Spanish & Mandarin
Bringing Languages to Life with Movement & the Arts
Starting in kindergarten, all students learn Spanish.
Spanish language instruction begins in kindergarten and deepens through the grades. Our students are exposed early on to the four language areas: Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Through storytelling, movement, personalized questions, skits, songs, games, and art projects, our learners acquire the relevant skills to use Spanish in everyday life situations, both inside and outside school.
Each year, more class time is conducted in Spanish as students develop their conversational skills and explore the diversity of Spanish-speaking cultures. We are fortunate to have four Spanish teachers, including two native speakers, one from Mexico and one from Spain who, together, bring their understanding of Hispanic cultures to classroom activities.
In the Lower School (K–5), our students make the most of BPC’s neighborhood and, starting in third grade, go on walking field trips where they get to practice their speaking skills with other native Spanish speakers in our community. Fourth and fifth graders also visit the Mission District in San Francisco to learn about the murals and their history. Also beginning in fourth grade, students write letters in Spanish to their fourth grade penpals in Barcelona. This allows them to learn first-hand about children their age in another part of the world.
Beginning in sixth grade, students choose to study either Mandarin or Spanish.
The middle school (6–8) Spanish program begins in sixth grade. Our program is deeply rooted in the lives and experiences of our students, helping them build and maintain a strong foundation in language acquisition, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The curriculum is designed to provide exposure to genuine everyday customs and lifestyles, respecting and valuing the cultural identity of each student. Grammar is integrated throughout the course and selected based on each student's language needs. The ultimate goal is to gradually achieve proficiency in the language according to ACTFL's world-readiness standards for language learning: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities.
Mandarin is offered beginning in sixth grade and students choose to study either Mandarin or Spanish during middle school. The course helps students build a solid foundation in basic listening, speaking, reading, writing comprehension skills in modern Mandarin. Students develop their understanding of both Mandarin language and Chinese culture through stories, songs, tongue twisters, chants, plays, and poems. Our teacher, who is a native Mandarin speaker, uses a variety of teaching approaches, including TPRS (Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling), Comprehensible Input, and The Project Approach. Students participate in hands-on activities, such as creating Chinese food recipes, comic strips, posters, charts, or acting out stories in addition to learning texts written in simplified Chinese characters used in mainland China.
Language immersion experience opportunities are offered to our eighth grade students. In previous years, students have traveled to China, Costa Rica, and Guatemala for language study and homestays.
Our Spanish and Mandarin programs are not just about learning a new language; they are about achieving practical and academic language goals. These programs are designed to enhance language comprehension and foster original spoken and written production for a diverse student body. They strike a balance between meaningful communication and varied learning styles, promoting individual achievement.
Both our Spanish and Mandarin programs thoroughly prepare our students for high school placement tests.
Spanish and Mandarin Faculty
