Come and see us at The Language Show London http://www.thelanguageshow.co.uk/

Win a year's free subscription to Mandarama, our website for children learning Mandarin Chinese, by visiting our stand at The Language Show.

Learn more about how to overcome the challenges of either introducing your school (or child) to Mandarin Chinese. If Mandarin already is a part of your school, then learn how to improve how you provide Mandarin Chinese learning opportunities to your children. Free advice - come for a chat as we are always keen to hear about people helping children learn Mandarin Chinese.

We are the experts. The only UK organization just to teach children Chinese.

Mandarin Chinese for young children does not show on No Child left Behind reports

Are we leaving any students behind?
Educators say federal mandates needs revisions

By Jessica Jordan
jjordan@gainesvilletimes.com

POSTED Sept. 7, 2008 12:30 a.m.

Excerpt reads:

Teachers' creativity and gifted students left behind?
May (principal of Chestnut Mountain Elementary) also said the federal mandate has changed the way schools operate in recent years. She said while teachers are taking a more professional instructional approach under the law, it's also stifling their creative freedom in the classroom in favor of high-stakes testing.

"There used to be more of a focus on the art of teaching, now it's more of a focus on the science of teaching," she said.

While Hall County educators said the school system focuses on the whole student, including character development and academic rigor, as well as on a student passing the CRCT or the Georgia High School Graduation Test, Schofield said there's still a group of students nationwide who aren't getting the attention they deserve in the classroom: "the run of the mill" and gifted students.

"I think it's going to be a huge mistake in all kinds of issues, the most fundamental being the very competitiveness of the United States as a nation," Schofield said. "The children that sit in our classrooms could cure cancer ... and are the very children that aren't getting very much attention."

Schofield said he's concerned No Child Left Behind's emphasis on test scores has encouraged school systems nationwide to forsake class time in foreign language, communication skills and technology, all skills he considers vital for students to compete in the 21st century workplace.

"We can offer Mandarin Chinese ... for little children. It won't show up on a No Child Left Behind report ... and quite honestly, that's the reason why a lot of districts have abandoned and not gone down those roads," Schofield said.

KEVIN Rudd has called on Australians to .. make their nation the most Asia-literate country in the West.

In a major speech in Singapore, the Prime Minister declared his dream of Australian children learning Chinese or Japanese and reaching out to the region.

"I am committed to making Australia the most Asia-literate country in the collective West," he announced.

Labor went to the last election promising $62 million for new Asian language courses in schools.

But Mr Rudd's new promise raises the commitment and there is sure to be a push for extra funding.

Mr Rudd last night said the time had come for Australians to be more active in Asia.

"My vision is for the next generation of Australian businessmen and women, economists, accountants, lawyers, architects, artists, film-makers and performers to develop language skills which open their region to them," he said.

The call came as Mr Rudd tried to rev up his plan for a new regional body called the Asia Pacific Community.

Mr Rudd outlined the proposal two months ago and has been selling it during his recent tour of China, South Korea and Singapore.

The Opposition have been scathing of the plan, calling it a flop, and there has been no groundswell of major support from Asian countries.

But Mr Rudd has hit back, saying there are no major "roadblocks" to the idea and saying it was a long-term project.

The speech came after Mr Rudd and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday signed a new defence deal for greater cooperation between the two nations.

Singapore is due to soon send a medical team to work with Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, Mr Rudd opened a new junior section of Australian International School Singapore where he spoke to children about the value of Asian languages.

Mr Rudd speaks Mandarin, which he uses often when touring in the region and did it again yesterday at a press conference.

It was Rudd's first prime ministerial visit to Singapore and he has now visited most of the major nations in Asia - including China and Japan twice.

Businesses invest in China at high end of value chain..

GlaxoSmithKline intends to double its R&D staff in China to 350 people in the next few years, reported Reuters.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) which currently has 170 R&D staff in China has plans to boost up its staff to 350 by the end of 2009. According to Carol Zhu, head of operation management and alliances in GSK's China R&D unit, the staff levels would remain static for three or four years after the increase, while the company will expand its facilities to accommodate further increases thereafter.

