Bilingual Program

Why Bilingual?

A Pathway to Proficient Bilingualism

Stamford is committed to offering a truly immersive & fully integrated bilingual program to cultivate proficient bilingual, bi-literate, and bi-cultural individuals.

Our unique program parallels the rigorous standards of our mainstream curriculum while offering an immersive language experience from Pre-primary to Grade 5. The curriculum is delivered in both English and Mandarin. We are committed to fostering exceptional communication abilities across the curriculum, ensuring students achieve proficiency and confidence in both languages.

Innovative Two-Teacher Model

The cornerstone of our Bilingual Program is the innovative two-teacher model, featuring dedicated native Mandarin and English-speaking teachers. This collaborative approach ensures core subjects are co-taught, providing a seamless integration of language and content. Language arts instruction is delivered in the teacher’s mother tongue, enriching students’ learning experience.

Our bilingual students also benefit from our special subjects, including physical education, drama, art, and music, which continue to be taught in English.

Curriculum in Harmony

Both languages are used as we explore and understand subjects such as:

– Math
– STEMinn (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math & Innovation)
– Inquiry
– Second Step Social-emotional Learning

Balancing Language Exposure

The Bilingual Program at Stamford is a 60-40 English/Mandarin dual-immersion model using simplified Chinese characters. Students spend approximately 40% of their time fully immersed in Mandarin and about 60% in English.

Join Our Vision

We invite you to join us on this exciting journey toward bilingual excellence. Our Bilingual

Program isn’t just about mastering languages—it’s about opening doors to global opportunities and fostering an inclusive community of learners ready to make their mark on the world.

Discover more and become a part of our community at Stamford American School Hong Kong.

Is the curriculum different from the non-bilingual stream? Q & A

Do Students Still Take Other Specialist Classes?

Yes, but physical education, drama, art, and music are conducted in English.

Is The Bilingual Program More Difficult?

The English/Mandarin Bilingual Program is rigorous and demanding for many students. Language learning requires considerable concentration as a student watches, listens, and actively participates in understanding both the language and the content. However, the level of difficulty depends on the student.

Do Students Still Attend Daily Mandarin Language Classes?

Bilingual students will learn Mandarin during the language arts class and through subject-based immersion during Chinese days, delivered by the Mandarin teacher supporting their class. This is different from students in non-bilingual classes who attend the daily 40-minute leveled modern language class.

Can Students In The Bilingual Program Choose The Daily Spanish Option?

Bilingual students will focus on the acquisition of English and Chinese.

Does My Child Need To Know Mandarin To Join The Program?

No, children do not need to be native speakers to participate in the Bilingual Program, but competency in either language (Mandarin / English) and a good grasp of the other is a pre-requisite for joining the Bilingual Program. This ensures your child can access the curriculum delivered in class. Students must also have proficient academic, self-management, and social skills. Students in the same grade can have different language proficiency in Mandarin. Students are grouped according to their ability to personalize their learning journey for Math and Inquiry class.

Do Parents Need To Provide Additional Support At Home?

The school does not require support at home, but parents are encouraged to support their child’s reading growth by exploring books together at home daily. To provide extra support in Mandarin at home, playdates with Mandarin-speaking friends, Apps, cartoons, etc. may also be beneficial. Parents should be open to providing these opportunities for their children.

What Are The Benefits Of The Bilingual Program?

Learning a language positively impacts the structure and cognitive functions of the brain. Bilingualism can lead to the respect of multiple cultural heritages that build friendships that cross-class language boundaries. Bilingualism increases marketable skills in a global society. Dual-language students have higher test scores and seem happier in school. Bilingual education helps improve students’ sense of belonging and increases parent involvement in their children’s education.

Should you have any questions about Stamford’s Bilingual Program or any other aspects of our curriculum, our Admissions Team would be happy to speak to you. E-mail us or call (+852) 2500 8688.

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