Immersion at HPMS: Mandarin Immersion

Left-Right: Lin Laoshi (Mandarin Immersion Science 6-8) and Zhang Laoshi (Chinese Immersion Language Arts 6-8)

The Mandarin Immersion Program at Highland Park Middle School has offered a rigorous and engaging model of immersion language instruction in modern Chinese (Mandarin) since the 2017-18 school year. The program creates a unique opportunity for students to prepare for ever-changing world conditions, increased language expectations, and opportunities in high school, college, and future careers. Chinese culture is an integral part of the program which is designed for students who have completed elementary Mandarin Immersion Programs and who want to continue to improve their Mandarin through the immersion approach. Mandarin Immersion Language Arts and Science classes are offered in each of the middle school grades 6 – 8. The students are served by two full-time Mandarin Immersion staff.

Course Offerings

Chinese Immersion Language Arts, Grades 6, 7, 8

Chinese (Mandarin) Immersion Language Arts is offered at each grade level. The classes are designed to meet the Mandarin language arts needs of middle school students. While continuing to target language development, our grade-level program provides authentic literacy materials in Mandarin which support language development with a rigorous IB MYP focus. Oral discussion, reading, and writing are important aspects of the curriculum. Each year Mandarin Immersion Language Arts classes support what is learned in the year prior, preparing students to be ready for the Mandarin Immersion Program at Highland Park Senior High School.

Chinese Immersion Science, Grades 6, 7, 8

Science in Mandarin is offered at each grade level in Highland Park Middle. In grade 6, students study Physical Science, in grade 7 they study Life Science, and in grade 8 they study Earth Science, all taught in Mandarin. While satisfying district, state, and IB MYP standards in science, the HPMS Mandarin Immersion Science Program continues to focus on language development through the science curriculum. Like their non-immersion peers, Chinese Immersion science students do research, conduct scientific experiments and write lab reports, but they do so in Mandarin. By the end of grade 8, our Mandarin Immersion students are high-school ready for accelerated science classes.