2013 Joint Meeting of U.S. Confucius Institutes
Group Discussion 8: Report
September 29, 2013
St. Mary's School
Shake Heights High School
Germantown Academy
The King’s Academy
Cedarlane Middle School
Dalton School
Northwest Nazarene University
Chinese Language and Culture Center of Maine
St. Cloud State University
The College Board
Center for International Understanding, University of North Carolina
Asia Society
Goal and Process
Identify vision, challenges, and resources in the following areas:
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“Chinese Language Day” — Community Support and Awareness
Effective Chinese Language Teachers & Instruction
Exchange Programs / Partnerships
Infusing Culture into the Classroom
1:30 – 2:30
2:30 – 2:50
2:50 – 3:10
3:30 – 3:50
3:50 – 4:10
4:10 – 5:00
Introductory Presentations of Attendees and Programs
Small Group Work 1
• Chinese Language Day – Engaging Cultural Activities
• Effective Chinese Language Instruction
Small Group Report-Out 1
Break
Small Group Work 2
• Exchange Programs / Partnerships
• Infusing Culture into the Classroom
Small Group Report-Out 2
Summary
“Chinese Language Day”
Mission, Branding & Public Relations
• Have a clearly defined mission/purpose that have global appeal and
allow for local adaptation
• Develop and/or supply a press kit that includes up-to-date information
about the Confucius Institutes/Classrooms network worldwide
• Multiplatform branding – t-shirt, ads, mobile app, etc.
Audience
• Engage the entire community
• Community and thought leaders
• Business
• Academia
• Media
Activities – initiate an open wiki for depositing and referencing ideas
• Academic Decathlon, spelling bee
• China speaker series, TEDx re: Chinese Language
• Film screening, reading club
• Sports, games
Effective Chinese Language Teachers & Programs
Connect World Language Teachers
Connect Schools/Districts
Connect K-12 and Higher Ed
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Well-articulated program: curriculum planning and assessment
Mapping instruction to standards
Consistency and cross-referencing amongst various standards
Mentorship and observation
Classroom management training
Teacher retention
Clarify and raise expectation of students
Use the target language
Preserve curiosity / interest
Develop leadership and community support
Partnership & Exchange Programs
Authentic Experience
Learning outcomes
Persistence
Reciprocity
Based on shared interest and mutually understood goals
• Scaffolding with smaller projects
• Maintain communication
• Design short-term and long-term
• Reinforce in-person and virtual exchanges with each other
• Visit China as catalyst and reward for language learning
• Arrange homestays, ask students to plan itineraries themselves
• Learning should be targeted and not left to chance
Infusing Culture into the Classroom
Get beyond the “three Ps”
• Pandas
• Paper-cutting
• Picking stuff up with chopsticks
Re-balance Foreign vs. Familiar
• Learning another culture is not always about seeking out the
exotic, the fundamental similarities are unifying and powerful
Learn with China, not just about it
• Modern and the traditional
• Global and connected
• Journey to the West + Lewis and Clarke
National Chinese Langauge Conference
May 8 – 10, 2014 | Los Angeles
DC 2008
Chicago 2009
DC 2010
San Francisco 2011
DC 2012
Boston 2013
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1250
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