Whether you're a preschool parent looking towards elementary school or a long-time Mandarin immersion family, this book will help explain how Mandarin immersion programs work and what you can expect from them. A Mandarin immersion parent herself, Elizabeth Weise gives families the background they need to make the most of the tremendous educational opportunity immersion represents. What the experts are saying: "Weise combines journalistic writing talents with a longstanding interest in Chinese language learning to offer current and prospective parents an engaging and informative guide to Mandarin immersion education in the U.S. This handbook serves as an excellent resource- chock full of news and information about how to get the most from your child's Mandarin immersion experience." Dr. Tara W. Fortune, Director, Immersion Projects, Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota "If you'd like to understand the dynamics of Chinese immersion education, look no further. Beth Weise is a prescient and astute guide through this often confusing and misunderstood world. Her book is required reading for parents, administrators, and practitioners-a major contribution to the field." Chris Livaccari, Chinese Program Director, International School of the Peninsula, Palo Alto, California "This book addresses issues of concern not only to parents but anyone involved in Chinese language education. It provides amazingly complete information and statistics about Chinese immersion programs. Painfully honest, it tells us about school and school district politics surrounding the implementation of these programs. Weise's insights make it a must-have guidebook for anyone interested in Chinese immersion." Dr. Christy Lao, Professor of Education and expert on second language acquisition at San Francisco State University, California Chapters include: A history of language immersion How Mandarin immersion works Immersion and your child's academic career Being bilingual is better Do they learn English? How much Chinese will they learn? Why schools choose Mandarin immersion Tips from parents Parent, student and school profiles