Songs, games and iPads help children learn Chinese

Some liked the spring rolls, others the origami. Then there were the students who liked learning tai chi.

Whatever their likes, all 67 students attending Chinese Language Summer Camp at Shields Elementary agreed they left with more knowledge of China and its language than when they arrived.

"I'm thinking about being a Chinese translator after college," said Jonah A. Moore, 11, of Milton.

This was his second year attending the camp, and he said he had a blast during the two-week immersion program.

Funded through StarTalk – a federally funded language program with ties to the National Foreign Language Service Center at University of Maryland and the National Security Agency – the program provided two lead teachers with 10 assistants who were earning teaching experience in the process.

The kindergarten through fifth-grade students used video, slideshows, iPads and games to learn the Chinese language.

"In our global economic competitive world today, it's important that our children learn other languages to communicate and be productive," said Lori Roe, StarTalk director and instructional technology specialist for Cape Henlopen School District.

Students received a special visitor Aug. 2, when Gov. Jack Markell stopped by to check on their progress.

"If you can speak Chinese well, it would be so much easier for you to get a job," he said. "Businesses want employees who speak more than one language."

Those words of advice in English were the few the students heard all day. Once the governor left, it was back to Chinese-only.

Lead teacher ChiaChyi Chiu teaches Chinese at St. Andrew's prep school in Middletown and said she enjoys teaching the younger students.

"I want them to feel like they can do it," she said.

And for the Gale siblings of Lewes that's exactly how they feel.

"I go home and practice the songs and how to say the different sea animals," said Harrison Gale, 11, who attended the camp for the third year along with his brother Hunter and sister, Teagan.

"The teachers are nice and the food is good," he said.

So good, Harrison said he wants to be a chef, maybe at a Chinese restaurant someday.

Egg roll anyone?