Helping China, One Child at a Time

Aren't language classes so boring?  Filled with strange words, and references to foreign objects?
If you live in China, you need not worry that your child will have to learn a second language the hard way.
Have no fear, Tinkerbell is here.


Here's the website for Disney English, and the pictures sure do look pretty.

Lest you be thinking cynically, this is a philanthropic move entirely.  
"We never saw this as an effort to teach the Disney brand and Disney characters," says Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products Worldwide. "We set out to teach Chinese kids English."

Andy Mooney is a missionary.  Oh, wait, no, he's Chairman of Disney Consumer Products. 
What do Consumer Products have to do with the 11 schools in Shanghai and Beijing?  
Minor detail, there: $100 million in pre-tax profits. 
(I think someone totally forgot to tell Andy Mooney that.  How embarrassing.)
Hopefully, hopefully, fingers crossed, there will be 150 of these schools in China over the next 5 years.
And then, when class is out, the kids can plan their playdates at Shanghai Disney Land.

Well, at least it's a bargain.  You can start your 1 year old at two hours per week for the cost of $2200.00 per year.  
That may sound like a lot of money to some, but seriously.  Even if every citizen of China signs on, it's not like a lot of people live there.  What kind of an impact could this possibly have with a population of 12?

Like Ling Woo Liu said, "You don't throw in the towel in a market with 1.3 billion potential customers."
It is estimated that China's foreign-language business is worth $2.1 billion annually and more than 300 million Chinese are studying English.
 

Get 'em early on their Little Mermaid flash cards.  

Brazil, you're next.