Title: An Ecological System Approach to Expanding the Chinese Language Field in the US: Lessons Learned and
1An Ecological System Approach to Expanding the
Chinese Language Field in the US Lessons
Learned and Future Directions 12th NCOLCTL
Conference 13th ALTA Conference
- Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D.
- Executive Director
- Chinese Language Initiatives
- Asia Society
- April 25, 2009
- Washington, D. C.
2OVERVIEW
- An ecological language education system
framework - The macro environment of the Chinese language
field in the US Pre-2004 - The growth of the Chinese language field
Post-2004 - Accomplishments
- Future directions Needs and opportunities
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31. An ecological system framework for a
non-dominant language
- Macro and micro environment
- Growth/eradication of the target language in the
host environment Infrastructure - Effects of positive/negative efforts
4Some Factors in the Macro Environment
- Economic and political relations between the home
and host countries - Public attitude towards that language and people
who use it - Legislative efforts
- Economic context of the host environment
- National security concerns
- Funding support
- Translation into educational programs
5Some Factors in the Micro Environment for an
immigrant group
- Who are they? How educated are they?
- What do they look like, including skin color?
- What language do they speak?
- What are their religions and cultural practices?
- In what condition did they came? For what
purpose? - In what number did they come?
- When did they come? How long have they been here?
- Where do they live? Are they socially integrated
or isolated? - To whom do they pledge allegiance?
6(No Transcript)
7A System View of the Language Field (Wang 2009)
Heritage Communities
Learners
8Educational System K-16 Articulation
Heritage Communities
9Interface of Different Sub-Systems
10Sociological Codes of Languages in the US
Educational Policies and Practices in the K-12
Context
NCLB
English Only
English Literacy Policy Home Language
Heritage Language English Speakers
Foreign/ World Language Education
English Plus
11Infrascture of a Learner-Centered Language Field
- Teachers Teacher Preparation Capacity
- Quantity/Numbers and Quality/Effectiveness
- K-12 public schools Certification Requirements
- Curriculum
- Instructional planning and strategies
- Materials
- Assessment evaluation
- Learner outcomes
- Program evaluation
- Research
- The role of technology
- Program establishment and sustainability
122. The macro environment of the Chinese Language
Field
The Chinese Case
13Historical Major Efforts in Spreading Chinese in
US Secondary Schools
- The National Defense Education Act (NDEA) (1958)
- Carnegie Initiatives (1960s-1980s)
- Geraldine Dodge Initiatives (1980s-2000)
- FLAP Grants (enacted 1988 1990)
14Status of Chinese as a Foreign/World Language
Pre-2004
- Perceived to be a difficult language
- Polarized views about US-China-Taiwan
relationships - Traditionally for elite or college-bound students
- Intellectual humanistic pursuits
- Mental discipline
- Linguistic benefits
- National security
- International economic competitiveness
- (e.g., Brecht Ingold, 2002 Brecht
Walton,1994 Gardner, et al. 1983 Lambert, 1986
Lantolf Sunderman, 2001) -
15Market Economic Status of Chinese If Chinese
Were Stores
- Home Language No market value (in schools)
- Heritage Language Neighborhood mom and pop shops
- Foreign Language
- --Prior to 2000 Neiman Marcusonly for the
elites - --After 2004/05 Costcoan upscale wholesaler
- (Adapted from H. Tonkins, personal communication,
2000)
16Types of Chinese Heritage Language Schools
17Pre-2004 Total Student Enrollment in Chinese
183. The growth of the Chinese language field
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20Chinese Language in the Public Discourse
2000-Present
- National security
- Economic competitiveness
- A ticket to the China Express
- A player in the global economy and global issues
- Mandarin as a global phenomenon
- Mixed feelings from other world languages
-
-
21Post 2004 Major Initiatives in Chinese
- Private Providers
- e.g., Berlitz, Rosetta Stone
- Online
- Multi-Media
22Post 2004 Major Initiatives in
ChineseGovernment -- Federal Government
(NSLI) -- State and Municipal EffortsChinese
GovernmentNGOs -- College Board -- Asia
Society
23Chinese Flagship Programs
- Brigham Young University
- The University of Mississippi
- Ohio State University
- The University of Oregon and Portland Public
School District K-16 Chinese Flagship - Arizona State University
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- University of Rhode Island
- Western Kentucky University
- Diffusion of Innovation Grants
- http//www.thelanguageflagship.org/funding_institu
tions.html
24Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP)
Chinese Programs
25 STARTALK Project Chinese Student and Teacher
Programs
Administered by the National Foreign Language
Center (NFLC) at the University of Maryland
http//www.startalk_at_umd.edu or Startalk_at_umd.edu
26Sample Municipal Chinese Initiatives
- Chicago in 2008-09, 12,000 students learn
Mandarin - Los Angeles Language Resolution (October 2008)
- New York Chinese Task Force (Asia Society and
China Institute, May 2009)
27Sample State Initiatives
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- Wisconsin
- And more
28K-12 Virtual Chinese Language Programs in the
US(Asia Society, April 2009)
