School Age Programs

Our School Age classes are based on innovative Chinese immersion teaching methods that make language-learning fun. At CLSC, teachers present the language and culture through tailored activities all in Chinese. Children learn how to introduce themselves and others in Chinese, talk about their immediate environment, and express their wishes, needs, and desires. Children are encouraged to interact in Chinese during the class through various activities: stories, creative projects, songs, and educational games. Classes are designed to build and expand upon what was learned in the previous years.

Our curriculum and course offerings have been developed to engage our students in actively learning the language and culture of China, based on age-appropriate topics that are relevant to their daily life. Our Art & Culture program is integrated into our curriculum to develop and expand students’ Chinese learning experience in a manner that is intellectually engaging and motivating.

Explorers 1-5: Our Levels 1 - 5 classes are designed to introduce students to Chinese using age-appropriate, relevant activities to develop their learning. Most students complete this program (at the end of Level 6) at ages 11, 12 or 13. (Some exceptions are possible.) Upon completion, students have the option of continuing their studies in CLSC’s Young Adult program, working with a CLSC private tutor either individually or in a group, or joining a middle school Chinese program if one exists at their school.

Scholars: Our Scholars classes are designed to help students who have completed Explorers 1- 5 classes move to the next level of language learning.

Explorers 1

In this level, students continue to build a foundation of language skills and pinyin will be introduced. 70% of each class time will be dedicated to listening and speaking, 15% to reading and 15% to writing. This class reviews and expands on topics and material covered in Chopstix 3.

Learning Goals:

  1. Follow directions and answer simple questions in Chinese,
  2. Understand and speak longer phrases and sentences,
  3. Do self introduction(name, age and nationality),
  4. Ask for food, learning days of the week, expressing likes and dislikes.
  5. Learn about the makes up a Chinese character and know how to de-compose a character when asked,
  6. Write about 50 compound Chinese characters,
Grade
(guideline only)
1-3
Addtl. Info: advance to Explorers 2 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Explorers 2

This class reviews and expands on topics and materials covered in Explorers 1 or New Beginners Class. Topics covers colors, clothes, sports, pets, transportations, shopping, weather and comparisons.

Learning Goals:

  1. Answer in complete sentences and ask simple questions on familiar topics,
  2. Carry a basic conversation on related to self,
  3. Understand, speak and write about 150 compound Chinese characters,
  4. Read and write about another 20 radicals
  5. Learn the fundamentals of Chinese characters, including basic strokes and stroke orders.
Grade
(guideline only)
2-4
Addtl. Info: advance to Explorers 3 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Explorers 3

In this class, students will build upon previous knowledge by learning to use them in more complex sentences, phrases, and conversation. Topics include daily routine, school life, food, hobbies and rooms and locations.

Learning Goals:

  1. Speak longer sentences and ask simple questions on familiar topics.
  2. Continue to learn different parts of a Chinese character and in turn know how to de-compose a character.
  3. Understand and speak a total of about 300 Chinese words,
  4. Read and write about 200 Chinese characters.
Grade
(guideline only)
3-5
Addtl. Info: advance to Explorers 4 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Explorers 4

In this level, students continue to improve their knowledge of Chinese language by reviewing and reinforcing material learned previously, while learning to develop more complex sentence structures.

Learning Goals:

  1. Gain knowledge of a total of about 50 most commonly used radicals,
  2. Write about 50 compound Chinese characters,
  3. Understand a total of about 300 Chinese words,
  4. Read and write about 200 Chinese characters,
  5. Converse about weather, friends, school classes and daily schedule
Grade
(guideline only)
3-5
Addtl. Info: advance to Explorers 5 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Explorers 4 Plus

For students who attended Explorers 3 & 4

In this level, students attain basic language skills for communication in the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational modes. Topics covered include a variety of Chinese culture related lessons such as Chinese festivals, Chinese food, Chinese calendar, and Chinese zodiac animals. By comparing these aspects with their own culture and explaining the beliefs and values of the two cultures, students will be able to understand and explain the similarities and differences between the two cultures.

Learning Goals:

  1. Learn about 70 most commonly used radicals,
  2. Understand different parts of a Chinese character and how to de-compose a character,
  3. Understand a total of about 350 Chinese words,
  4. Read and write about 250 Chinese characters.
Grade
(guideline only)
4-6
Addtl. Info: For students who attended Explorers 3 & 4
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Explorers 5

In this level, students attain basic language skills for communication in the interpretive, interpersonal and presentational modes. Topics covered include a variety of Chinese culture related lessons such as Chinese festivals, Chinese food, Chinese calendar, and Chinese zodiac animals. By comparing these aspects with their own culture and explaining the beliefs and values of the two cultures, students will be able to understand and explain the similarities and differences between the two cultures.

Learning Goals:

  1. Learn about 70 most commonly used radicals,
  2. Understand different parts of a Chinese character and how to de-compose a character,
  3. Understand a total of about 350 Chinese words,
  4. Read and write about 250 Chinese characters.
Grade
(guideline only)
4-6
Addtl. Info: students graduate Explorers Program; option to advance to Scholars 1 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Scholars 1

Students will:

  1. Review Pinyin, proper pronunciation, as well as practice Chinese input and look up on e- devices.
  2. Review and categorize frequently used characters/vocabulary, strengthen character recognition, understand character break down, and continue to build a writing foundation.
  3. Strengthen existing grammar knowledge and learn to use new grammatical structures to increase student's overall language proficiency.
  4. Develop and strengthen communication skills: provide a description using real life situations, and/or pictorials to increase student's ability to create and form more complex sentences.
  5. Use textbook content to introduce various cultural topics.
Grade
(guideline only)
5-7
Addtl. Info: advance to Scholars 2 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00pm-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Scholars 2

Students will:

  1. Strengthen character learning to enable student to read, write and use characters appropriately, and to understand meaning using analogies.
  2. Develop student's skill to use and apply Chinese and to strive to converse comfortably in daily life topics with minimal language breakdown.
  3. Develop and increase communication skills: create and expand sentences, and tell a brief story or a simple narrative.
  4. Strengthen overall language proficiency by introducing increasingly complex sentence structures and uses.
  5. Use textbook content to introduce various cultural topics.
Grade
(guideline only)
6-8
Addtl. Info: advance to Scholars 3 after successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Scholars 2 Plus

For students who attended Scholars 1 & 2 

Students will:

  1. Strengthen character learning to enable student to read, write and use characters appropriately, and to understand meaning using analogies.
  2. Develop student's skill to use and apply Chinese and to strive to converse comfortably in daily life topics with minimal language breakdown.
  3. Develop and increase communication skills: create and expand sentences, and tell a brief story or a simple narrative.
  4. Strengthen overall language proficiency by introducing increasingly complex sentence structures and uses.
  5. Use textbook content to introduce various cultural topics.

Grade
(guideline only)
7-9
Addtl. Info: For students who attended Scholars 1 & 2
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00pm-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire

Scholars 3

Students will:

  1. Use Chinese to converse in various expanded topics.
  2. Write short essays and be able to use Chinese character input using Pinyin for writing assignments.
  3. Increase and strengthen grammar skills by reviewing existing knowledge and learning more to use more complex patterns.
  4. Use textbook content to introduce and discuss various cultural topics.
Grade
(guideline only)
7-9
Addtl. Info: students graduate Scholars Program upon successful completion
Wks: 28
Sunday: 10:00am-12:30pm
Weekday: Please inquire
Last modified: Monday, June 13, 2022, 10:15 PM