About Us

黎明中文學校是非營利事業團體,於一九九五年春創立。本校之教育宗旨在培養學生具備實用的中文能力,並藉由同儕互動和參與團隊活動,培養對中華文化特質之體認。本校建校的理想是:培育身心健全的子弟,鼓勵家長參與及提供和諧快樂的環境,使全校學生、老師、家長、工作人員能共同學習與成長。

本校行政組織由理事會負責遴選校長,校長帶領行政義工負責全校校務、人事及經費。本校校址位於 Rockville 市之 Richard Montgomery High School。每週日上課時間從上午十時到下午三時。一學年分兩學期,每學期上課十六週。語文部學生自三歲至十七歲,共開十九班,每星期上課兩個半小時。本學年度學生總數約三百人。

本校語文教學採用外語教學之「溝通式教學法」。以學生為中心,使學生能在實用的情境中實際應用並練習華語聽、說、讀、寫之各項能力。本校針對在美成長的華裔子弟,家中已有華語環境的獨特背景,設計各年級的課程。廣泛參考美國及其他國家海外華語教學教材。每年級教學至少有四大單元,各單元課程設計均考量學生生活方式,並配合學生年齡及語言環境。本校在聽、說教學上採用國語(普通話),在讀、寫教學上採用正體字,並以注音符號為輔助工具,並於高年級加學漢語拼音,以輔助中文電腦之學習與運用。

本校非常注重教師的職前及在職教育,以協助教師們認識並採用最新、最有效的教學方法。定期舉辦教師進修研討會,聘請本地華語教學專家指導。更鼓勵教師參加專業教師團體及研討會,以掌握第二語教學的最新進展及趨勢。本校並設有教學顧問團,禮聘外語教學、雙語教育、語言學及心理專家組成,就教師進修及課程發展提供建議。

本校為學生、家長及社區人士提供一系列課外活動課程。體育活動包括羽毛球及籃球等。文藝課程包括國畫、油畫、書法、太極拳、古箏、功夫、珠算、圍棋、剛柔拳、尊巴舞、紙黏土、針織、家長中文入門及青少年領袖計劃等。此外,另設有學生會、扯鈴、舞獅等學生社團,以培養學生領導能力,並訓練參加校外演出或競賽。

黎明中文學校立校二十餘年來,一貫的目標在於期望孩子們能在主流社會中兼顧雙語的能力,並且能體會雙文化優勢背景而引以為傲。全校行政義工及教師們無不兢兢業業、求精求進,努力邁向建校目標。本校歡迎志同道合的朋友及家庭加入我們的行列。

The Li-Ming Chinese Academy (LMCA) is a non-profit school established in the spring of 1995. The School aims to develop students’ proficiency in Chinese language and foster cultural awareness through classroom instruction, peer interaction and participation in team activities. LMCA was founded on these principles: nurture physical and emotional well-being of students; establish a participatory administrative system; and provide a harmonious environment where students, parents, teachers and staff can learn and grow together.

The School has a Board of Trustees, which selects and appoints the Principal. LMCA uses the facilities at the Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. School hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays. There are two semesters in each school year, comprising of 16 Sundays per semester. Classes are held for students in grades ranging from pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade. Current enrollment is about 300 students.

The LMCA language instructional program adopts the “communicative approach” for second language learners. It is a student-centered methodology, which enables the students to learn functional language in realistic situations. The School continues to develop a comprehensive curriculum from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, suited to those students with Chinese language environment at home. The curriculum draws upon a large collection of different Chinese language textbooks in the U.S. and other countries leading in Chinese language education. Four or more modules, centered around students’ experience and appropriate to students’ age and language background, are developed for each grade level.

The School teaches the Mandarin pronunciation in listening and speaking, the traditional Chinese characters in reading and writing, and uses the Chinese phonetics as an aid. Students in grades 8 and above will also learn the Pinyin system, and practice computer skills to improve their Chinese language proficiency. The School places major emphasis on teacher pre- and in-service training. All teachers attend periodic teacher training workshops conducted by leading educators in the field. In addition, teachers are encouraged to keep abreast of recent developments in second language teaching by participating in professional association activities and conferences. An Advisory Board consisting of experts in second language instruction, bilingual instruction, linguistics, and psychology advises teacher training and curriculum development efforts.

LMCA offers an array of extracurricular activities for students of all ages. Sports include badminton and basketball. Cultural classes include Chinese painting, oil painting, calligraphy, Tai-Chi, zither, Chinese Kung-Fu, calculation with abacus, Go game, Karate, Zumba, modeling clay, knitting, beginner Chinese tutoring, and Youth Leadership Program. In addition, there are several student clubs, e.g., Student Government Association, Chinese Yo-Yo, and lion dance, etc.

The School is managed by devoted volunteers and staffed by dedicated teachers. One major goal is for students to become bilingual and appreciate the advantages of being bi-cultural. LMCA welcomes interested individuals and families to join and work toward these goals.