A Mandarin School in Minneapolis

Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken native language in the world. Nine years ago, an estimated 5,000 kids were learning Mandarin in the U.S.
Jeffrey Thompson for TIME

Moving Forward
Nine years ago, an estimated 5,000 kids in the U.S. were learning Mandarin Chinese, the most widely spoken native language in the world. This year the number is closer to 60,000. In this photo, students exit the gym after the morning meeting.

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