Mandarin Chinese
In 2003, Denver Montclair International School started offering Mandarin Chinese-language instruction to equip students to navigate a global economy that is increasingly shaped by the world’s most populous country, China. Those who have knowledge of Mandarin and Chinese culture, history and societal values will be uniquely qualified to contribute to the United States’ cultural, economic and political wellbeing.
Instruction is provided exclusively by native Mandarin Chinese speakers.
Among the ways Mandarin-language instruction is integrated into
a DMIS education:
Ages 3 through Kindergarten
Our pre-elementary program emphasizes academic preparation and excellence in an age-appropriate setting. For these young students, school readiness is closely linked with natural language acquisition and the development of social skills.
Students in the 3-year-old and pre-Kindergarten programs receive approximately 32 periods of instruction in Mandarin Chinese per week and 3 periods in English. Kindergarten students receive 30 periods in Mandarin Chinese and 5 periods of instruction in English. In Kindergarten, students begin the reading and writing process in both languages. All activities and lessons are carefully designed to help students acquire their second language. Art, music and physical education are integral parts of this program. Various study themes help students learn the Chinese language in social contexts that students typically encounter in everyday life.
Language: Students are introduced to HANYU PINYIN, the Chinese phonetic system; basic Chinese characters; daily-life vocabulary and simple expressions. Students will comprehend Mandarin and speak in correct tones before moving on to the first grade.
Math: Emphasis is placed on basic skills development by counting, combining, sorting and comparing objects and visual sets in Chinese. Students will explore simple addition and subtraction.
Social studies: Lessons in Chinese culture stimulate students’ critical and creative thinking. Students are introduced to Chinese art, calisthenics, dance, musical instruments and songs.
We invite you to learn more about our Early Childhood Education program and teaching philosophy.
First and Second Grades
First and second graders spend approximately 25 periods per week in a Chinese-language environment and 10 periods in English (including music, art and workshops). DMIS Chinese and English teachers closely collaborate to ensure lesson plans are complementary and adhere to Colorado Model Standards.
Language: Students move into a more formal and sequenced curriculum that introduces them to writing composition. Emphasis also is placed on group discussion, which assists students with language comprehension and vocabulary building. Students will learn 600 simplified Chinese characters.
Math: Students advance their computational skills and are introduced to measurement and basic problem-solving concepts found in algebra and geometry.
Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades:
Students in grades 3-5 spend approximately 18 periods immersed in Mandarin Chinese, 16 periods in English and 1 period in a third language (either French or Spanish). This tapering accommodates their preparation for middle school. DMIS Chinese and English teachers closely collaborate to ensure lesson plans are complementary and adhere to Colorado Model Standards.
Language: Students expand their vocabulary. Each year, they learn an additional 600 simplified Chinese characters.
Math: Decimals, fractions and integers are introduced after the mastery of addition and subtraction. Multiplication and division are mastered. Students focus on research and reasoning to strengthen the problem-solving skills needed to solve mathematical equations. Students are introduced to geometry through simple drawings.
Science: Students are introduced to concepts in physics through the exploration of space and time.
Social Studies: Students explore and understand various culture aspects of the Mandarin-speaking world as part of their ongoing curriculum.
