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Sixth and seventh grade Mandarin Chinese students from the C. J. Hooker Middle School in Goshen recently visited the Orange-Ulster BOCES Harriman Learning Center, which serves as the “home base” for their distance-learning Mandarin Chinese classes.

Since the Mandarin Chinese courses are delivered via state-of-the-art videoconferencing, the students were able to meet their teachers for the first time. Mr. O'Neill, sixth grade Mandarin teacher, and Ms. Cheng, seventh grade Mandarin teacher, opened the school year with a Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration.

The seventh grade students mentored their younger peers and taught them new dialogues. They also performed a traditional Chinese poem from memory. Some students recited the poem, while others sang and danced to a choreographed performance. The event turned into a competition, with Mr. O'Neill and Ms. Cheng serving as judges. Hannah Godson, Julia Siracuse and Nicole Irace won first place after their amazing performance. Afterward, students were invited to try the Moon Cakes that are traditionally served at this time of year in China.

Last year, the Goshen Central School District received the U. S. Department of Education Foreign Language Assistance Grant, a three-year grant that allows our sixth and seventh grade students to study Mandarin Chinese.

The program is open to select students and is a full-year traditional foreign language program, delivered via state-of-the art e-learning hardware and software. Classes are taught by a New York State certified teacher from the Videoconferencing Lab at the Orange-Ulster BOCES Harriman Learning Center.

From this location, the teacher meets with one or two classes at a time for instruction. Materials are available to students through a teacher-created website and Blackboard. Students also meet with their teacher at least once a month. Communication takes place through videoconferences, course management system and e-mail.

In the course, students will be introduced to written and spoken Mandarin Chinese and will explore Chinese culture. Students will also videoconference with students in China.