Lower School (K-4th)

The five core principles of Yinghua Academy guide our work with elementary school students: Safety, Speak Chinese, Study, Happiness, and Global Citizenship. Every day, students are reminded of these principles at Morning Meeting, where they gather for thirty minutes before classes to enjoy songs, dances, exercises, character education, announcements, and school spirit.

Instruction in the Lower School is rooted in an “early total foreign language immersion” environment. Based on research of effective immersion programs:

• Students in grades K-1 receive full content instruction in Mandarin, including math, science, social studies, and Chinese language arts/culture.

• Students in grades 2-4 continue Mandarin immersion in these content areas, but have the addition of 300 minutes per week of English Language Arts (shifting to 50% English, 50% Chinese in Middle School)

Student achievement on standardized tests proves that this method works. Research shows that by third grade, immersion students consistently outperform non-immersion peers on statewide assessments of English and Math.

Students develop good work habits by having homework once a week in kindergarten, and an appropriate, increasing amount of daily homework for their age in grades 1-8.