About the 2008 Conference
Asia Society and the College Board hosted the 1st National Chinese Language Conference on April 17-19, 2008 in Washington DC. The first large scale conference on Chinese language education in the U.S. was a huge success! This event represented a major milestone for the Chinese and World Languages education fields.
The Conference was targeting 500 participants. During the three days, over 700 policymakers, school board members, state and local education administrators, school principals and teachers, university faculty members and researchers attended this conference. They came from 44 states, the District of Columbia, and seven countries/regions that included Canada, China, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, Singapore, and the U.K. In addition to multiple sponsors, we had more than 15 collaborators. The conference demonstrated the power of collaboration and synergy.
The popularity of this oversubscribed Conference signaled that U.S. educators are ready to bring Chinese language education into their schools. The study of Chinese is not simply about learning the language. It can also initiate and substantiate schools' efforts to internationalize their educational programs and practices. Learning another language and culture is an essential component of cross-cultural competence, necessary for U.S. students to function effectively and productively in the global age. We are humbled to be part of this important mission.
Speakers
U.S. and international political, economic, and educational leaders share visions, plans, or programs for Chinese language education in the global age. Meet the speakers 
and download presentations .
Sponsorship
- The Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban)
- Embassy of the People's Repubic of China in the United States of America
- STARTALK Project
- National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland
- Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Collaborating Organizations
(in alphabetical order)
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
- CAIS Institute
- Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools
- Chinese Language Flagship Programs
- Chinese Language Teachers Association
- Confucius Institutes
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- Fairfax County Public Schools
- Heritage Language Communities
- Landon School
- Montgomery County Public Schools
- National Association of District Supervisors of Foreign Languages
- National Council of State Supervisors for Languages
- National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland
- The Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban)
- Sidwell Friend's School
- STARTALK Project
- U.S. Department of Education
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Contact Us
For general conference inquiries, email chinese@askasia.org
