| Parents in America are increasingly supporting the | | | | global affairs that allows for Westerners to |
| choice for their children to learn Chinese. They are | | | | understand the impact China is having on the |
| aware of the rise in China’s economic | | | | world. Beijing not only successfully hosted the |
| development, and understand that their child will | | | | 2008 Olympics but has also saturated the press |
| have the best opportunity to conduct business | | | | with their constant medal wins. Both these points |
| when they are older, after they graduate, by | | | | are critical for the internal image of China as well |
| being able to speak Mandarin and learn to write | | | | as how the world views the nation. |
| Chinese. | | | | There used to be a time when learning another |
| In the study of Mandarin Chinese, students attain | | | | language was good for only certain careers. |
| much more than just focus on words, grammar | | | | Today, parents realize that familiarity of other |
| and character writing – they also gain more of | | | | cultures, including learning a second language, is |
| a global attitude. It has been assessed that | | | | important regardless of the career due to the |
| children in their elementary years who learn the | | | | globalization of the economy. In a globalized |
| Chinese language have expanded their intercultural | | | | workplace, there are multi-national employees that |
| views. There has also been a direct correlation in | | | | come together to bring an expanded vision of |
| China’s growing role in global affairs and the | | | | ideas for the marketplace. Parents are realizing |
| availability of Chinese language studies offered in | | | | that their children will be working in a team made |
| schools. | | | | up of ethnically diverse people and will need to |
| While it’s important to note the growing | | | | expand their knowledge of world cultures in order |
| number of Chinese companies hitting the | | | | to stand the competition. |
| headlines, it is China’s relevancy in various | | | | |