[huchlee]

Dear all, thanks for all your sharing in the posts. I've been reading all of them.

We are from TW, and we are moving to HK for my husband's job in June.

My husband and me are Taiwanese, but both of us grow up in Argentina, and speak Spanish, Mandarin and English.

My husband is very stressed, because we are moving into HK, and he wants the normal kids attending International Schools, since it will be better to learn English instead Cantonese, but he is very afraid that our kids specially the oldest of 11 years old will not be accepted in the schools because her English is very basic. (Although I'm sure that she can pick up very quickly.... )

Our daughter of 11 years old learnt only Mandarin when she was baby, but when she went to Argentinean kindergarden it was hard for her to learn Spanish, so we stopped talking her in Mandarin, and let her learn only Spanish. When we came to Taipei, at her 6 ages, she only spoke Spanish and very fluently, understand absolutelly everything in Spanish. But after 3 months of arrival, she forgot all her Spanish, and learnt fastly to talk in Mandarin in the new kinder. After 5 years living in TW, she has now very good Mandarin level of reading and writing.

I am sure that she can learn very fastly a new language if she is in the environment, (and very fast to forget the old one too) so I only let her learn Mandarin in Taiwan, and never insisted too much about the English, hoping this way to consolidate her knowledge of Mandarin.

Right now we are moving into Hong Kong, we are not interested in learning Cantonese for the kids, but yes to start with English. My questions are:
1. Do the international schools accept kids like mine who only speaks Chinese but with Argentinean nationality?
2. Which schools do you recommend me to?
3. We first thought about CIS, but I read a lot of messages about spoiled brats there, so I'm considering the Kiangsu & Chekiang school, which I think that should be friendly for my daughter. But I do not know why my husband thinks that that school is not so good, and he does not want it...
4. If it is not the Kiangsu one, which Int School might be welcoming this kind of student like our daughter? I was considering also the Canadian. Do they accept kids who can not speak well in English?

The other school I have in mind is the Montessori International School. Do you have any opinion?

5. My second son is Severe Autistic and non verbal, but the tuition of English Speaking Therapy is not affordable for us, so we are considering going to a local special education school. Is the local school actually teaching in Chinese or in Cantonese?

Sorry for asking so many questions. Will appreciate a lot all your comments.

Thank you a lot!!

I PM'd you, so check your messages. I left you a phone number that may be useful for all of your kids...

[huchlee]

Thank you a lot!

[orrock]

Originally Posted by huchlee

4. If it is not the Kiangsu one, which Int School might be welcoming this kind of student like our daughter? I was considering also the Canadian. Do they accept kids who can not speak well in English?

your daughter would need to pass the CDNIS admissions test which requires students to have a level of English since it is an international school and soon to have the IB curriculum. even after passing the test you would be placed on a waiting list as the school is full.

[J-y!kes]

Why dont you try Delia school of Canada??
There are ESL students who doesnt speak English at all...
English as a Second Language...

You dont need any test to pass...