By OSD communications

Bramlett Elementary School teacher Brynn Vaughn often uses Mandarin Chinese she learned overseas to connect with and support students in her first-grade classroom.

She and her husband taught English at a private Chinese school for two years. She then spent the next two years homeschooling their children, continuing to learn the Chinese language and culture.

Vaughn’s interest in Mandarin Chinese began in high school after spending time with a family that adopted children from China.

“I loved learning (Mandarin),” she said. “It was hard work, but so fun to use what I learned out and about. We also learned skills to negotiate words with local Chinese people when we were out … basically, everyone we met became our teacher.”

In addition to China, Vaughn and her family have lived in Taiwan and the Philippines — further enriching her global perspective. She and her family returned to the United States in 2023.

“I love having Chinese students in my class, especially students that have just arrived from China and do not speak any English yet. You can literally see fear erase from their face when I begin speaking Chinese to them. And it’s fun for me to be able to continue using what I worked so hard to learn,” Vaughn said. “So, I think speaking Chinese to my students first helps them become more comfortable, but then also helps them begin to learn English quicker because of their ability to understand more of what I’m saying.”

Currently, 26 students throughout the district speak Mandarin, which is just one of 43 languages spoken in the OSD.