Chinese
Do you want to communicate with people all over the world? Then Chinese is the choice for you. Chinese is the language of nearly a quarter of the world's population. Speakers of Chinese not only live in China, Taiwan, and Singapore, but are also spread throughout Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe, where large Chinese communities have settled. Chinese people today have been playing increasingly important roles worldwide.
Do you want to find out more about one of the most ancient cultures in the world? Then Chinese is the choice for you. Learning Chinese is an extraordinary and agreeable experience through which you can lose yourself in a different culture. Unlike most languages, Chinese has a unique writing system, its characters are works of art. The grammatical structure of Chinese is not only logical and practical but also relates to the Chinese way of thinking. Knowledge of the written language opens up the culture of one of the world's oldest civilizations.
Do you want to explore Philosophy? Then Chinese is the choice for you. Traditional Chinese culture, from Confucianism and Chan Buddhism to martial arts and Chinese cuisine, has an enormous influence on East and Southeast Asian nations. Chinese culture has greatly inspired western explorers and writers, from Marco Polo, G. W. Leibniz, Max Weber, Franz Kafka, Andre Malraux, Bertolt Brecht, Ezra Pound, and Luis Borges.
Do you want to have an adventure in the Far East? Then Chinese is the choice for you. China is the third largest country in the world, which not only has a breath-taking variety of natural landscapes but also hosts several wonders of the world from The Great Wall to the Terracotta Army.
Do you want to pursue a top career in the newest and fastest growing globalised economy? Then opt for Chinese. The People's Republic of China currently boasts the fastest growing economy in the world and set to become the biggest global market in the twenty-first century. Proficient speakers of Mandarin Chinese find jobs in various fields such as business, government, international relations, information technology, tourism, education and translation. The possibilities in China make it perfect for entrepreneurs too.
The Chinese language is the fastest growing foreign language in many countries. Many of you may want to learn Chinese so you can work in or with China in the future; some of you want to learn Chinese for cultural reasons- because you are fascinated by the different ways that people live; some of you will choose Chinese because you are interested in languages. A few of you will learn Chinese just for a challenge, as it is considered one of the most difficult languages to learn. But really, Mandarin Chinese is not as difficult as you might think.
Whatever your reason, have a go! It's FUN!
Chinese is available to beginners in year nine a and b bands. It is sometimes available to continuers and we also try to offer Chinese in the Sixth form, either for beginners or continuers.