Language & Cultural Fluency: Creating Flexible, Critical Thinkers

YCIS ignites a love of Chinese language and culture in our students — but the benefits of a bilingual education far surpass building cultural appreciation.

By learning Mandarin and English simultaneously, your child will develop both language and cultural fluency; become a flexible, open thinker; and sharpen his or her critical communication skills. Here’s how:

• Higher intelligence: Studies show that students learning more than one language generally outperform their monolingual counterparts.
• Boost in brain power: Bilingualism is a form of brain training — a mental “workout” that fine-tunes the mind and improves memory.
• More grey matter: Bilingual brains have denser grey matter — which is responsible for muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions and speech.
• Improved cognitive skills: Bilinguals have stronger executive functioning skills, which are used for planning, problem-solving and performing mentally demanding tasks.
• Better literacy skills: Bilingual students have a deeper understanding of language structure, which is important for literacy.
• Increased awareness: Bilinguals are better at observing their surroundings, filtering information and focusing on what is relevant.

• Global mindfulness: Learning another language opens the doors to new perspectives; cultivates respect for other cultures; and promotes positive cross-cultural relationships.
• World readiness: Students who are bilingual, experienced in intercultural exchange, and have a sense of global responsibility have a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

By the time your child graduates from YCIS, he or she will be confident when listening, speaking, reading and writing in both Mandarin and English — and ready to continue learning and using Mandarin throughout life.