Rosenbusch Dahlberg Lueth Lien Chiang Elementary School Chinese Programs

Asking the Right Questions:Crafting a Plan for an

Elementary School Chinese Program

Marcia Rosenbusch • Carol Ann Dahlberg

Betsy Lueth • Luyi Lien • Janna Chiang

NCLC Chicago, 2009

Why?

Lessons from the Past

and

Risks in the Future

Our profession in the past….

• Wave of Immigrants: 1850-1900

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are needed to see this picture.


• Chinese Immigrants: 1849-1882

Chinese Language Schools, aka Chinese Heritage Schools

• Date back to 1848• By 1997 there were 82,675 students, 634

schools• In the 1930s schools in Los Angeles, San

Diego, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Minneapolis, Oakland--among others

• Goal: keep language and culture alive!


• World War I: 1914-1918


World War II – 1939-1945


Wake-up call forMathSciencesLanguages (especially Russian!)


1.1. Lack of qualified teachersLack of qualified teachers

2.2. Inappropriate goalsInappropriate goals

3.3. Lack of articulationLack of articulation

4.4. Inappropriate instruction Inappropriate instruction and/or deliveryand/or delivery

What factors have What factors have impacted our impacted our

profession in recent profession in recent times?times?

National Standards: Students

Standards for Foreign Language Education: Preparing for the 21st Century

The Vision…The Vision…• All students can be successful language and

culture learners.• Language and culture education is part of the core

curriculum.(p. 7)

National Standards: Teachers

FL Teacher Candidates ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of FL Teachers, 2002 ACTFL/NCATEACTFL/NCATE

Beginning FL Teachers Standards for Licensing Beginning FL Teachers, 2002 INTASCINTASC

Accomplished FL Teachers World Languages Other than English Standards, 2001 NBPTSNBPTS

National Focus on Assessment

• Assessment plays a key role in focusing language learning and communicating what language educators and the public expect that students will be able to do in their new language;

• Assessment of language learning requires a variety of measures to assist students in their language learning;

National Focus on Assessment

• Users must match language assessments to the purpose for using the instrument, selecting the most appropriate measure.

National Assessment Summit Papers, 2005

• Examples of oral proficiency assessments for Early Language Learners: ELLOPA, SOPA, NOELLA

September 11, 2001September 11, 2001

National Language Conference National Language Conference (2005)(2005)

• Develop language and cultural competency;• Engage federal, state, and local government in

solutions;• Integrate language training across career fields;• Develop critical language skills;• Strengthen teaching capabilities in foreign

languages and cultures;(Continued)

National Language Conference National Language Conference (2005)(2005)

• Integrate language into education system requirements;

• Develop and provide instructional materials and technological tools.

Education for Global LeadershipEducation for Global Leadership

The Importance of International Studies and Foreign Language Education for U.S. Economic and

National Security

Policy Statement

Committee for Economic Development, 2006

Education for Global LeadershipEducation for Global Leadership

Recommendations:• International content should be taught across

the curriculum at all levels of learning, to expand American students’ knowledge of other countries and cultures;

• Expand the training pipeline at every level of education to address the paucity of Americans fluent in foreign languages, especially critical, less-commonly taught languages.

National Security Language Initiative (2006)

Collaborative Effort:

•Secretary of State •Secretary of Education•Secretary of Defense•Director of National Intelligence

$114 million in 2007 budget

National Security Language Initiative (2006)

Goals:

•Expand the number of Americans mastering critical need languages (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, Farsi, and others); •Increase advanced-level speakers of languages, with an emphasis on critical languages through K-16 language study pipelines;•Increase the number of teachers of critical language and the resources for them.

K-16 FlagshipsK-16 Flagships

• NSEP funded

• Goal:– Graduate students with superior-level

proficiency in critical languages who will become global professionals

– Form partnerships with universities and school systems to develop K-16 pipeline programs in Chinese and Arabic.

STARTALK

• NSLI funded multi-year initiative

• Goal: – Expand critical language education by funding

new and existing K-16 programs; – Provide incentives and rewards for foreign

language learning and use in the work force.

World Class EducationWorld Class Education

To succeed in this new global era, we need not only to increase the number of high school graduates and improve the rigor of our math and science curriculum, but also to ensure that our graduates are globally competent.

http://asiasociety.org

World Class EducationWorld Class Education

• Knowledge of other world regions, cultures, economies, and global issues;

• Skills to communicate in languages other than English, to work in cross-cultural teams, and to assess information from different sources around the world; and

• Values of respect for other cultures.

Putting the World into World-Class Education: A National Imperative

and a State and Local Responsibility

Signatories• Asia Society• Alliance for Excellent Education• Committee for Economic Development• Council of Chief State School Officers• National Association of Secondary Schools Principal• National Education Association• National Middle School Association

Why Start Early?

