Last modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2008 12:33 AM EST Chinese on tap for NA students BY AMY DeMELIA SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTH ATTLEBORO - If a North Attleboro High School student looks at a textbook next year and says, "It's all Chinese to me," they may not be joking. As China's influence in the global marketplace expands, North Attleboro High School intends to make sure that its students have a leg up when it comes to communicating with the country's future leaders. The high school plans to include Chinese in its foreign language course options beginning next fall. "This isn't to replace Latin, French or Spanish. It's an additional language at no cost to the school district," said Principal Robert Gay. The program will be paid for through a grant from the Chinese government, which will pay the salary for the teacher and for textbooks. The district's only obligation is to provide a room with a desk for the teacher, Gay said. Details for the grant are still being worked out, but Gay required permission from the school committee to pursue the idea. The committee voted unanimously in favor and acknowledged local resident Lyle Pirnie for helping to coordinate the grant. Gay, who toured schools in China in April 2006 as part of the China Exchange Initiative of Newton, said it has long been one of his goals to offer a Chinese language course at the high school. "I traveled to more than a dozen schools and I was amazed at how often the English language was being taught to the young people of China," Gay said. "There is no question in my mind that the United States and China will be the dominant economic powers in the future. We need to prepare students for the global economy they will be facing." While the full-blown Chinese language courses won't begin until the fall, students will get an early taste this spring during their structured learning periods. Students will have the opportunity to be exposed to the Chinese language, culture and arts about once a week. Gay hopes that eighth graders at the middle school can be offered a look at the course as well before they begin selecting courses for their first year in high school. "It will let the kids dip a toe into the pool to see if the water's good for them," Gay said. AMY DeMELIA can be reached at 508-236-0334 or at ademelia@thesunchronicle.com.