Yinghua Overview
Mission
Yinghua Academy’s mission is to prepare our students to be engaged and productive global citizens by providing a research-based educational program that includes a rigorous academic curriculum, immersion in Chinese language and culture, and a nurturing and supportive school environment.
History
Founded in 2006, Yinghua Academy became the first Chinese immersion charter public school in the United States. Its first year, 79 students walked through the doors of Yinghua Academy, and today Yinghua enrolls more than 854 students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade. Click here for a more in depth description of Yinghua’s History.
Philosophy
Yinghua 英华 stands for English – Chinese. We offer students of all backgrounds and abilities a bilingual, bi-cultural, and bi-literate English (American) and Chinese educational experience. Prior knowledge of Chinese is not required for students at Yingua Academy. We combine best practies educational research from the United States and China, bringing safe, rigorous, and happy learning opportunities to all children in accordance with equal opportunity and non-discriminatory policies.
Immersion education has proven through research to be effective for all learners, including students with many special education needs, socioeconomic challenges, gifted-talented students, and non-native English speakers (of any language).
We believe in the importance of preparing all children to be global citizens. Through Chinese language learning, rigorous academics, and service-learning throughout their time at Yinghua, our students acquire the skills to enroll in Advanced Placement coursework in high school and develop knowledge and skills to make future contributions to their world.
Goals & Values
Yinghua Academy’s goals are reflected in the values we prioritize and implement into our classrooms to create a healthy and secure learning environment and teach students the importance of local and global community.
Safety 安全 to create a “heart-safe” (emotionally safe) and “body-safe” (physically safe) school environment.
Speak Chinese 说中文, so that all students achieve literacy and oral proficiency in Mandarin, and speak, read and write Chinese as much as possible.
Learning 学习 to embrace academic challenge and high levels of achievement in all subjects inside and outside of the classroom.
Happiness 快乐 that contributes to long-term resilience, contentment, and positive engagement in school and in life.
Global Citizenship 世界公民 to ensure a respectful environment which builds concern about the good of others, grows consciousness of the public good, and nurtures citizens for a global society.
Language Education By Grade
K- 1st Grade: Full immersion in Mandarin Chinese in core subject areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts (specialists such as Art, Gym, Music may teach in English)
2nd – 4th Grade: Full immersion in Mandarin Chinese in core subject areas plus six class periods per week (approx. 300 minutes/week) in English Language Arts
5th – 8th Grade: Approximately 50% English/50% Chinese among all subject areas in the course of a week. Chinese classes include Math (leveled), Chinese Language Arts, Chinese Conversation, Social Studies, Music, Orchestra. English classes include Math (leveled), Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts, Art, Physical Education.
More Info About Immersion Education
American Council on Immersion Education
Asia Society resources
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota
Center for Applied Linguistics
Immersion Education for the Millennium: What We Have Learned From 30 Years of Research on Second Language Immersion by Jim Cummins, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education