George Street Normal School pupils will get an opportunity to show off their new-found Mandarin vocabularies later this year when a group from China visits the school.
Acting principal Anne Robertson said the school was offering optional introductory Mandarin language classes to pupils as young as 5 during their lunch break once a week, in a bid to expand their understanding of different cultures and ethnicities.
Mrs Robertson said the school's roll had pupils from a range of countries, and many were already bilingual or multilingual.
''We recognise the importance of knowing other languages.''
She said participating children were being taught simple phrases and greetings, how to count, how to ask questions and how to introduce themselves, not only in Mandarin, but French and Spanish as well.
Mandarin classes had attracted about 15 pupils, aged 5-10, and Mrs Robertson expected the class size to grow.
She said the school was fortunate to have a parent at the school, Xuan Luo, who was a Chinese language teacher.
Pupils were thriving in the classes, Mrs Robertson said.
''Children are not inhibited by being worried about what it sounds like. Everyone has a go and they have a lot of fun in the lessons.
''Introducing it at a primary level creates a readiness for the children learning it at a later stage in their education.''
Mrs Robertson said technology had made the world a much smaller and more closely connected place, and being able to speak fluently in Mandarin, Spanish or French could be a major advantage later in life.
Pupils at the school would no doubt realise the value of their new-found Mandarin language skills in July this year, when a group from China visited the school, she said.
''It will be great to be able to communicate with them.''
