OPRFHS Chinese

中文

Overview

The Mandarin Chinese language program at Oak Park River Forest High School is a favorite among students. They gain a strong sense of camaraderie with their teacher and each other thanks to fun field trips, interesting cultural club activities, and the possibility of international travel. A number of graduates go on to study Chinese in college. And did you know -- many colleges require applicants to have completed two or three years of foreign language study, and most top schools highly recommend or require four years.

Why study Chinese?

  • China is one of the world’s oldest and richest continuous cultures, over 5,000 years old.

  • One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese. Mandarin Chinese is the mother tongue of over 873 million people, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world.

  • China is the second largest economy in the world, and is one of largest trading partners of the United States.

  • Many US companies do business in China and have long-term investments there.

WhY Do OPRF Students take Chinese?

"It is a great opportunity to learn a completely different language and culture. And it looks great on college apps."

"I chose Chinese because the language's economic and geopolitical significance could come in handy for my career path."

"I also think Chinese is very elegant and artistic, which offers a unique change from English's monotonous patterns."

Not Difficult... Just Different!

  • No verb conjugation or tenses

  • No gender for objects

  • Characters composed of common brushstrokes‐ not random

  • Has supporting pronunciation system using the alphabet (pinyin)

  • Appeals to the artist within: calligraphy, tonal speaking

  • A new way of using your brain!

What OPRFHS Chinese program offers

  • Four years of instruction in Mandarin Chinese

  • School sponsored trips to Taiwan and China every two years

  • Field trips to Chinatown every semester

  • Chinese Cultural Society - social club opens to all students

  • National Chinese Honor Society Awards

  • Annual speech contests of Great Lake Area



"Chinese offered a different experience than any other language, and helped me get in touch with my roots."

LEARN MORE

Want to learn more about the impact of studying Chinese? Check out these articles: