Bilingual Immersion Programme
“The best part about being in the Bilingual Immersion Program is that you can sing Chinese songs together, you can learn a different language, everyone supports you, and you can be a part of so many interesting celebrations.”
“In my experience as a bilingual student, I have progressed from easy Mandarin characters and copying different characters, to being able to write a whole Mandarin book and write complicated Mandarin words. I can even read complicated Chinese idiom books by myself.”
“I remember that a few years ago, I travelled to China with my dad and we went to a restaurant. I spoke Chinese in front of a man and he was very impressed. He asked me where I was from and he was surprised and he praised me that an Indian who could speak a totally different language so fluently.”
“When I was younger I used to watch Chinese cartoons but I couldn’t understand an amount of words, but as I grew up I learnt more and more words in Mandarin and now I can understand all the things my favourite character says.”
Bilingual Immersion or Mainstream Pathway
Here at EtonHouse Broadrick, students can choose either the Bilingual Immersion Programme with intensive Mandarin language learning or the Mainstream Programme where Mandarin is taught as an additional language. Students may also choose to study Hindi, Japanese or EAL as part of the Mainstream Programme from Kindergarten 1 onwards.
Overview of Bilingual Immersion Programme
Benefits of EtonHouse’s Bilingual Immersion Programme
- Students are immersed in the Mandarin language throughout the day through the practice of conversations, questions and collaboration.
- Adopting a transdisciplinary approach to learning, students are encouraged to Mandarin in context across different subjects, not just in explicit Mandarin language lessons.
- Chinese culture learning is incorporated into our curriculum to nurture a deeper appreciation and love for the language.
- English & Mathematics is supported by an English-speaking Homeroom Teacher throughout primary thus ensuring that our Bilingual Immersion students continue to perform as well as our Mainstream students in these equally important subjects*.
- Outside of the timetable, students also get to attend ECAs conducted in Mandarin and partake in special events associated with Chinese culture.
- Inside and outside of the classroom, students are constantly encouraged to practise communicating with peers in Mandarin to cement their use of the language in social situations.
- Each class has two qualified Mandarin and English-speaking teachers collaborating, planning and engaging with the students.
- Having a Year 1 Homeroom Teacher means students are placed in an environment where instructions and administration are all conducted in Mandarin to give them a strong foundation of communication to build on for the subsequent years
- Students remain in a Bilingual Homeroom for most subjects, unlike other programmes where students move between English and Mandarin classrooms. This allows students to take ownership of the room and create class displays which are relevant to their learning.
- “Code-switching” languages allows the student to develop a deeper comprehension of the language and to start ‘thinking’ in that language.
- Our students take part in the Youth Chinese Test^ organised by HSK Centre (Crestar) in Singapore to track their lprogress against international standards.
- Students who are keen to pursue the Mandarin language further would be able to take it as IGCSE and A-Level subjects at EtonHouse International School Orchard.
Academic Results
*At EtonHouse Broadrick we use an international benchmark assessment called “GL Progress Test” which allows us to track achievement data of Maths and English of students past Year 2. This data is compared to UK and international curriculum standards. When comparing the achievement levels of Bilingual Immersion and Mainstream classes at EtonHouse Broadrick, there is no difference in their overall achievement levels in these subjects. This shows that our approach to Bilingual Immersion does not negatively impact student learning in these other, equally important, subjects.
^The Youth Chinese Test (YCT) is an international standardised Chinese language test which is directed at examining non-native primary and secondary school students’ ability to apply Chinese language in their studies and daily lives. Students work through the years to complete Level 1 to Level 4 examinations which assess whether a person can carry out basic communication tasks of life and secondary study. Completing the Level 4 assessment means that the student could communicate in most situations during their travel in China and into secondary education. In both 2021 and 2022, our Bilingual Immersion students completed the YCT tests with a passing rate of 100%. Also in our latest results, our Year 5 and Year 6 Bilingual Immersion students scored an average over 85% in their results for the Level 4 YCT testing.
Joining the Bilingual Immersion Programme at EtonHouse Broadrick
- Students need to have an aptitude and a good attitude toward learning Mandarin.
- Students who wish to join the programme after the second semester of Year 2 will be assessed by the Mandarin Language team to evaluate if they have the necessary base skills and knowledge to join the programme. Students joining the school in Year 1 and the beginning of Year 2 will not need to complete an assessment.
- Students will need to maintain a high level of understanding in English and Mandarin to ensure they can access the curriculum in both languages.
- Existing students from the Mainstream Programme, who have shown a high level of understanding and ability in Mandarin Language classes, may be invited to join the Bilingual Immersion Programme on their teacher’s recommendation.
Read more about our Bilingual Immersion Programme or book a tour with us to speak to our admissions counsellors.
Glimpses
Parent Testimonial
Elizabeth Aherne, Parents of Mary, Beatrice, Florence and Frederick, Broadrick
The school is friendly and has a warm, family feel. The children are strongly encouraged to be caring and considerate towards one another, and we often see the older children helping the little ones. Because my children are spread throughout the school, they know every teacher and almost every child. They feel secure and totally at home. Read more here
Mary and James Whittred, Parents of Genevieve and Xavier, Broadrick
We have been very happy with the levels of support that have been offered by the dedicated staff and love the close community feel that pervades the school’s many celebrations of learning and living. Read more here
Ms Pochat-Cottilloux, Parent of Beatrice, Louis and Oscar, Broadrick
I believe very strongly that the shaping of young characters, and young citizens, is taken very seriously at EtonHouse Broadrick, and in conjunction with my efforts at home, I'm proud of the confident, happy, and caring children returning to me after each school day. Read more here
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