As part of its strategic plan to step up investment in biotech medicines, GSK has focused on China for furthering its R&D activities.

Women on top in a downturn - Are women company directors well placed to face a downturn in business?

But just in case there are any real cynics among you, who are still sceptical even now, perhaps this procession of casual generalisations will remove any lingering doubts: ‘Women are great at multi-tasking and very good at coping with stress’ (Jill Shepherd, Bamboo Learning); ‘There is less competitiveness amongst women and as such, we’re more open to sharing best practice and support each other’ (Lesley Lant, Perennial Marketing); ‘Women tend to grow their businesses organically rather than making testosterone-driven decisions on equity funding’ (Katherine Leopold, PA London).

Female business owners are more likely to survive a recession thanks to their slow and steady approach, according to a new study by Business Link in London. The support group, which says that it ‘helped’ over 28,000 female-owned businesses in the capital last year, says that women are better at planning ahead, taking advice, and sharing their experiences than men –and they’re not so obsessed with chasing a fast buck. All of which makes them the perfect choice for an economic crisis.

Nick Jr. extends commitment to the preschool animated television series Ni Hao, Kai-lan.

Ni Hao, Kai-lan in particular, centers itself around a little Asian-American girl named Kai-lan and her everyday adventures through playtime and self-discovery with her many animal friends. Debuting in early February of this year, the preschool animation has provided the Nick Jr. block with an abundance of creative diversity, a welcomed adjustment to the visual and storytelling aesthete that its young viewers so desperately crave.

"Kai-lan has charmed her way into the lives of preschoolers who tune in to experience her vibrant world which is infused with Mandarin language and Chinese culture," Brown Johnson, President of Animation, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group, commented. "Ni Hao, Kai-lan furthers Nick Jr.'s ongoing commitment to developing diverse programming with characters who reflect today's preschoolers."

Ofsted and Ed Balls praise new initiative by top innovative schools teaching curriculum Mandarin Chinese.

The first and second schools to make Mandarin Chinese a compulsory part of the curriculum have been noticed once more for their innovation. This time the partnership between the schools has been praised by Ed Balls and Ofsted.

Pupils from Kingsford Community College in Beckton can win scholarships to top independent school Brighton College. Head teacher Ms Delandes and Mr Cairns Headmaster of Brighton College are sharing their educational expertise as governors on each other's school boards. Once an innovative school you continue to be innovative it seems.

The links between the schools have already won over one body more often noted for its trenchant criticisms of state schools – the aforementioned Ofsted. In a recent report on Kingsford, the inspectors declared: "The school has introduced a variety of initiatives that have raised the school's profile both locally and nationally. Some, such as the introduction of Mandarin and the link with an independent school to provide scholarships into their sixth-form, are highly innovative."

Part of China Now, 3000 children developing Chinese cross-curricula work have created a new Chinese opera.

350 students performed the new work alongside professional artists.This project was an initiative between the Hackney Music Development Trust (HMDT) and East Hackney Education Zone. 'Confucius says' is a new opera based on Chinese myths and legends written by Stephen Plaice and Richard Taylor for Hackney schools and children learning Chinese.

We share our experiences in teaching Mandarin Chinese young including Mandarama at the SSAT Chinese network conference

Please come and see us either at our exhibition stand or during our workshop. Get guest access to Mandarama at our stand and learn about how children learn languages young at our workshop. We are sharing our experience in teaching Chinese young and would like to hear your views too.

UK wide - take a look at how your child can learn about modern Chinese culture

Turning up the Volume on Modern China for children.

China Now is a UK-wide celebration of a vibrant, dynamic and fast-evolving nation – a captivating showcase of the very best of modern China.

‘I welcome CHINA NOW as a valuable and exciting idea to help bring our countries closer together and further develop and strengthen our relationship.’
Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister

‘CHINA NOW will strengthen the understanding and friendship between China and the UK. We must work together to make the festival a success.’
Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People’s Republic of China.

http://www.chinanow.org.uk/