Choosing the right bilingual programme for your child

Chinese-English bilingual programmes offer children many benefits, yet deciding which one is best for your child can be challenging. Huali Xiong, Head of Chinese at Canadian International School (CIS) and author of the best selling Big Apple Chinese Programme, shares why CIS has been a popular choice for so many families.

Substantial experience

CIS’ Chinese-English bilingual programme was one of the first to be offered in Singapore by an international school making us one of the most trusted schools in the region to educate students in becoming fluent communicators in both languages.

Available from Kindergarten to grade 6

Our programme is available to students in junior kindergarten through to grade 6 and offered at both our Lakeside and Tanjong Katong campuses. It is fully aligned to the International Baccalaureate PYP and there are no limits on the number of classes available per grade (we currently have over 30 bilingual classes). We also have a specific pathway in place once the programme ends for students to maintain their high level of Chinese during Secondary School.

Experienced, native speaking teachers

All subjects are taught in each language by native speaking teachers. Students attend lessons in English one day and Chinese the next. One of the key benefits of this two-teacher model is that it compels students to communicate with their teachers in both languages, not just the one they feel most comfortable with.

Strong focus on learning Chinese culture

For all classes taught in Chinese, we try to integrate the Chinese culture into students’ learning where possible. This ensures our students are not just learning empty, meaningless symbols but also the correct forms of address, etiquette and behaviour.

To learn more about CIS’ Chinese-English bilingual programme visit www.cis.edu.sg/learning/bilingual-programme