Chinese: Language, Art and Culture

The plan for Chinese classes at Asian Cultural Center of Vermont:

The goal is to help others learn Chinese language through Chinese culture and art. Preschool classes are one hour in length. Classes for older students are 1.5 hours in length. A typical lesson will include the following components: Doing Chinese morning exercise (that is done all over China in every school and helps stimulate the brain and mind); learning Chinese songs and games; participating in interactive conversation; learning how to write Chinese characters and eventually sentences. Children in China even as young as age 4 or 5 are taught to write Chinese characters. Chinese is visual and hands-on. Learning Chinese calligraphy and painting includes learning the sitting posture, the calming within, holding the brush, and the use of paper and ink. Calligraphy and painting lessons are accompanied by classical and folk Chinese music in the background. Students are enriched by poetry from the Tang Dynasty (1100-1400 years old!), and older students have the opportunity to also learn modern-day Chinese pop songs and folk songs. Students become familiar with the way Chinese is spoken, and eventually learn how to recite poetry. From time to time, there are crafts projects that relate to the lessons, such as paper folding, paper cuts, book-making, and Chinese festival activities. Book making includes converting a simple English children’s book into one's own Chinese book. Choice of books emphasize the process of word study and learning sentences. At the end of each class, we all relax our eyes with Chinese eye exercises based on self- acupressure guidelines. Each lesson is likely to feature one hands-on activity, such as calligraphy or Chinese painting or a crafts project. First time study and continued study are both available in a setting of differentiated instruction according to the individual needs of students.