Learn Chinese at SFUSD Schools

There are many Chinese Dual Language Immersion programs available to San Francisco public school students, starting in Elementary School:

Why Bilingual Education?

Learning in two languages gives children more benefits than simply being able to communicate in another language. Research on bilingual education has found that learning and using multiple languages can strengthen cognitive skills such as problem-solving, attention, memory, and flexible thinking. Bilingual students also develop a deeper awareness of how language works, which can support the learning of additional languages later in life.

Becoming bilingual and biliterate opens doors. Students are able to communicate with more people, access information and perspectives in more than one language, and develop a deeper understanding of cultures beyond their own. Learning alongside classmates from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds helps students build curiosity, empathy, and an appreciation for the diverse communities around them.

What’s the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese?

Many families interested in Chinese immersion initially think of Mandarin. Cantonese immersion offers many of the same things families are looking for–bilingualism, Chinese literacy, cultural understanding, and a foundation for further Chinese language learning.

Although Cantonese and Mandarin sound different when spoken, they share a written language and a great deal of vocabulary and linguistic structure. Learning Cantonese provides a strong foundation for studying Mandarin in middle school, high school, or beyond.

What’s Chinese Dual Language Immersion?

DLI programs teach both English and Chinese to students starting in TK or K. They welcome both students already familiar with Chinese as well as complete beginners. Students learn both languages throughout their time in elementary school.

SFUSD also offers Cantonese Biliteracy, which is designed to help native Cantonese speakers learn English. It targets students whose home language is Cantonese as well as bilingual students who speak both English and Cantonese.