Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D. Executive Director Chinese Language Initiatives Asia Society April 25, 2009

1. An Ecological System Approach to Expanding the Chinese Language Field in the US: Lessons Learned and Future Directions12th NCOLCTL Conference & 13th ALTA Conference Shuhan C. Wang, Ph.D. Executive Director Chinese Language Initiatives Asia Society April 25, 2009 Washington, D. C.

2. OVERVIEW • 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

3. 1. 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

4. Some 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

5. Some 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?

7. A System View of the Language Field (Wang 2009) Heritage Communities Learners

8. Educational System: K-16 Articulation Heritage Communities

9. Interface of Different Sub-Systems

10. Sociological Codes of Languages in the US: Educational Policies and Practices in the K-12 Context NCLB English Only English Literacy Policy Home Language Foreign/ World Language Education Heritage Language English Speakers English Plus

11. Infrascture 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

12. The Chinese Case 2. The macro environment of the Chinese Language Field Pre-2004

13. Historical 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)

14. Status 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)

15. Market 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 Marcus—only for the elites --After 2004/05: Costco—an upscale wholesaler (Adapted from H. Tonkins, personal communication, 2000)

16. Types of Chinese Heritage Language Schools

17. Pre-2004: Total Student Enrollment in Chinese

18. 3. The growth of the Chinese language field Post-2004

20. Chinese 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

21. Post 2004: Major Initiatives in Chinese • Private Providers: e.g., Berlitz, Rosetta Stone • Online • Multi-Media

22. Post 2004: Major Initiatives in ChineseGovernment: -- Federal Government (NSLI) -- State and Municipal EffortsChinese GovernmentNGOs: -- College Board -- Asia Society

23. Chinese 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_institutions.html

24. Foreign 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@umd.edu or Startalk@umd.edu

26. Sample 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)

27. North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Utah Wisconsin And more… Sample State Initiatives • Connecticut • Indiana • Kansas • Minnesota • New Jersey

28. K-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

29. Chinese Government Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters WorldwidePromotion 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

30. 12 States Connecticut Delaware Indiana Kansas Kentucky Maine North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma South Carolina Utah Wisconsin 2 Cities Chicago Los Angeles Memorandum of Understanding (MOU):States and Cities with China

31. The 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

32. Asia Society Chinese Language Initiatives http://asiasociety.org 32

33. A Chinese Handbook and DVD

34. http://AskAsia.org/Chinesehttp://internationaled.org

35. National 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

36. A 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

37. 4. Effects of Efforts

38. Growth of Chinese Language Programs in K-12 Schools Data Source: The College Board internal study, April 2008 200% increase

39. Languages Taught in Elementary Schools(CAL, 1997 & 2008) * SP SP SP: Spanish for Speakers of Spanish ** Chinese: + 900% increase (http://cal.org/flsurvey)

40. Languages Taught in Secondary Schools (CAL, 1997 & 2008) * Chinese: + 300% (http://cal.org/flsurvey)

41. Enrollments 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.

42. 2009: Heritage Language Programs Personal Communications with Presidents of both association, March 2009

43. National 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

44. 5. Future Direction Needs, Trends, and Strategies

45. Needs 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 proficiency—pockets 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

46. Trends 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

47. Lessons 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

49. Questions 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?

50. Big 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?