Letter+to+Parents

Click [|Letter to Parents.pdf] to download or print the letter. To see the list of tools we are using and to learn more about them, click here.

To respond the the survey, please click here.

Dear Parent, I wanted to write a brief letter to let you know what’s in store for your child in Chinese class this year. I am very happy to have your child in my class, and am confident that we will learn a lot of Chinese together and have fun in the process. Language is about communicating, and your child should finish this class with a much-improved ability to do so in Chinese. Most of our time in class will be spent communicating in Chinese – speaking, listening, reading and writing. All four skills are necessary for meaningful progress in the language. I will push your child to stretch his/her Chinese using the full range of the Chinese we know and will learn. We will also use technology in order to support and enhance the learning that goes on in the classroom. The various technology tools we use will help us take our Chinese a step further. In addition to growing our Chinese, using these tools – most of which can be used outside of studying Chinese - will help the students become more comfortable with technology, a necessary skill in today’s world. In addition to updating you regularly via email about where we are and what we are doing, I also invite you to look at our course website. Over the course of the year, we will be making use of a number of different types of software and websites, all intended to help us grow our Chinese ability. Examples of student work will be available on the website for you to see and thereby get a better idea of what we are doing and why. Your child’s safety is always my first concern, so please be assured that nothing we do online will compromise that safety. Here is a list of the tools we will be using with a brief explanation. More information about each of these tools is available on the course website, so please take some time to look at http://grotonchinese.wikispaces.com/Chinese+3, and use the menu there. As the year goes on, specific examples of work by the students will also be available for viewing. Other materials, including assignments, are also viewable on the class website. Wikispaces – the course website is a wiki, where both I and students can post materials. // Google Docs // – allows students to share a document with me as a way of handing in and receiving feedback on written/typed work; also allows for student-to-student collaboration. Penzu – online journal, for writing practice. Gmail – email for communicating in Chinese with me, each other, and our ePals in China. Gmail Chat – chatting online in realtime in Chinese. Voicethread – a website for practicing speaking and listening. Eyejot – video email. Twitter – for practice communicating on the fly. Quizlet – online flashcards, and //Anki// – a flashcard program to put on the student’s computer. Skritter – practicing Chinese characters online. Dictionaries – various online dictionaries. Language practice – various sites to review and practice Chinese. I believe that these tools will help your child quickly come to view Chinese not as a daily chore, but as a natural and enjoyable part of their daily routine. If you have any questions or concerns, at any time, please feel free to contact me via email at jamesrolle@gmail.com. I am looking forward to a great year with your child. Sincerely, James Rolle