St. Louis Language Immersion School Announces Teachers for New Chinese Pre-K Program
SLLIS Receives $380,000 Grant to Expand Pre-K Offerings
St. Louis, Mo. (May 8, 2025) St. Louis Language Immersion School (SLLIS) is expanding its Pre-K program to include Chinese language immersion in the fall of 2025, allowing children as young as 4 to start learning a second language in the City of St. Louis.
SLLIS received a $380,000 federal grant to expand its Pre-K, which will include the addition of a French Pre-K class the following year. With the 2025-26 school year just around the corner, SLLIS recently announced Ziyuan Wen will be joining the school as the new Pre-K Chinese teacher. Wen said early exposure to the Chinese language is crucial in developing speaking skills and will serve as a vital base for students as they continue to grow into the future.
“I am committed to integrating real-life scenarios and problem-solving into our curriculum, enabling students to apply their knowledge meaningfully and develop independence,” Wen said. “By immersing them in a language-rich environment through storytelling, songs and interactive activities, we aim to enhance their phonological awareness and intuitive grasp of the language.”
SLLIS uses a dual language immersion model from Pre-K through eighth grade, meaning students learn their subjects in two languages, English and then a target language of Chinese, French or Spanish. Carmen Cochran, who will join the school as a teaching assistant in the new Chinese Pre-K classroom, said SLLIS sees the magic in cultural connections.
“As a foreigner learning Chinese, the language and culture have had a huge impact on my life,” Cochran said. “It has opened so many doors for me, and I’ve benefited so much from experiencing the traditions. I am happy that I can play a role in passing those opportunities to the next generation in a Pre-K classroom. A key cornerstone of preschool curriculum is to help kids develop relationships and be a part of a community.”
SLLIS Superintendent Dr. Meghan Hill said the school has seen an increased demand for families interested in their kids learning a second language. Studies have shown that the earlier a child starts learning a second language, the easier it will be for them to grasp, and the SLLIS Pre-K program will only improve students’ abilities.
About St. Louis Language Immersion School
St. Louis Language Immersion School was founded in 2009 and is a charter school serving Pre-K through 8th grade to the City of St. Louis. The school provides students with a world-class, global, dual language immersion education in French, Spanish or Chinese, taught by native speakers. The one of a kind school was named the 2024 Best Public Charter School in Missouri and plays an essential role in the fabric of the St. Louis community. For more information, go to www.sllis.org.