Huanying, Cheng & Tsui’s Chinese curriculum designed for secondary schools, was developed in accordance with ACTFL National Standards to meet the growing need for high-school materials. Set in an international school in Shanghai, Huanying's storyline follows the lives of a diverse group of students, both at school and at home to embed extensive language practice in a meaningful context. Huanying engages students in interactive and integrated language practice through fun and meaningful activities, contemporary topics that appeal to secondary school students, a full-color textbook design, and additional resources that will reduce teacher preparation time and allow teachers to focus on teaching.  The four-volume series covers four years of instruction at the secondary school level, and is perfect for pre-AP* and AP* Preparation.

Huanying is organized around topics that are essential to everyday communication, such as greetings, family, common items, dates and times, transportation, food and drink, and school. Volumes 1 and 2 each contain six units; Volumes 3 and 4 have four units. Each unit has five new lessons and one review lesson. Volumes 1 and 2 introduce approximately 500 essential vocabulary terms each, while Volume 3 introduces over 400 words. In addition, Volume 1 includes about 150 supplementary words and Volume 2 includes about 300 supplementary words. Volumes 3 and 4 have around 200 supplementary words each. Huanying’s simple, yet systematic, language notes introduce students to accurate and natural use of the language. Activities in the corresponding Huanying workbooks are skill-integrated, meaning nearly all exercises involve two or more language skills; this structure mirrors real-life usage and helps improve students’ overall language proficiency.

 Huanying contains the perfect mix of ingredients to ensure that the students’ learning experience is continuously intertwined with the “5-Cs” of foreign language learning—communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities—as established by the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. The Huanying series contains a wealth of cultural information, exposing students to modern Chinese life while giving them an important grounding in Chinese idioms, legends, and traditions. By starting with a communicative approach and combining it with carefully crafted activities that embed repetitive language practice in a meaningful context, the authors of Huanying have created a practical and fun learner-centered experience for secondary school students.