Mundelein High may offer innovative Chinese course

Mundelein High School students could take Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language class next year under a proposal reviewed by the school board Tuesday night.

Although Mandarin Chinese is becoming more popular as a language class throughout the Chicago area, the course under consideration at Mundelein High isn't a typical classroom effort. It would be almost entirely taught online.

The program is called myChinese360 and is led by certified teachers in China, according to the organization's Web site, mychinese360.com.

It consists of three components, each of which is optional: online classes with live teachers; live online tutoring; and an immersive, virtual world.

(That's) really what our students would consider gaming, in some ways," Principal Lauren Fagel said of the third feature. They create avatars and explore Beijing."

As for the online classes, Mundelein students could find themselves in a video-based class with teens from around the world, Fagel said.

The license fee for myChinese360 is $600 per student for each semester. The school would cover the cost, Fagel said. A minimum number of students is not required.

Board members asked a few questions about the program, but did not vote.

Stevenson High, New Trier and Glenbrook South are among the suburban high schools offering Chinese as a language course. So do some elementary and middle schools, including those in Arlington Heights District 25 and Barrington Unit District 220. Some schools have been able to fund the efforts with grant money.