Official Language:

Standardized Chinese, which is based on the tonal language of Mandarin.

Cultural Notes:

China’s culture has been changing rapidly in the last few decades, but there is still a strong sense of hierarchy and values of masculinity, pragmatism, and traditionalism. Individualism is not a highly valued in this culture, and instead, it is more important to act in the interest of the group, especially when it comes to family. China scored number 1 out of 65 nations in education, based on the latest Programme for International Assessment (PISA) test, so parents have extremely expectations for test-scores and student output.

In China, high scores are the primary goal, so in the classroom, teachers mainly impart test-taking skills and teach in a way that requires rote memorization, instead of inspiring creativity and independent thinking. This differs greatly from the way their English speaking peers are used to learning. Also, in China, students typically have about 14 hours of homework a week, in comparison to the U.S, where the average is 6 hours. Because of these differences, conflicts may arise with parents, due to the very different expectations and teaching styles America adheres to, especially in regards to the focus on thinking independently and the work output requirements.

Immigration Status:

Undocumented Chinese immigrants only comprise 2% of the 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants, so most likely, the student and his or her family will be living in the U.S. legally.

5 Step Plan for Social Inclusion, Understanding, and Mutual Respect for ELLs