Save the Dates!
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Asia Society and College Board ask you to mark your calendar for the National Chinese Language Conference in Washington, DC on April 17-19, 2008. Stay tuned for more in our future issues.
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Thinking of someone you know that may benefit from this Newsletter?
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The Goldman Sachs Foundation and Asia Society are seeking applications for the 2007 Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education. The annual total of the awards amount to $150,000. Applications for the elementary/middle school, high school, district/state, and media/technology prizes are due Monday, December 3, 2007
. Click here to learn more and apply.
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From the Editor: A Summer Immersed in Chinese
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 Summer 2007 marked a milestone in Chinese language study in the U.S. More students were learning Chinese (and Arabic) than ever before in programs sponsored by the National Language Initiative. What were their experiences in studying Chinese? In this month's issue, we invited some students who participated in these language programs, whether they were in the U.S. or abroad, to reminisce about their summer learning. We hope these students' voices will help you see the benefits of language study for an individual's development as a world citizen, while inspiring you to think ahead to next summer.
In our next issue, we would like to feature teachers' voices. If you are an aspiring or practicing Chinese language teacher, please send us articles reflecting your experiences in engaging in professional development. |
STARTALK 2007 - A Great Success!
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 The STARTALK initiative implemented 34 programs in Arabic and Chinese languages for high school students and professional development opportunities for prospective and current Arabic and Chinese teachers for levels K-16.The programs, which were located in 21 states and the District of Columbia, enrolled 874 students (193 studying Arabic and 681 Chinese) and 448 teachers (156 in Arabic and 292 in Chinese). The programs varied in length, but the majority of student programs ran for four weeks, and teacher training programs, for two weeks.
To learn more about STARTALK, click here. |
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Student Voices from Five STARTALK Chinese Language Programs
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Long term influence
I will definitely continue to learn Chinese in the future and hope to return next summer.
- University of Pennsylvania Chinese Academy, PA
I am so glad I did this program! It was so much fun yet so fulfilling to learn so much in such a short time. I definitely will continue to study Chinese and will use it in my career.
- China Institute, NY
Learning Chinese doesn't only open more job and business opportunities, but it increases the range of communication with others. It also makes me feel smarter, which increases my self-esteem.
- Southern California Council of Chinese Schools, CA
Language learning strategies
The camp taught me a lot Chinese, and we weren't doing grammar all day.
- Princeton-West Windsor School Districts, NJ
The program has influenced me in how I will learn any language because I learned different study techniques and there are so many ideas wrapped into how to deal with the Chinese language which I will take with me.
- University of Pennsylvania Chinese Academy, PA
Cultural gains
In addition to the already-excellent language training, the program also guided students into the fascinating world of Chinese culture. I'm definitely recommending it to my friends.
- Bryant University, RI
The program influences how I understand China, in that by learning the Chinese language one begins to get a feel for the type of people that the Chinese are. Also, the teachers included many small cultural insights that allowed us to obtain a greater understanding of Chinese customs and culture.
- University of Pennsylvania Chinese Academy, PA
This program has benefited me in many ways and has changed the way I view others from different backgrounds.
- China Institute, NY
Linguistic gains
I would recommend this to a friend in a heartbeat. I would tell them how much I learned and how easy it was.
- Princeton-West Windsor School Districts, NJ
The program has installed a core understanding that I truly believe will make learning Chinese easier in the future.
- University of Pennsylvania Chinese Academy, PA
Now, as the fifth and final week is coming to a close, I feel that I have learned more in these few weeks than I would have in an entire year, because this class actually allows you to do work that, at the same time, is enjoyable and makes all of the information stick.
- Southern California Council of Chinese Schools, CA
Using technology
An excellent benefit from the posting of the replies on the blog was being allowed to view other students' responses. In this way, we could compare our responses and thoughts to the views of our fellow classmates, expanding our scope on the current issue.
- Southern California Council of Chinese Schools, CA
Making friends
My summer life was absolutely amazing. I made a lot of friends who are some of my best friends now. The food was also great and the teachers are really fun!! The low points were having a test every Wednesday and studying, but that's what gets you better so it's definitely worth it.
- University of Pennsylvania Chinese Academy, PA
The best thing about this summer program was the opportunity to learn about the culture and to learn the language with people who don't already speak Chinese.
- China Institute, NY
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Summer Abroad in China - a State Department Sponsored Program
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 Remember in the May issue of our Newsletter, we featured a story about a group of students who were going to attend the Delaware Governor's School for Excellence in China? This group has since been to China and back.
Their journals also include photos and videos, which you can view by clicking here. To read comments from the organizers of this program, click here. To read coverage of their activities in a local newspaper, click here.
Student A: "Stepping out of the airport the first day we arrived, I was greeted by smog, humidity, and lots of stares. However, I was also warmly reminded of New York-maybe the Chinatown section of NY, but nevertheless, New York. There is definitely a lot more history behind some of the walls of seemingly insignificant buildings compared to, say, the Chrysler building. However, being reminded of the rich culture in elaborate characters on the side of the arts building at the High School is stunning. The strangers I've met so far are all very fearless-whether we're talking about riding a bike in Wangfujing's chaotic labyrinth or asking my 6'4" friend from Kentucky to take a picture with their baby. Even the little worms in the streets of Beijing remind us of the cultural significance of silk worms in the times of the Silk Road. Without a doubt, history is just seeping through the smoggy Beijing air and creeping into every crevasse of the buildings, making New York seem like another town along a river."
Student B: "The differences and similarities between China and America, as oxymoronic as it may sound, are endless. For example, in China, eating what you had for dinner for breakfast, is not only acceptable, but occurs often. Americans aren't accustomed to eating their dinner for breakfast, but eating their breakfast for their dinner is okay. However, both America and China have similar dishes, and even Chinese food and the food I eat at home are similar. For example, one day, my Chinese mom put a dish in front of me, told me the Chinese name, and waited for me to repeat it. Instead of repeating what she just said, I, subconsciously, called it by its Spanish name, because I have seen and even eaten the same dish at home. All in all, China may be a different country entirely, but it's so much like America that my homesickness only came about because of the lack of diversity. But it went away quickly."
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| Publications and Resources
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 More and more Americans think that learning a second language is important, and the overwhelming majority of them think instruction of a second language should start at the elementary school level, the 39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll shows. To read the full report, click here.
Planning for next summer? Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy (MMLA), a new initiative building on the expertise of both Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies, offers one-month language immersions for middle and high school students in a summer camp setting. To find out more, visit their website
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Free online Chinese learning tools! Clavis Sinica announces a new collection of free online learning resources for students of Chinese at the high school and college levels. To try this collection, which includes a Chinese text annotator, character test, podcasts, click here.
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| Chinese in the News |
China's Doors Wide Open for Massachusetts High Schoolers
The Boston Globe, August 26, 2007 | Full text
Mandarin Is a Must for Some
The Sydney Morning Herald, September 21, 2007 | Full text
Linguist Rudd Shows How to Talk to Hu Here
The Sydney Morning Herald, September 8, 2007 | Full text
Tongue Tied: Learning a Second Language Can Boost Your Career, but it's Costly
RISMedia, September 28, 2007 | Full text |
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We welcome your feedback on this newsletter and encourage you to share information that would be of interest to the wider community. Please pass this newsletter on to others who are interested in Chinese language programs in the schools.
Sincerely,
Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Chinese Language Initiatives
Asia Society
email: chinese@askasia.org
web: www.askasia.org/chinese |
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