Northwest Chinese Academy | Asia Society Skip to main content
  • Back to asiasociety.org
  • Professional Development
    • National Chinese Language Conference
    • Teachers Institute
    • Chinese Teacher Leadership Program
    • Global Ed Explorer
    • Online Courses
    • Training and Consulting Services
  • Educator Resources
    • Teaching Resources Hub
    • TEQ Online
    • TEQ Videos
    • Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network
    • Chinese Language Matters Newsletter
    • Teaching for Global Understanding
  • Our Ideas
    • Publications
    • Recent Articles
    • What is Global Competence?
  • About China Learning Initiatives
    • Advisory Committee
  • About the Center for Global Education
    • Who We Are
    • Where We Work
    • Results and Opportunities
    • News and Events
leo icon China Learning Initiatives
Search
asiasociety.org Connect
China Learning Initiatives
Search
  • Professional Development
    • National Chinese Language Conference
    • Teachers Institute
    • Chinese Teacher Leadership Program
    • Global Ed Explorer
    • Online Courses
    • Training and Consulting Services
  • Educator Resources
    • Teaching Resources Hub
    • TEQ Online
    • TEQ Videos
    • Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network
    • Chinese Language Matters Newsletter
    • Teaching for Global Understanding
  • Our Ideas
    • Publications
    • Recent Articles
    • What is Global Competence?
  • About China Learning Initiatives
    • Advisory Committee
  • About the Center for Global Education
    • Who We Are
    • Where We Work
    • Results and Opportunities
    • News and Events

  • Teaching Resources Hub
  • TEQ Online
  • TEQ Videos
  • Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network
    • Staff and Advisors
    • Student Program Directory
    • Teacher Program Directory
    • Program Profiles, K–12
    • Program Profiles, Preschool
    • CELIN Briefs
    • Resources for Educators
    • Resources for Parents
    • Ask the Experts
    • Language Learning Supporters
    • CELIN Webinars
    • CELIN Connection
    • CELIN Blog
  • Chinese Language Matters Newsletter
  • Teaching for Global Understanding
    • Classroom Profiles and Case Studies
    • Background Reading on Asia
    • Mapping the Nation

Northwest Chinese Academy

Second grade: students enjoy time together. (Biyi Li)
Students perform a social dance at the Lan Su Chinese Garden. (Chao Liu)
Students perform a song and dance at the Lan Su Chinese Garden. (John Payne)
Students demonstrate scientific experiments at the annual science fair. (NWCA staff/parent)
Enlarge Hide captions

Northwest Chinese Academy

Serves students in grades Pre-K–5, with a part-time middle school extension program
www.nwchineseacademy.org

Program Description

The Northwest Chinese Academy (NWCA), in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, is proud to offer a 90/10 model of Mandarin language immersion education. Dr. Shuhan Wang, CELIN Project Director and President of ELE Consulting International, says that NWCA students “demonstrate high oral language and literacy skills in the Chinese language, one of the highest that I have observed among many Chinese immersion schools in the United States.”

Founded in July 2008, under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Binny Arcot, NWCA opened its doors in September, 2008, with 20 students and 6 teachers, and has stayed true to its small-school community roots ever since. The school mission is: “To set the standard of excellence in immersion education.”

NWCA’s Early Education Program has two classes for students in preschool (starting at age 3). Students are fully immersed in Chinese language and culture through music, art, games, songs, stories, and plays. Students participate in an English Language Arts Program tailored to their level then spend the remaining 90% of their day immersed in Mandarin. For the youngest learners, there is an emphasis on active, hands-on learning taught in a developmentally appropriate Chinese immersion setting.

NWCA’s Elementary School program encourages personal growth while also ensuring a high level of academic achievement and language fluency. Kindergarten through 5th grade students spend an average of 85% of their day listening to, reading, and speaking Mandarin Chinese. In addition, NWCA is the only local school that offers a daily Study Hall Hour, included in the tuition, where students without exposure to Mandarin at home can get an additional hour of support in Mandarin Chinese.

NWCA’s Middle School Extension Program offers middle school students an opportunity to continue their Mandarin language skills in Chinese Language Arts, Conversation, and Social Studies under the 90% immersion model. The school’s proficiency targets set a goal of fifth grade students reaching the ACTFL Intermediate mid to Intermediate high levels in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Mission and Goals

NCWA’s mission is to set the standard of excellence in immersion education and to foster the total development and highest potential of each individual child. Educators teach every subject—including art, music, and PE—in Mandarin. The only exception is English literacy. Every student is encouraged to interact in age-appropriate Mandarin Chinese at all times. Children are recognized as active learners and are engaged in their learning through curiosity about their global community.

NWCA’s Goals

  • Academic and Scholarly Excellence: All students are performing above grade level in various subject matters, engaged in their learning, and contributing positively to the community.
  • Full Mandarin Immersion: To get students to high levels of proficiency in listening, speaking, writing, and reading Mandarin in an environment in which Chinese language and culture are used and practiced.
  • Whole Child: Students are joyful, empowered, creative, critical thinkers and responsible, self-confident citizens.
  • Culture: Students are globally competent. The heart of culture is accessed through language acquisition.
  • Community: NWCA is a caring community of students, parents, teachers, and administrators working toward a common goal.

Partnerships

Academy students are well-known in Oregon for their contributions to the community through the sharing of Chinese language and culture. NWCA currently has partnerships with Portland-based Lan Su Chinese Gardens, where students perform Chinese songs and dance as well as participate in workshops about Chinese culture. A new partnership with Portland State University has allowed NWCA teachers to receive technology training.

