At SCSDEF, we believe that education is not just about teaching; it’s about creating experiences that inspire and engage students to become lifelong learners. This belief comes to life through dedicated educators like Jinfeng Dong at Big Picture Learning, whose innovative teaching methods continue to raise the bar for student engagement and learning outcomes.

Jinfeng Dong, a passionate and visionary educator, was recently awarded a grant by SCSDEF to support unique and impactful educational initiatives. Her project aims to open up new pathways for students to explore language and culture using beginner-level Chinese picture books, interactive learning activities, and community-centered collaborations.

The SCSDEF grant funds were allocated to purchase beginner-level Chinese picture books for use in Ms. Dong’s Chinese Level 1 classes. These books are far from ordinary; they feature Chinese characters, Pinyin, side-by-side translations, and engaging illustrations to make language learning accessible and fun.

Picture books are integrated into classroom activities such as group and individual reading sessions. This enables students to build a strong foundation in vocabulary and sentence structures. Activities like examining the book cover, analyzing illustrations, creating story summaries, and retelling stories foster creativity and reinforce language comprehension.

Students are encouraged to express their learning creatively by drawing their favorite scenes from the books or summarizing stories in their own words. These hands-on projects make learning immersive and enjoyable while deepening their understanding of Chinese culture and language.

The impact of the grant goes beyond Jinfeng’s classroom. It has also opened doors for collaboration between her students and adult ENL learners from a local education center.

Both groups participate in read-aloud sessions, discussion circles, and collaborative learning activities. For instance, Jinfeng’s students teach basic Chinese phrases to adult ENL learners while practicing communication skills in Chinese and English. These interactions foster mutual understanding, confidence, and a sense of community among learners from diverse backgrounds. By collaborating, students and adults are empowered to support one another on their respective language-learning journeys.

Jinfeng’s approach highlights the incredible versatility of picture books as tools for introducing language learners of all ages to a new culture and language. Through visually engaging and carefully curated stories, students found learning to be approachable and rewarding. Furthermore, the integration of picture books into collaborative projects demonstrated how education can extend beyond the classroom, fostering real-world skills like language fluency, teamwork, and cultural empathy.

From enhanced comprehension skills to cross-cultural connections, this initiative has left a lasting impact on everyone involved. It’s inspiring to see how something as simple as a picture book can open up a world of possibilities for language learners.