernon, Wauka Mountain and Riverbend Elementary Schools.
"We started working with the Confucius Institute because of our relationship with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning for the Pre-K program," Woodcock said. "We found out about this program, became very excited and asked three more teachers to come, so we have a total of four teachers."
Hall County Schools is the first publicly funded program in Georgia that runs all the way from Pre-K through college years because of the system's relationship with North Georgia College and State University. Woodcock said with learning a language, it is "the earlier the better."
"The Pre-K students pick it up quite well," she said. "They get an hour of Mandarin Chinese every day and they re quite articulate with their Chinese, they seem to be doing quite well."
This is the second year for Chinese learning in Hall schools for students who are learning how to speak and write the language.
"The older students do a little bit more writing than the younger students but they do get an introduction to it," according to Woodcock.
"Its really different, it's an adventure," said Lin Lin, one of the Chinese teachers, adding that the children are very receptive. Lin Lin said some things like songs she taught them once and two months later they started singing them on their own.
"They learn very quickly, quicker than we think," she said. "The more I teach, the more I find that they are getting faster and learning more."
Comments