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Header image courtesy of Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School
A bilingual education is more popular than ever in a multicultural city like Hong Kong. Many parents are considering enrolling their children into schools that offer curriculums in more languages than one. Of course, not everyone starts off in a bilingual household. If so, how do you choose the correct bilingual curriculum for your child? And how can you, as a parent, help your child in transitioning into a bilingual learning environment?
At Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School (CAPCL), your child can transition into a bilingual learning environment seamlessly with supportive child-centred expertise provided by the school and its experienced staff. We have spoken with the team at CAPCL for tips and tricks that the school can offer parents and children looking to explore a bilingual education.
CAPCL is a bilingual international primary school which adopts the Canadian Alberta curriculum suitable for children from preparatory (aged five) to grade 6 (aged 11). Employing a unique combination of 65 percent English and 35 percent Mandarin Chinese teaching, CAPCL nurtures future leaders by unlocking every learner’s academic potential.
With CAPCL’s Canadian Alberta curriculum, your child will take five core subjects: Chinese, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science, with five speciality subjects: Art, Bible, Health, Music, and Physical Education. The wide variety of subjects ensures a rounded and holistic education for your child that keeps their personal growth and well-being in mind.
Play is the universal language of all children that requires no translation. CAPCL adopts a play-oriented mode of teaching to their bilingual curriculum to foster a better understanding of both the English and Chinese languages, intergroup and interpersonal social skills, and a positive and enjoyable mindset to learning.
Learning through play helps your child see learning not as a chore, but as an enjoyable activity that interests them. CAPCL understands that true interest can only be fostered when enjoyment is involved, which is why its modes of learning are beyond traditional methods and staff work to find the best method of teaching for each individual student.
CAPCL’s bilingual curriculum emphasises verbal and non-verbal communication with its students. With this engaged approach, your child’s language skills will flourish alongside their observation and social skills as they learn, play, and communicate through a variety of verbal and non-verbal languages with their classmates and teachers.
An emphasis on non-verbal teaching also allows your child’s emotional skills to flourish, ensuring a holistic education that touches on the physical, academic, as well as emotional sides of learning and growth.
CAPCL’s teachers follow a strict three “R”s motto when it comes to aiding students to transition into a dynamic bilingual environment, eliminating unnecessary difficulties.
Your child will be engaged in a network of support from day one, within a small classroom learning community of just 22 to 24 students per two teachers. This ensures adequate interaction between your child, their peers, and staff on a day-to-day basis, fast-tracking your child’s academic journey and growth.
The curriculum is designed to encourage development from the perspective of children’s interests. In this environment, your child can communicate their thoughts ad contribute to class discussions in ways meaningful and impactful to their personal growth. Relevancy is crucial to every lesson at CAPCL, and staff work to ensure that each lesson can be used outside of a classroom setting to help enrich your child’s overall development.
Whilst CAPCL reinforces a play-oriented approach in the classroom, teachers also ensure that lessons are engaging and challenging for every single student under their watch. Under CAPCL’s soft yet rigorous teaching approach, your child will thrive with the knowledge and within the environment of their learning and beyond.
Parents’ support in their child’s transition into a bilingual learning environment will greatly improve their performances in class socially and academically. That is why CAPCL also puts emphasis on home-parent collaboration! Ongoing communication between parents, teachers, and students ultimately fosters the desire to participate in various activities in and out of school and, most importantly, the desire to learn.
CAPCL is now accepting applications for the 2023–2024 academic year ! Click here for more information about CAPCL’s bilingual curriculum and how you can enrol.
A Christian establishment, Christian Alliance P.C. Lau Memorial International School believes that every learner is special, unique, and valuable, and encourages each child to develop his or her God-given talent. At CAPCL, children’s dispositions are revealed to us in their play, learning, and daily experiences.
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