Mandarin Chinese Program Educates Teachers and Students

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Bibb County students are becoming bilingual with the help of 25 teachers from China. Jinhua Dai is one of the instructors who came to Macon to teach Mandarin Chinese, but she is also gaining insight on what it is like to be inside an American classroom.

“I thought it would be difficult, but it’s OK,” said Dai.

Some of the students at L.H. Williams Elementary said they were looking forward to learning a new language.

Third grader Aniya Askew said, “It was exciting because I knew I was going to learn new things.”

In China, Dai taught high school students but getting to know the younger kids is a nice change of pace.

Dai said, “They make my life colorful.”

According to Dai, the customs, school discipline, and food are the most obvious differences with schools in the U.S. 

“In China, one class is 45 minutes — here a class is 30 minutes. In elementary school we learn math more quickly, here (in the U.S.) it is more focused on reading,” said Dai.

First grader Emily Dietz is enjoying learning to speak Mandarin. Dietz also mentioned that she practices with her older brother who is also learning to speak the language.

“It’s been easy,” said Dietz.

Askew added, “She’s teaching me and I’m teaching her and we’re both happy.”

Dai majored in Chinese and Foreign Language. She expects to be in Macon for at least one year. Dai says the most challenging aspect of her job is understanding English.