LES PETITES
LUMIÈRES
shining bright, growing together.
Chinese Programs
Our Chinese courses for children and adults are centred around
play-based experiential learning.
Through fun, hands-on activities and improvised conversational practice, children are encouraged to use Mandarin as much as they can and freely express themselves in a Chinese-speaking environment. Along with language skills, they also learn about Chinese culture and history through stories, gaining an appreciation for its rich traditions. We at the same time, focus on fostering a growth mindset for our students, promoting kindness and compassion while building social connection.
Our program caters to children aged 2 to 12, offering a comprehensive and engaging approach to language learning. For the youngest (ages 2-4), we focus on playful learning with sing-alongs and interactive activities, encouraging active parent participation.
As children grow, they transition into group learning, teamwork activities,
and independent study, gradually building their language skills
while developing social connections.
In addition to teaching Mandarin, we develop children’s emotional confidence and equip them with the techniques to communicate effectively. Adapted from the YCT (Youth Chinese Test) and HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) concepts, we design our courses into 4 levels, factoring in local interests and culture, ensuring the learning with us is fun, relevant, and interactive.
Additionally, we provide bridging courses to help children transition smoothly into the appropriate levels, ensuring they are placed in classes that suit both their age and proficiency, offering a seamless and supportive language-learning experience.
Our program welcomes both native and non-native speakers,
offering a diverse and inclusive environment.
[AGE 2-4] Children are naturally curious.
PLAY - SING SONG - PARROT
Course objective: to stimulate young children learn Chinese in a most natural and spontaneous way. Through engaging games, surprises, movements and interactive activities, children explore the Chinese language by making requests, expressing emotions, naming everyday objects and shapes. They start connecting words to form simple phrases and learn songs, building a strong foundation in pronunciation.
Teaching elements: for this age, we incorporate elements like storytelling with visual aids, playful role-playing, simple Chinese rhymes, and sensory activities, all designed to stimulate imagination and language acquisition.
Class duration: 50 minutes, 3 times a month following school semester.
Small groups: each class has up to 6 children, accompanied by his or her parent.
Support from family: it is important for families to be actively involved in the activities done in class. This creates an emotional connection and co-hosts a positive learning space for the children. Progress into the course, the children become more autonomous, independent and start to attend class without a companion. We invite families to continue the growth spirit active at home.
[LEVEL 1] Children communicate in a simple manner.
GREET - TALK - EXPRESS
Course objectives: to teach children master basic Mandarin phonics and simple vocabulary. Through engaging games and interactive activities, they will explore common Chinese greetings, expressions, and daily conversations. By the end of the course, children will be able to confidently introduce themselves, answer basic questions, and recognize everyday objects.
Teaching elements:
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Phonics learning: vowels, consonants, and sounds.
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Basic vocabulary: around 80 common words, including greetings, numbers, seasons and colors.
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Simple sentence patterns: direct statements, open & close questions.
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Cultural elements: Chinese traditions, festivals, arts and customs.
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Presentation skill: show and tell simple stories
Class duration: 75 minutes, weekly following school semester (2 years).
Small groups: each class has a maximum of 6 children, ensuring personalized attention and active participation.
Support from family: it’s essential for families to actively collaborate with teachers in creating a positive and supportive learning space for the children. As the children progress in the course, their curiosity and interest in Chinese culture grow. We warmly invite families to join in more activities, providing opportunities for Chinese language practice and cultural engagement together.
[LEVEL 2] Children express and describe freely.
CONVERSE - DESCRIBE - STORYTELL
Course objective: to deepen their understanding of Chinese by mastering around 150 common words and basic grammar structures. Children will be able to engage in simple daily conversations, describing events, storytelling, shopping, asking for directions, and expressing feelings, while also understanding short texts & dialogues.
Teaching elements:
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Vocabulary expansion: learn words related to daily surroundings and verbs.
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Basic grammar: explore various sentence structures.
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Listening & speaking: practice conversational skills and listening exercises.
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Cultural Knowledge: gain insights to Chinese traditions, festivals, arts and food.
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Presentation skill: storytelling confidently.
Class duration: 75 minutes, weekly following school semester (2 years).
Small groups: each class has a maximum of 6 children, allowing adequate sharing, speaking practices and active participation.
Support from family: at this level, family involvement helps reinforce language skills. Encourage your child to practice daily dialogues and listening to Chinese stories. Engage in cultural activities together to deepen their understanding of Chinese festivals and food, creating a supportive and immersive learning environment.
[LEVEL 3] Children plan and share confidently.
READ - WRITE - PROPOSE
Course objectives: to train children master around 300 words and common grammar, enabling them to engage in more complex daily communication. Children will develop the ability to read and understand longer short texts and write simple sentences, while further building on their language foundation and gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.
