Building a Chinese Language Program

From Sprouts to Blossoms:
Growing a Chinese Program from the Ground Up
Lori Langer de Ramirez, Chair, ESL and World Language Department
NECTFL 2008 | Saturday, March 29, 2008; 3:30-4:45pm

Topics and Links

Teacher recruitment

"East Meets West: Bridging Cultures, Bridging Pedagogies" Language Magazine article
Post ads on ListServs: FLTeach, Nandutí, or Chinese Language Teachers Association

Setting up a program and developing a curriculum

The Asia Society: "Chinese Language in the Schools" and a directory of Chinese programs
The National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center: Chinese FLES
Curriculum maps for Chinese FLES are available online from the Springfield, MA public schools
The STAR Talk program at the China Institute - view a video about the program and student skits
Thematic curriculum unit: "The Jianfengling Rainforest" for beginning Mandarin Chinese learners available for free pdf download!

Materials and technology

Good commercial distributors include: ChinaSprout, Asia for Kids, and China Books
Mrs. Yu's Chinese Class - an excellent teacher website; and sites with her silk paintings and brush paintings
Podcasts for learning Chinese: ChinesePod, EZ Learn Chinese, and Mandarin Chinese podcast
Take a virtual tour of the Imperial Palace/Forbidden City at the Palace Museum online

Traditional vs. simplified script

An excellent overview of traditional and simplified script with a narrated video explanation
Wikipedia provides good historical and political information about the debate

Heritage students

Heritage Languages Journal - click on Volume 4 for an issue on Chinese heritage learners
An article on Advanced Placement & heritage learners

Test development

Search the FL Assessment Directory on the CAL webite
The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) Chinese Proficiency Test
Adavanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture - info about the course and exam