50p
Make Way For Mandarin: Ms. Sun is Rising
Mandarin is the national language of China and the most widely spoken language on the planet with more than one billion speakers in China alone. Modern Standard Chinese is also an official language of the United Nations. Even Taiwan and The People's Republic of China can agree that the national language of the Chinese people is the Mandarin dialect. The result of these facts, particularly as they pertain to the world’s economies, is that Mandarin is fast becoming a language in great demand.
“Obviously Mandarin is a language of increasing importance in today's world, and many students are interested in having some knowledge of the Chinese language and culture,” says Mr. McCarthy, Head of Academics. “Even a basic knowledge of Mandarin is seen as an asset in terms of cultural and economic exchange.” As a result, Brentwood was more than happy to introduce three Mandarin language courses, with a total of 21 students enrolled, to its curriculum this year.
Many students also utilize the courses to further understand their own culture. “It’s good to learn your country’s native language”, says Mabel L, Grade 12. “The course includes a conversational aspect that we can actually use in real life.”
A recent addition to the Brentwood faculty may be the person we need to thank.
Ms. Fan Sun joined the Brentwood teaching staff full time this year to teach Mandarin. “I decided to teach because I love to work with youngsters; I want to offer my ability and I hope to influence students so they can make good changes for our society.” With all the positive feedback from her students, it’s obvious that Ms. Sun has been doing a great job. “It is so important for today's students to learn Mandarin, so that they will have more opportunities and be well prepared for the future. China is a huge and populous country. It is developing and growing at an enormous pace. It will be the center of the world in the near future.”
As our world becomes more multi-cultural, many of us may decide to acquire a second or even third language and Mandarin is an excellent choice, particularly for those of us living in a Pacific Rim country. Adding Mandarin to Brentwood’s curriculum will surely spark the interest of many and be of great benefit in the future. With the aid of Ms. Sun, students will not only gain greater knowledge about the language and culture, but position themselves well for careers in the fields of business and international commerce, trade and development.
“Obviously Mandarin is a language of increasing importance in today's world, and many students are interested in having some knowledge of the Chinese language and culture,” says Mr. McCarthy, Head of Academics. “Even a basic knowledge of Mandarin is seen as an asset in terms of cultural and economic exchange.” As a result, Brentwood was more than happy to introduce three Mandarin language courses, with a total of 21 students enrolled, to its curriculum this year.
Many students also utilize the courses to further understand their own culture. “It’s good to learn your country’s native language”, says Mabel L, Grade 12. “The course includes a conversational aspect that we can actually use in real life.”
A recent addition to the Brentwood faculty may be the person we need to thank.
Ms. Fan Sun joined the Brentwood teaching staff full time this year to teach Mandarin. “I decided to teach because I love to work with youngsters; I want to offer my ability and I hope to influence students so they can make good changes for our society.” With all the positive feedback from her students, it’s obvious that Ms. Sun has been doing a great job. “It is so important for today's students to learn Mandarin, so that they will have more opportunities and be well prepared for the future. China is a huge and populous country. It is developing and growing at an enormous pace. It will be the center of the world in the near future.”
As our world becomes more multi-cultural, many of us may decide to acquire a second or even third language and Mandarin is an excellent choice, particularly for those of us living in a Pacific Rim country. Adding Mandarin to Brentwood’s curriculum will surely spark the interest of many and be of great benefit in the future. With the aid of Ms. Sun, students will not only gain greater knowledge about the language and culture, but position themselves well for careers in the fields of business and international commerce, trade and development.
75p
