As the demand for globalised education continues to grow, how to build a bilingual teaching system that is both deep and coherent has become a major focus in the education sector. At the 3rd BLC Documentary and Conference held on 12 March 2026 at Yew Wah International Education School of Guangzhou, Ms Yu-Chin Ho and Ms Christina Pham, Curriculum Coordinators from YCIS Silicon Valley in the United States, presented a workshop titled “Intentional Curriculum Design: Aligning Standards, Bilingual Learning, and Student Outcomes.” They shared the school’s transformation journey over the past five years and its successful practices.

Reflecting on the Pain Points: Breaking Teachers out of “Parallel Worlds”

During the workshop, the two facilitators pointed out a common challenge in bilingual education. In the past, although two homeroom teachers worked on the same campus, English and Chinese teaching often operated as if they were running on “separate tracks.” Because the timetable was divided by language, teachers lacked sufficient time for effective communication and collaboration, resulting in a fragmented learning experience for students.

“If teachers remain only within their own comfort zones, bilingual project-based learning (PBL) is bound to fail,” Pham noted. This observation prompted the school to engage in deep reflection and structural reorganisation in the summer of 2022.
 

Three Key Pillars: Building a Collaborative Ecosystem

To achieve genuine bilingual integration, YCIS Silicon Valley implemented three core solutions:

1. Redesigning the timetable for quick coordination
The school changed its original seven-period day to an eight-period schedule, with each lesson lasting 40 minutes. At least one specialist class each day—such as Art, Music, or PE—was arranged so that the two homeroom teachers could free up time for daily Quick Check-ins, while also ensuring weekly collaborative planning time.
 

2. A comprehensive staff portal
To reduce the time teachers spent searching for teaching resources, login information, or administrative forms, the school created a one-stop K–8 Staff Portal. If teachers do not need to spend time looking for resources, they have more time to devote to teaching.
 

3. Live Working Docs
The team introduced Live Working Docs, enabling teachers to update lesson plans and teaching arrangements online in real time. Even when unexpected meetings or student support duties arose, teachers could stay aligned through a Ping & Update system, ensuring that no one fell behind in the teaching process.

Design Thinking: Connecting Learning with the Real World

Another key to YCIS Silicon Valley’s success was the introduction of the Design Thinking Model. From Research and Focus to Ideate and Prototype, this process not only empowers students to solve real-world problems, but also serves as a shared language for teachers when designing units of learning.

During the workshop, the presenters shared specific examples of practice. Grade 2 students studied the functions of structures and designed backpacks that were both practical and visually appealing, culminating in a “Backpack Fashion Show.” Grade 4 students explored human body systems and developed health trackers or public service advertisements to address health challenges in the community.

Putting the Vision into Practice: Education Everywhere

At the heart of YCIS Silicon Valley’s educational vision is the cultivation of active learners. The school is committed to breaking away from traditional constraints and making full use of every space on campus, so that learning can take place everywhere. Within this model, the role of the teacher shifts to one of listening, accompanying, and guiding. Through personalised teaching, students not only develop strong learning habits, but also build excellence of character and a willingness to take responsibility.

This presentation not only demonstrated YCIS’s educational philosophy of integrating Eastern and Western cultures, but also offered bilingual educators around the world a structural transformation model that is both replicable and practical.