Dressel "Teacher Mai"

FIRST GRADE

龙年大吉大利

REDDING SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

雷丁艺术学校

A HANBAN CONFUCIUS CLASSROOM SCHOOL

Welcome parents, students, and visitors to Mr. Dressel’s (“Teacher Mai”) school website. Throughout the school year, you will come here to find information about what’s happening in your child’s Mandarin class. This website will exist to keep you up-to-date on the events and learning taking place in your child’s classroom. It also provides you with the opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher.

The resources are usually updated by Sunday night each week. I encourage you to click on a few and check them out.

In my class, the focus is "fluency through fun!" Students are actively engaged in learning a new language through songs, games, dances, art, and thematic units integrated into the core curriculum. Mandarin is spoken as much as possible, enhancing lessons with actions, props, and developmentally appropriate activities. The emphasis is on listening to, understanding, and communicating common phrases and basic vocabulary.

At RSA, we place a high value on the cognitive and social benefits of language acquisition. Learning another language at an early age has a positive effect on intellectual growth, enriches and enhances a child's mental development, promotes flexibility in thinking, gives students a better ear for listening, improves a child's understanding of his/her native language, gives a student the ability to communicate with people s/he would otherwise not have the chance to know, opens the door to other cultures, and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other backgrounds and countries.

Our Mandarin Immersion program offers a risk-free environment where students begin a life-long journey of language acquisition. The greatest gift we can give our students is the confidence and courage to pursue any language that may cross their paths in future education, employment, travel, or service to their community.

A nearly exhaustive, comprehensive internet source for all things Chinese can be found at the following website:

http://www.uni.edu/becker/chinese2.html

WEB LINKS TO OTHER AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS WE ARE USING IN CLASS:

Our Chinese New Year Song-Video YouTube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP3KgMQ5VSY

Another Happy New Year Song-Video YouTube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8jcuWT7bHE&feature=related

YouTube Link to our New Songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw-0QHhzSdI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3W25zHO9nk&feature=related

Also, 泥娃娃 "Mud Dolly" at:

http://easywaytolearnchinese.blogspot.com/2009/10/chinese-kids-song-mud-doll.html

YouTube Link to our Dragon Boat Festival video: