Mandarin Chinese is the official language of China. It is the most extensively spoken language in the world. More than 1.4 billion people use Mandarin as their first language. Mandarin speakers are in high demand both in public and private sectors. Speaking Mandarin is invaluable in the fields of politics, economics, journalism, healthcare, social services, ministry, and more. It is particularly useful in our own Bay Area with its diverse population.

Please note that both the US Foreign Service Institute and the Defense Language Institute categorize Chinese as a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages says that it takes 4 times longer for students studying Chinese to achieve the same level of proficiency as students studying Level 1 languages (Spanish, French, Latin, etc.). Students selecting Chinese courses may need to take into account additional study time to achieve success.

Additional practical guidance: VCHS homework limits include 30 minutes of outside work per standard class meeting and 60 minutes of outside work per honors/AP class meeting. Based on the ACTFL estimates, students with little or no exposure to Mandarin prior to enrollment might expect 2-4 hours of outside work per class meeting.