Expanding Horizons at Britannica Shanghai

At Britannica International School, Shanghai, we are dedicated to providing a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that empowers our students, parents, and support staff. As part of our commitment to fostering cultural understanding and effective communication, we are delighted to share the success of our Mandarin programme for non-native Mandarin parents, the introduction of English lessons for parents, and our efforts to enhance the English skills of our native Chinese support staff. These initiatives aim to broaden horizons, promote language proficiency, and strengthen community connections within our school.

Last week, we joyfully celebrated the successful completion of our year-long Mandarin programme for non-native Mandarin parents, which began in October. Through this Mandarin programme, non-Mandarin-speaking parents have acquired essential daily life language skills, such as shopping, dining, taking taxis, and traveling. These practical language skills empower them to navigate and engage in various real-life situations while living in Shanghai. Additionally, parents have systematically learned pinyin, acquired knowledge about Chinese characters and have actively worked on mastering the characters of HSK 1. We are immensely proud of the enthusiasm shown by our parents throughout their Mandarin language journey. Their commitment to learning, active participation in class activities, and willingness to embrace a new language and culture have been instrumental in the programme's success.

To promote effective communication between parents, students, and staff, we introduced an English lessons for parents programme this term. These interactive sessions helped parents develop their English language skills, enabling them to actively participate in their child's educational experience. With a focus on practical communication skills, this programme fostered an inclusive environment where parents feel confident in engaging with our school community.

At Britannica, we highly value the contributions of our native Chinese support staff. This year, we have implemented a special initiative by providing tailored English lessons to enhance their communication skills with our students and expatriate staff working within the school. These English lessons have empowered our support staff to interact with confidence and cultivate a stronger sense of community in our school. We believe that effective communication is essential in fostering a harmonious and inclusive environment for everyone at Britannica.As we expand language programmes and support initiatives, Britannica remains committed to fostering an environment that embraces diversity, promotes inclusivity, and values every member of our school communit.