November 2006

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Not too long ago, selecting a Chinese school that was appropriate for your child was much simpler. You sent them to the school closest to your home. Now, with the growing influx of Chinese immigrants, some parents may find several different schools in their neighborhood to choose from. Here are some important factors to consider when selecting a school:

• Dialect. Most schools offer instruction in either Mandarin or Cantonese, with some schools offering instruction in both. If you speak Mandarin at home, you will be more readily able to assist and reinforce your child’s language lessons if they were also learning Mandarin. The same is true if you speak Cantonese and your child is attending Cantonese classes. Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong and Guangdong (Canton), while Mandarin is spoken in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.
• Phonetics. Mandarin is usually taught in either Pinyin (拼音) or Zhuyin (注音符號), which is also known as BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). These two systems of Chinese phonetics associate a particular sound with a symbol. For example, the b sound in Mandarin is represented by a “b” in Pinyin and a “ㄅ” in Zhuyin. Pinyin is the current system of romanization used in the People’s Republic of China, and is also the standard used by the United States as well as the United Nations.
• Characters. Chinese characters may either be written in the simplified style (简体) or the traditional style (繁体). The simplified style is used in the People’s Republic of China, while the traditional style is used in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• SAT II - Chinese. Some Chinese schools offer specific preparation for the SAT II - Chinese with Listening examination. This high school-level examination tests reading and listening comprehension, as well as sentence completion. The listening portions are spoken in Mandarin Chinese, while the reading passages are in both traditional and simplifed Chinese. The sentence completion portion is administered in traditional and simplified Chinese, as well as Pinyin and BoPoMoFo.

More Resources

California

• Berryessa Chinese School Provides Cantonese and Mandarin language classes in North San Jose (Berryessa), CA.
• International School of the Peninsula A Chinese language immersion day school in Palo Alto, CA.
• Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center Provides Chinese language classes in Los Angeles and Orange County.
• New Concept Chinese School Provides Mandarin classes in Fremont and San Jose, CA.
• Santa Barbara Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Santa Barbara, CA.
• Thousand Oaks Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Thousand Oaks, CA.
• Yellow River Chinese School Provides Mandarin classes in Fremont, CA.

Colorado

• Bohua Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Boulder, CO.

Connecticut

• Chinese Language School of Connecticut Provides Mandarin classes in Riverside, CT.

Maryland

• Hope Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.
• Potomac Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Potomac, MD.

Michigan

• American Chinese School of Greater Detroit
• Ann Hua Chinese School Provides Chinse language classes in Ann Arbor, MI.
• Canton Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Plymouth, MI.
• Grand Rapids Chinese Language School Provides Chinese language classes in Grand Rapids, MI.
• Michigan New Century Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Livonia, MI.
• Southern Michigan Chinese School Provides Mandarin classes in Troy, MI.

New Jersey

• EverBright Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Edison, NJ.
• Huaxia Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Bloomfield, Hillsboro, Fort Lee, Boonton, Marlboro, Edison and Plainsboro, NJ.
• YingHua Language School Provides Mandarin classes in Lawrenceville, NJ.

New York

• Albany Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Latham, NY.
• Chinese Institute Provides Mandarin and Cantonese classes in New York, NY.
• Chinese School of Southern Westchester Provides Mandarin classes in Scarsdale, NY.
• Dix Hills Chinese Cultural Association Provides Chinese language classes in Dix Hills, NY.
• Huaxia Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Wappingers Falls and Westchester, NY.
• Nortnern Westchester Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Somers, NY.

Oregon

• Jiao Ying Chinese Culture & Art School Provides Mandarin classes in Portland, OR.
• Springleaf Chinese School Provides Chinese classes in Portland, OR.

Pennsylvania

• Huaxia Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Bethlehem, PA.

Texas

• Austin Great Wall Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Austin, TX.
• Bodhi Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Houston, TX.

Virginia

• Hope Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.
• Tidewater Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Norfolk, VA.

Washington

• Northwest Chinese School Provides Mandarin classes using simplified Chinese and pinyin in Kirkland and Seattle, WA.
• Sammamish Chinese Academy Provides Mandarin classes in Sammamish, WA.

Washington DC

• Hope Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.

Canada

• Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver Provides Mandarin and Cantonese language classes in Vancouver, Burnaby and Coquitlam.

Associations

• Association of Northern California Chinese Schools Provides a directory of member schools in Northern California.
• Chinese School Association in the United States Provides a directory of member schools in the United States.
• Southern California Council of Chinese Schools Provides a directory of member schools in Southern California.

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