- 16 states currently have Distance
Learning/Web-Based Programs for Chinese Language
- 15 states offer Chinese I
- 11 states offer Chinese II (12 in 2010)
- 3 states offer Chinese III (5 in 2010)
- 3 states are expected to provide Chinese IV in
2010 - 3 states offer AP Level (8 in 2010)
- 2 states are in the process of implementing
Distance Learning/Web-Based programs - Data Source NCSSFL online survey
29Chinese Government
- Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters
- Worldwide Promotion of Chinese as a WL
- Chinese Bridge Delegation
- Visiting Teacher programs
- Confucius Institutes 56 in the U. S., March 09
- http//english.hanban.edu.cn
30Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)States and
Cities with China
- 12 States
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Utah
- Wisconsin
- 2 Cities
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
31The College Board
- In collaboration with Hanban
- AP Course and Exam, beginning in 2007
- Chinese Bridge Delegation 1,200 educators
- Visiting Teacher Programs 200 teachers in 32
states at 130 institutions - Chinese Cultural Seminars
- Student Summer in China Program
- Data Source The college Board internal study,
April 2008
32Asia Society
Chinese Language Initiatives http//asiasociety.or
g
32
33A Chinese Handbook and DVD
34http//AskAsia.org/Chinese http//internationaled
.org
35National Chinese Language Conference April
30-May 2, 2009, Chicago
- Making Connections,
- Building Partnerships!
- Teachers, administrators, school board members,
policy makers, business, and international
leaders - Connecting K-12 and higher education
- Creating partnerships between U.S. and Chinese
educators, schools, and universities - Visit classes in the Chicago Public Schools
36A WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHER WHITE PAPER (Summer
2009)
- A national project co-sponsored by
- The National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) at
the University of Maryland - Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
- Asia Society
374. Effects of Efforts
38Growth of Chinese Language Programs in K-12
Schools
200 increase
- Data Source The College Board internal study,
April 2008
39Languages Taught in Elementary Schools(CAL, 1997
2008)
SP SP SP Spanish for Speakers of Spanish
Chinese 900 increase
(http//cal.org/flsurvey)
40Languages Taught in Secondary Schools (CAL, 1997
2008)
Chinese 300
(http//cal.org/flsurvey)
41Enrollments in Higher Education Language
Courses Fall 1998, 2002, and 2006
Source Enrollments in Languages Other Than
English in United States Institutions of Higher
Education, Fall 2006. MLA, accessible at
http//www.mla.org/enroll_survey06_fin.
422009 Heritage Language Programs
Personal Communications with Presidents of both
association, March 2009
43National Accomplishments of the Chinese Field
- Launched federal, state, local initiatives
- Increased student enrollment in all levels
- Increased K-12 school programs
- Began to develop curricula, materials, and
assessment
445. Future Direction
- Needs, Trends, and Strategies
45Needs and Challenges
- Limited teacher education and supply capacity
- Most programs are under 3 years old
- Almost no early language learning infrastructure
- Need to tap into the resources in the heritage
language communities - Lack of K-16 articulation leading to the
attainment of high language proficiencypockets
of excellence - Need to develop virtual programs for students and
teacher training opportunity and access to
learn - Lack of national coordination of initiatives and
efforts
46Trends Indicating Demands for World Language
Education in the US
- Awareness of the need for global competence for
this interconnected world, which includes the
study of languages and cultures - Immersion and early language learning programs
- WL as an exit or high school graduation
requirement - K-16 articulation aligned with Standards and real
life use
47Lessons Learned
- Take a system approach, connect all sectors
- Enhance teacher development capacity
- Take an incubator approach to build programs and
infrastructures simultaneously develop and field
test curricula, materials, assessment, and
research - Build high human capital identify and develop
teams of specialists who know the language,
understand cultures, SLA, pedagogy, curriculum,
material, assessment, research, and K-16 contexts
and heritage communities in the US
48- A System Approach
- Think about supply, demand, infrastructure
- Create flywheels that convert energy into synergy
(Wang, 2007)
Heritage Communities
Learners
49Questions for Other Language Fields
- How does your language learning system look like?
- What is the macro language environment like?
- What is in place for the micro language learning
and teaching environment? - What kind of efforts are in place?
- How has the language field evolved?
- What resources can be leveraged?
- What gaps can be bridged or barriers be removed?
50Big Questions for the US as a Nation
- How do we advocate for US students development
of global competence, which includes linguistic
and cultural capital? - How do we expand our schools offering of world
languages? - What are our goals for language education for the
global age? What are our goals 5 years and 10 or
20 years from now?
51Thank you??
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- Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D.
- shuhanw_at_asiasoc.org
- http//www.asiasociety.org/education
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