More Chinese spoken here
ACTON - Virginia Taylor's two daughters are Chinese, but neither can speak the language of the country where they were born.
Taylor is hoping to change that, now that Acton-Boxborough Regional High School has become one of the latest public schools in Massachusetts to offer Chinese as part of its foreign language curriculum.
Taylor, who adopted her daughters, now 13 and 9, when they were infants in China, is part of a parent group that had been lobbying the school district to offer a language other than the Western languages currently offered: French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin.
"It's important to offer this, not just for the kids like mine but because it's so much of where the future is with so many opportunities," she said.
"Without the language, they won't be able to participate in that."
Other communities northwest of Boston that already offer Chinese include Belmont, Concord, and Lexington.
At Acton-Boxborough, funding for the program is included in the district's budget for next year, and students have the choice of signing up for Chinese in the fall. Taylor's oldest daughter plans to enroll.
School officials hope many children will take advantage of the opportunity.
"We are here to help prepare kids for the future and a global society, and, looking at the world language program, it is not as forward-looking as it could be," said Xuan Kong, a member of the Acton Public School Committee and a Chinese immigrant. "China has become a world power and has a very rich history. It's an aspect of the world that's important for children to learn."
Claire Dix, chairwoman of the high school's world languages department, said the addition of a language of critical need has been in the works for several years, and she is excited that her vision is taking shape.
Until two years ago, the district offered only Spanish and French. Since then, Italian and Latin have been added, and next year Chinese will be a part of the curriculum. So far, more than 60 students have signed up.
Dix said she conducted a survey last year in which junior high students were asked their preference among languages not offered. She said Latin and Chinese topped the list.
"We know we need to put in another global language," Dix said. "It's very exciting."
Superintendent William Ryan said that although Chinese will be offered only at the high school next year, it could be offered at the junior high as early as the year after.
The federal government has determined that there is a critical need to increase the number of Americans who learn certain foreign languages, including Arabic, Chinese, and Russian.
Parents have been pushing to get Chinese offered at the high school and junior high because they see it as an important opportunity for their children.
Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.