Teaching elements:
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Vocabulary expansion: plans, hobbies, travel, health related verbs & words.
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Intermediate grammar: learn more complex sentence structures.
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Reading practice: short text reading and comprehension.
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Writing practice: writing simple sentences and short paragraphs.
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Cultural knowledge: introduction to Chinese history, geography and idioms.
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Presentation skill: making a proposal plan.
Class duration: 75 minutes, weekly following school semester. (2 years).
Small groups: each class has a maximum of 6 children, giving dedicated guidance and active engagement.
Support from family: encourage your child to practice using new vocabulary in daily conversations. Family involvement in reading simple Chinese texts together, discussing class contents and practicing writing short sentences will help reinforce learning and cultural understanding. This even applies for non-native speaker parents.
[LEVEL 4] Children converse with proficiency.
GO WITH THE FLOW
Course objective: to support children master around 600 words and more complex grammar structures. Children will be able to engage in fluent daily communication and express personal opinions with ease. Additionally, they will develop the skills to read longer articles and write coherent short essays.
Teaching elements:
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Vocabulary expansion: society, technology, environment-related words.
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Advanced grammar: explore more complex sentences.
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Comprehensive training: build further listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
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Cultural knowledge: introduction to modern Chinese culture & social phenomena.
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Presentation skill: present with analysis & argument.
Class duration: 75 minutes, weekly following school semester (2 years).
Small groups: each class has a maximum of 6 students, permitting dedicated guidance, interactive discussion and debate within the group.
Support from family: encourage children to practice daily conversations, listen to Chinese audiobooks, and participate in cultural activities. This helps turn learning into practical use, reinforcing their skills and creating a supportive, immersive environment for language growth.
Our courses for smooth transition & adult learners.
[BRIDGING] Smooth transition to next level +
FAST TRACK APPROACH (SEMI-PRIVATE)
Course objectives: to support both children and adults in transitioning smoothly into next level of Chinese language learning, whether it is for joining the next level group class or simply advancing to next level.
Teaching elements: based on an initial assessment of each learner's proficiency, we customize the course content to strengthen core skills in pronunciation, comprehension, and communication, while addressing any learning gaps. This semi-private course features interactive conversation practice, storytelling with visual aids, role-playing, and presentation activities. Our approach ensures learners master key Mandarin concepts, grammar, and sentence structures, empowering them to apply their knowledge with confidence.
Class duration: 90 minutes, held weekly following the school semester (6-12 months.
Small groups: each special transition group accommodates 2-4 learners, ensuring intensive personalized attention, active participation, and individualized guidance.
Support from Family: given the intensity of the tailored learning contents, family's active involvement and engagement are keys to helping learners catch up quickly. Dedicating time at home to reinforce what is learned in class is crucial for filling any gaps and accelerating progress. We invite learners and family to participate in various cultural activities and engage in opportunities practicing Mandarin, fostering an immersive experiential learning environment.
[ADULTS] Learning Chinese can be fun!
PRACTICAL - EXPERIENTIAL - EASY TO ABSORB
Course Objectives: our Chinese language program for adult learners are from beginner to expert levels with focus on developing core skills in pronunciation, comprehension, communication, and cultural understanding. The program equips learners to engage in real-life conversations, express opinions, and understand Mandarin at varying levels of complexity.
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Level 1: focuses on basic pinyin, essential vocabulary, and simple grammar to introduce themselves and engage in basic conversations.
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Level 2: further builds on and expands vocabulary and improving grammar to facilitate simple communication about daily life.
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Level 3: emphasizes fluency in more complex topics like hobbies, work, and travel.
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Level 4: masters advanced grammar, expands vocabulary, and reaches conversational fluency.
Teaching Elements: include a variety of engaging teaching methods, including guided dialogues, interactive role-playing, storytelling with visual aids, and real-life language practice. Learners will expand their vocabulary and apply it in context through listening and speaking exercises, while also focusing on sentence structures and grammar. At higher levels, learners will be encouraged to engage in more advanced conversations, read and write longer texts, and explore deeper aspects of Chinese culture. The classes are designed to ensure learners have fun, feel confident at each stage, progressing at their own pace with personalized guidance and focused attention.
Class duration: 120 minutes, weekly (6 months to 2 years for a level).
Small Groups: each class has a 4-6 learners, giving dedicated guidance, interactive discussion and active participation for each learner.
We create an immersive Mandarin-speaking environment enriched with
Chinese culture through the following activities and experiences.
REGULAR COURSES
CAMPS
WEEKEND
WORKSHOPS
CHILD-PARENT
ACTIVITIES
CULTURAL FESTIVES
& PARTIES
AFTER-SCHOOL
CLUBS
If you have any question or would like to have a trial class.
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