Princeton International Academy Charter School

Princeton International Academy: What is the Mission? To nurture and enable young people to acquire dual language fluency in Mandarin Chinese and English within the International Baccalaureate curriculum framework. To inspire and challenges its students to excel as inquisitive and compassionate young leaders through a rigorous, inquiry-based education program that fosters: > Academic, college-access, and career development > Ethical, emotional, linguistic, and social/cultural development > Physical development Princeton International Academy Charter School

Who are the founders? A diverse group of parents, teachers and administrators with a common belief: We can and must prepare our children to enter a global economy with new challenges and opportunities in the 21 st Century. Read the founders’ statements of interest at Princeton International Academy Charter School

The increasing importance of Asia, and specifically China The importance of achieving fluency Chinese is a Category 3 language Language immersion improves scores in other subjects Global standards for success Internationally-focused inquiry-based curriculum better prepares for a globalizing world Why PIACS? Princeton International Academy Charter School

Creating 21 st Century Schools Today’s high school students will graduate into a world very different from the one in which most of their parents and teachers grew up, due to rapid technological, economic and social changes across the globe. What kinds of skills are needed to prepare New Jersey’s students for success in college, in the workplace and as active citizens in the 21st century? What are New Jersey public schools doing to prepare students as critical thinkers and problem solvers who can effectively connect, collaborate and compete in today’s global society? To watch the Comm Davy’s podcast visit Princeton International Academy Charter School

The changing global landscape “ The world is changing at a rapid pace and our students lack the skills to succeed in the global knowledge economy. Our students are facing an education and ambition gap and they’re on the wrong side. This is not just an education issue, it’s also an economic issue, a civic issue, a social issue, a national security issue and it’s everybody’s issue.” - Margaret Spellings, Secretary of Education Princeton International Academy Charter School

“ Language learning is a long-term process; unfortunately there is no short-cut to acquiring fluency in a foreign tongue. It takes hard work, individual commitment, and the proper institutional support. We must ensure that we increase the supply line of students who have strong language skills.” - Rep. Rush Holt The importance of achieving fluency Princeton International Academy Charter School

“The American market has been so large that Americans have always known that the rest of the world would take the trouble to understand it and them. We have not had to reciprocate by learning foreign languages, cultures, and markets. Now that could leave America at a competitive disadvantage...Americans can only swim in one sea. They have never developed the ability to move into other people's worlds.” -Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World The importance of achieving fluency Princeton International Academy Charter School

Japanese GDP 19 Brazil Portugese GDP 26 French GDP 14 Latin Am Spanish GDP 35 Arabic GDP 14 Russian GDP 17 Indonesian GDP 17 German GDP 14 India Hindi + others GDP 88 Chinese China GDP Index= 129 Category 1 Languages (closely related to English) = 600 class hours Category 2 Languages (significant differences from English) = 1100 class hours US = 100 GDP Index in 2050 Class time required by native English speakers to reach professional reading (R3) and speaking (S3) proficiency (not including independent study time) Source: Foreign Service institute (US State Department) Category 3 Languages (exceptionally difficult) = 2200 class hours Source: PriceWaterhouse Coopers USA GDP in 2050 Index= 100 Princeton International Academy Charter School

“The U.S. is, ironically, kind of leading this movement of talking about the importance of 21st-century skills, but in terms of the classroom, we’re behind some of our competitors.” - Ronald E. Anderson, co-editor of Cross-National Policy and Practices in Technology Education Keeping pace in the 21 st Century Princeton International Academy Charter School

International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement In math and science disciplines Asian countries had the highest percentages of students reaching the advanced International Benchmark, representing fluency on items involving the most complex topics and reasoning skills. - Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS), 2007 Math: Median % of students at or above International Benchmark 60 countriesAsian countries 4 th Grade5%41% 8 th Grade2%43% Science: Median % of students at or above International Benchmark 60 countriesAsian countries 4 th Grade7%30% 8 th Grade3%25% For more information visit Global standards for success Princeton International Academy Charter School

Across the country, progressive school districts with track records of achievement are again raising their standards by adding dual language Mandarin-English immersion programs. For example: Starr King Elementary San Francisco, CA Pioneer Valley CharterHadley, MA (Amherst) Minnetonka PS276Minnetonka, MN Woodstock ElementaryPortland, OR Yu Ying Charter School (+ IB)Washington, DC Yinghua Academy CharterMinneapolis, MN Global Village Academy CharterAurora, CO (Denver) To learn more about dual language immersion in the US visit Keeping Pace in the 21 st Century Princeton International Academy Charter School

PIACS Curriculum: How do we get there? Two Unique Features of the PIACS Curriculum Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion International Baccalaureate Program Princeton International Academy Charter School

85% of PIACS students will score Proficient or Advanced on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) Language Arts Literacy tests for every grade level that the tests are administered to PIACS students. Researches show that immersion students may initially lag behind their counterparts in a monolingual setting on measures of English language proficiency. Longitudinal studies show that not only do immersion students catch up, but they also often surpass their monolingual peers both academically and linguistically. The nature of Mandarin Chinese also contributes to the initial lag of performance in English language arts literacy: Chinese is a tonal language with a logographic writing system, which is vastly different from a language such as English that is based on the Latin alphabet. Source: DoE Approved PIACS Charter, Part 1 Sec 2 (available at Academic Objectives: English Language Arts Princeton International Academy Charter School