Academy students have introduced preschoolers at the local libraries and preschools to beginning Chinese and have presented Chinese culture to the Beaverton, Portland, Salem, and surrounding communities through specially tailored performances. They have brought joy to community elders by sharing Chinese New Year festivities with them and have been honored with the opportunity to sing the Chinese National Anthem at the Chinese Garden during the New Year celebrations.

In 2015, NWCA students spent several days visiting Zhongguancun No.1 Primary School (中关村第一小学) in Beijing during the school’s bi-annual trip to China.

In its short history, Northwest Chinese Academy has established itself as a premier learning institution and is proud of its dedication to immersion education and academic excellence. The school looks forward to identifying new opportunities for young leaders to build a bridge between "the East and the West."

Program Highlights

  • 90/10 model of Mandarin immersion throughout preschool to Grade 5
  • Specialized learning materials from People's Education Press (人教版小学课本), a proven Beijing curriculum, which NWCA modified for U.S. students learning Mandarin
  • STAMP4se (Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency) exam administered to 2nd–5th grade students
  • Technology-rich learning environment
  • Small class size (7:1 student-to-teacher ratio)
  • Advanced English literacy curriculum starting in pre-school
  • Language, education, and culture-focused bi-annual trips to China

Learn More about NWCA

NWCA's Story
Focus on Our Future
A Story about My School

Program Contact

Martha A. Ortiz, Head of School, admissions@nwchineseacademy.org

Other Featured Program Profiles

First-graders holding the Chinese Spring couplet on the Lunar New Year day
profile

Maryknoll School

Maryknoll School is the largest K–12 Catholic, co-educational institution in Hawaii. The school follows a 50/50 immersion model for students in grades K–3, with 50% of student instruction in Mandarin and 50% in English.
Proud students at the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade
profile

West County Mandarin School

West County Mandarin School is a public Mandarin immersion school in Richmond, California. The school currently serves students in K–3 (soon to Grade 8). The school follows a 50/50 immersion model in all grades.
Students from Sister School in China visit Logansport High School
profile

Logansport Community School Corporation

Logansport Community School Corporation (LCSC) is located in Logansport, Indiana, and serves approximately 4,200 students in Kindergarten through grade 12.
Students are immersed in Mandarin in the classroom
profile

Batesville Community School Corporation

The Batesville Community School Corporation in Indiana began in 2016 with kindergarten classes. It has expanded to 50/50 Mandarin immersion through Grade 4, and will add one grade each year until classes are offered through Grade 12.
Mandarin literacy Grade 4
profile

HudsonWay Immersion School

HudsonWay is a preschool through Grade 7 Mandarin and Spanish immersion program in Stirling, New Jersey and Midtown West, New York City. The school now serves over 200 students and plans to expand to Grade 8 in 2021.
Kindergarten students enjoying a book together.
profile

Pine Street School

Pine Street School is a Green Ivy School in New York City. It serves 170 students from nursery school (age 2) to Grade 8 in an International Baccalaureate program. Instruction is 50-60% Mandarin immersion.

Pagination

  • Current page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Page 7
  • Page 8
  • Page 9
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

All Program Profiles

Working with a student (Portland Public Schools)

Program Profiles, K–12

Profiles of specific K–12 early language and immersion programs.
  • Teaching Resources Hub
  • TEQ Online
  • TEQ Videos
  • Chinese Early Language and Immersion Network
    • Staff and Advisors
    • Student Program Directory
    • Teacher Program Directory
    • Program Profiles, K–12
    • Program Profiles, Preschool
    • CELIN Briefs
    • Resources for Educators
    • Resources for Parents
    • Ask the Experts
    • Language Learning Supporters
    • CELIN Webinars
    • CELIN Connection
    • CELIN Blog
  • Chinese Language Matters Newsletter
  • Teaching for Global Understanding
    • Classroom Profiles and Case Studies
    • Background Reading on Asia
    • Mapping the Nation

Navigating Shared Futures

Visit Us

  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas

Global Network

  • Australia
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, DC

Resources

  • Arts
  • Asia Blog
  • ChinaFile
  • Current Affairs
  • Education
  • For Kids
  • Policy
  • Video

Shop

  • AsiaStore

Initiatives

  • Arts & Museum Summit
  • Asia 21 Young Leaders
  • Asia Arts Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Game Changer Awards
  • Asia Society Museum: The Asia Arts & Museum Network
  • Asia Society Policy Institute
  • Center for Global Education
  • Center on U.S.-China Relations
  • China Learning Initiatives
  • Coal + Ice
  • Creative Voices of Muslim Asia
  • Global Cities Education Network
  • Global Learning Beyond School
  • Global Talent Initiatives
  • Int'l Studies Schools Network
  • U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit
  • U.S.-China Dialogue
  • U.S.-China Museum Summit

About Asia Society

  • Mission & History
  • Our People
  • Become a Member
  • Career Opportunities
  • Corporate Involvement

Connect

  • Email Signup
  • For the Media

©2021 Asia Society | Privacy Statement | Accessibility | About AsiaSociety.org | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap | Contact

Asia Society takes no institutional position on policy issues and has no affiliation with any government.
The views expressed by Asia Society staff, fellows, experts, report authors, program speakers, board members, and other affiliates are solely their own. Learn more.

 

 

  • Visit Us
  • Hong Kong
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Global Network
  • Australia
  • India
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Northern California
  • Philippines
  • Southern California
  • Switzerland
  • Washington, DC