Shanghai Community International School

In an international school, what does it mean to truly belong?

For many families, choosing a school is about more than academics—it’s about finding a place where their child’s background, identity, and future are all recognized and supported. At SCIS, we believe that language is central to that sense of belonging. This is especially true for Mandarin, the language of our host city.

 

At SCIS, students learn in English—but language learning goes far beyond that. Mandarin is woven into the life of our school, offering students a way to engage with the culture around them and build lasting skills in communication and perspective-taking.

Over the past three years, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our Lower School Mandarin program—an effort driven by a single question: How can we create a structure that better serves all language learners?

 

Ms. Yan Yan, PYP Mandarin Coordinator at SCIS, “We wanted to ensure our teaching was systematically aligned and built progressively across grade levels. That’s how we began reshaping the program—from content design to assessment methods.”

Mandarin at SCIS: A Journey with Multiple Paths

To meet the needs of diverse learners, we offer four Mandarin pathways in the Lower School:

• Language & Literature: For fluent Mandarin speakers aiming for deeper literacy and academic analysis
• Home Language: For students who use Mandarin at home but are not focusing on literary study
• Language Acquisition: For learners building Mandarin as an additional language
• Exploration & Culture: For beginners looking to develop oral skills and cultural awareness

 

Each pathway follows carefully designed units of inquiry—covering topics like identity, daily life, relationships, culture and traditions, and the natural world. In the Language & Literature course, units guide students to conduct literary studies of different text types.

 

These pathways also connect to our programs in Middle School (MYP) and High School (IB DP), offering long-term continuity for language growth.

How We Teach: Standards and Support

Besides PYP Language Scope and Sequence, our curriculum also draws from respected international and national frameworks:

• CNC (Chinese National Curriculum)
• ELLOPA (Early Language Listening and Oral Proficiency Assessment)
• ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)

Assessment is designed to measure real language use. In addition to written tasks, students engage in function-based activities like storytelling, interviews, and reflection tasks that show how language works in real contexts.

 

Our Mandarin teaching team regularly engages in professional development to stay aligned and inspired. In 2024, all teachers participated in a full-day ACTFL workshop, supported by ongoing curriculum collaboration and training across campuses. Smaller class sizes also provide more responsive, student-centered learning environments.

 

As part of the renewed structure, we’ve also begun actively collecting family input to better understand each child’s language background and long-term goals. This new practice strengthens the home-school connection and helps align expectations, ensuring students are placed in the pathway that best supports their growth.

Mandarin at SCIS is a way for students to connect—with culture, with others, and with themselves. As students move through grade levels and language stages, Mandarin remains a steady thread that grows with them.

 

Just as every student’s learning journey is unique, our program continues to evolve. We remain committed to refining our pathways, deepening cultural relevance, and ensuring every child finds their voice in Mandarin.