Crocodile Mandarin School

Who knew Mandarin learning could be so fun?

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Immersion Class:  

"Jumping in with both feet"






If you were living abroad--in say, China or Taiwan, and wanted to learn Chinese, you'd want to approach it two ways: First, you'd want to study with a mentor (a teacher or a tutor) who could help you learn to pronouce words, build your vocabulary and sentence ability. You'd be learning from a plan laid out by your teacher. Secondly, you'd also want to go out into the community and learn from real-world experience. You'd want to practice by ordering things in a restaurant, telling cab drivers where you want to go, and interacting with native speakers. In doing this you'd be learning not so much from a plan as from the situation you found yourself in. In our view, Crocodile Classes correspond to the first approach while Immersion classes correspond to the second approach.


Crocodile’s Immersion Curriculum is divided into themes which correspond to what is going on in the regular class, but our Immersion Classes come at the goal of proficiency from the opposite direction. Immersion classes move from the general to the specific. Students will learn words and expressions from context and are given the opportunity to use what they have just learned in a comfortable environment.


Immersion classes are designed for complete beginners.  Many parents mistakenly believe immersion classes to be advanced classes, but they can be taken by children with no previous experience at all. Students who already have with basic skills can benefit as well.


This class starts with a simple bell. Students are told (in Mandarin) to ring the bell. The teacher slowly builds from this base, asking students to ring two, then three times, and gradually progressing to simple actions performed before and after ringing the bell. It is all about building confidence--one ding at a time.


Each class is designed around a simple concept such as: Who is taller? Can it be eaten? Will it sink or float? In what month were you born? Children will participate in three to four activities related to this core concept. Teachers will communicate exclusively in Mandarin and encourage students to do the same.


Currently Offered at: Victoria Drive, Richmond, and North Vancouver


Price: $198.90 for a 10-week term  

Saturdays price is $212.96. A $50 discount applies when a regular Crocodile Class is taken at the same time. If you register two kids living at the same address, a $20 sibling discount applies.

Prices rise and discounts disappear two weeks prior to the term.

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See other Courses

Immersion Class

  Crocodile Classes

Mandarin

Proficiency