95% of PIACS students will score Proficient or Advanced on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) Mathematics tests for every grade level that the tests are administered to PIACS students. PIACS will employ the most successful methods of teaching mathematics, such as Singapore Math, to ensure that students achieve the highest possible international standards, while meeting and exceeding state standards. Academic Objectives: Mathematics Princeton International Academy Charter School Source: DoE Approved PIACS Charter, Part 1 Sec 2 (available at

95% of students will demonstrate Chinese language acquisition with proficiency measured and documented throughout each year using norm-referenced assessment as the Early Language Learning Oral Proficiency Assessment (ELLOPA) (conducted in Chinese), the National Online Early Language Learning Assessment (NOELLA) (conducted in Chinese), language samples, storytelling/re-telling, observations, and teacher assessments.. Academic Objectives: Mandarin Language Arts Princeton International Academy Charter School Source: DoE Approved PIACS Charter, Part 1 Sec 2 (available at

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion What is “immersion”? Immersion programs are the most effective type of world language program currently available in U.S. schools. The target language is taught as a subject AND used as an instructional language. Most effective type of Immersion Program: Princeton International Academy Charter School

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion Immersion Model at PIACS: Kindergarten - 100% Mandarin Grade One - 90% Mandarin, 10% English (LA & reading) Grades Two and Three - 75% Mandarin, 25% English Grades Four and Five - 50% Mandarin, 50% English Princeton International Academy Charter School

Immersion vs. other language Programs Immersion Tonal language with logographic writing system - best suited for early immersion Simultaneous learning of culture and language High level of fluency Motivated Non-immersion Limited contact time (typically min. per lesson, 1 – 3 times per week) Taste of language and culture Not functional or fluent after a few years Motivation issue Immersion has been proven to be the most effective in language acquisition. Princeton International Academy Charter School

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion Academic/Educational Benefits Students achieve high level of functional proficiency in Chinese AND achieve academically at or above their non-immersion peers on standardized tests administered in English Schooled through Chinese, students acquire the language skills as well as the content knowledge without needing to allocate additional instructional time at the expense of other subject areas Effective model for third language children because it offers a learning environment that “levels the playing field” Princeton International Academy Charter School

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion Linguistic Benefits Contrary to concerns about the negative effect on English language development, immersion students demonstrate enhanced levels of English language skills and of metalinguistic awareness (knowledge about language) Bilingual students display greater facility in learning a third language than monolinguals Princeton International Academy Charter School

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion Cognitive Benefits Research has shown that immersion students have greater cognitive flexibility and nonverbal problem-solving than their monolingual counterparts. Socio-cultural Benefits Immersion students develop higher levels of intercultural sensitivity and demonstrate greater openness to members of the target culture relative to non-immersion. Princeton International Academy Charter School

Dual-Language Mandarin Immersion Two-way Immersion This model integrates English-speaking students and Chinese- speaking students in an academically challenging learning environment so that they learn from and with each other. For Chinese-speaking students, first language literacy and formal schooling through a child’s first language constitute key predictors of success in academic achievement and the development of academic English. Becoming bilingual and bicultural in a heritage language promotes positive ethnic identity development. Princeton International Academy Charter School

What are our language teaching techniques? Integrate language, content, and culture Promote continuous language growth and improve accuracy Make information understandable Create a rich language learning environment Communicate with the students clearly and effectively Provide opportunities to practice the language verbally Provide support for diverse learner needs Princeton International Academy Charter School

Internationally-focused Inquiry-based Curriculum Framework at PIACS Addresses all nine NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards: English Language Arts Literacy Mathematics Science Social Studies World Languages Visual and Performing Arts Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Technology & 21 st Century Life and Careers Five components are emphasized within all content areas: Princeton International Academy Charter School

Internationally-focused Inquiry-based Curriculum Framework at PIACS Five components are emphasized within all content areas: Concepts Knowledge Skills Attitudes Action Princeton International Academy Charter School

- Character Education IB Learner’s profile Inquirers Thinkers Communicators Risk takers Knowledgeable Reflective Well-balanced Open-minded Caring Principled Traditional Curriculum No systematic guidelines Teachers base character education on their own values Princeton International Academy Charter School

IB vs. Traditional Curriculum - Professional development IB Teachers have weekly planning meetings both by grade level and content area Teachers of all subjects support and complement each other to deliver an integrated curriculum Traditional schools Teachers are independent (teaching behind closed doors). Teachers of different grade levels and subjects do not regularly or systematically communicate with one another. Princeton International Academy Charter School

IB vs. Traditional Curriculum - Depth vs. width IB Framework Six units of inquiry Interconnectedness of knowledge (Example: unit on construction) Inquiry process and tools, critical thinking skills (how conduct in- depth research on a given topic) Relate projects to life outside the classroom/Perform community services related to new learning Traditional Curriculum “Mile long and inch deep” Knowledge segmentation Lack of conceptual understanding and deep connection of knowledge Test driven Princeton International Academy Charter School

Questions: How will learning subjects in Chinese affect my child’s English language and literacy development? We speak Chinese at home. How will spending the majority of the school day in Chinese affect my child’s English development? Will my child become proficient in the second language? How long will that take? What can I do to support my child’s immersion experience if I don’t speak Chinese? What about his/her homework? Princeton International Academy Charter School

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