Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School of Hadley, Massachusetts featured in a new book titled Chinese Language Learning
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
By: Richard Alcorn

On April 12, 2012, Asia Society (New York), the leading pan-Asian educational institution, featured the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School of Hadley, Massachusetts, in a new book titled Chinese Language: Learning in the Early Grades. PVCICS was among seven schools from around the United States profiled in the book, a handbook of resources and best practices for Mandarin immersion.

In addition, PVCICS Director of Education Hsiuwen Hsieh and first grade teacher Aiping Dong were interviewed for the article "Voices from the Field: Successful Immersion Teachers Identify Key Qualities and Competencies." In offering their professional perspective on teaching young children, both Hsieh and Dong emphasized the importance of teachers being empathetic with their students as well as being creative and engaging in the classroom, stating that effective general teaching methods can be successfully implemented in an immersion teaching setting.

"This book is a key resource for educators," said PVCICS Principal Kathleen Wang. "With the increasing numbers of Chinese language programs and especially immersion programs being developed in public schools all around the U.S., the Asia Society is providing a collection of important insight and direction for education and language professionals. We are honored to be selected to be in the handbook." This is the second time the Asia Society has recognized PVCICS. In 2010, PVCICS was one of the first 20 schools awarded a Confucius Classroom grant by the organization.

According to the Asia Society, prior to the year 2000 there were fewer than ten public or private elementary school Chinese language immersion programs in the U.S.. Today there are approximately 70.

Schools like PVCICS prepare American children for the global workplace by offering an innovative language component not found in traditional schools. Recent research has clearly shown the significant cognitive advantage of multilingual children and bilingual learning environments, and full immersion settings are the most effective language learning environments. It is increasingly critical to America's future that its young people are educated so that they can communicate at the highest levels of business, academia, and government with their global counterparts.

The Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (PVCICS) is based in Hadley, Massachusetts and prepares K- 9th grade students for academic and personal success through rigorous study and instruction aligned with the state and federal government standards, augmented with Chinese language and culture. PVCICS's goals are to graduate students with excellent scholarship, high proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and English, plus sensitivity to multiple cultures. PVCICS serves the Pioneer Valley region and has been pleased to host other educators interested in starting Chinese immersion programs.