Language Learning Language Learning CapabilityCapability

• Young children appear to learn to speak a new language more easily than adults;

• A child’s language learning advantage is greatest in the area of pronunciation.

AERA Research Points. 2006. Vol. 4, 1

Cognitive Benefits

• Sixth grade students in a non-intensive program outperform a control group in metacognitive processing in the highest metacognitive processing in the highest levels of cognitive processing in levels of cognitive processing in Bloom’s taxonomyBloom’s taxonomy.

Foster & Reeves, 1989.

Cognitive Benefits

• Immersion students demonstrate greater cognitive flexibility greater cognitive flexibility than students in control group

Bruck, Lambert, & Tucker, 1974

• 2nd grade immersion students demonstrate significantly greater growth significantly greater growth in nonverbal problem-solving ability in nonverbal problem-solving ability than control group Bamford, 1991

Academic AchievementAcademic Achievement

• 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in a non-intensive language program had significantly higher academic significantly higher academic achievement, especially in English achievement, especially in English language arts,language arts, than control students.

Rafferty, 1986


• K and 1st grade students in an immersion program performed as well or better than performed as well or better than English-only peers on tests of English-only peers on tests of achievement in Englishachievement in English

Swain, 1981, 1984

• 3rd grade students in a non-intensive program had significant gains in math significant gains in math and languageand language.

Armstrong & Rogers, 1997


• Immersion students consistently demonstrated comparable or better comparable or better performance in subject matter content performance in subject matter content than students in English-only programs.

Genesee, 1987; Swain, 1984

Attitude

• 14-year-olds are less receptive to learning about people from other cultures than 10-year-olds.

• Younger children are more open and friendly toward people they view as different from themselves.

Lambert & Klineberg, 1967

Attitude

• Significant findings from comparing:

– Schools with a non-intensive Chinese kindergarten program and

– Schools with no foreign language program in kindergarten…

Attitude• Kindergarten students

– Like learning Chinese and – Believe that learning to speak Chinese is

important.• Parents/Guardians

– Believe that it is important for their child to speak, read, and write Chinese fluently.

Rosenbusch, Navarro-Villarroel, Zhang, Kaptain, & Shelley, 2009

Why Teach Chinese in Early Elementary School?

Chinese is the most widely spoken first language in the world;

China is:– Politically important in the Asia-Pacific region;– An immense market for U.S. goods and services;– One of the most enduring world civilizations.

Creating a Chinese Language Program in Your School, Asia Society

Questions

and

Discussion

What?

Program Models for

Early Language Learning

Overview and Case Studies

What Matters Most?

• Time allotted for the program/classes

• Intensity of program and instruction

• Continuity of the program

• Teacher effectiveness

Time + Intensity of Instruction => (Potential) Rate of

Language Acquisition and Learning

Time = number of minutes hours years spent learning and acquiring language

Intensity of Instruction =

a.Frequency and Duration of Classes

b.Time on Task during instruction

c.Opportunities for interaction

d.Substance, Relevance, and Challenge of language experience (Cognitively Engaging, Intrinsically Interesting, Culturally Connected)

Time + Intensity of Instruction => (Potential) Rate of

Language Acquisition and Learning

Uninterrupted study of the same language across grade levels and

institutions

Continuity:

Teachers who are:

Teacher Effectiveness:

• well-prepared• enthusiastic and dedicated • knowledgeable about students• knowledgeable about language and culture • knowledgeable about best practices in

world language education.

What are the goals of our programs?

SuperiorCan support opinion, hypothesize, discuss

topics concretely and abstractly, and handlea linguistically unfamiliar situation

Proficiency Inverted Pyramid

LOW

LOW

LOW

MID

MID

MID

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

NoviceCan communicate

minimally withformulaic and rote

utterances, listsand phrases

IntermediateCan create with

language, ask and answer simple

questions on familiar topics, and handle a

simple situation or transaction

AdvancedCan narrate and

describe in all major time frames

and handle a situation with a

complication

Novice

Advanced

Intermediate

Survive and cope in the country

Limited work ability

Satisfy most work requirements

Visual Representation of Anticipated Performance OutcomesAs Described in the

ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12 Learners

In mt ee dr i- a t e

Intermediate

N o v i c e

Advanced

Advanced

K-4 K-8 K-12 7-125-125-8 9-10 9-12

Pre

Advanced

N o v i c e

Descriptors are based on information gathered from foreign language professionalsrepresenting a variety of program models and articulation sequences.

Descriptors are appropriate for languages most commonly taught in the U. S.

Descriptors assume a sustained sequence of Standards-based, performance-outcomelanguage instruction. © ACTFL 1998

From Foreign Language Annals 31:4 (Winter 1998), p. 484

ACTFL Performance Guidelines for K-12

Learners

Adapted from Languages and Children: Making the Match, 4th Edition, 2010

Language, Culture, and Curriculum Content are essential elements of every curriculum model.

The focus changes as time and intensity increase across the continuum.

Minimum90-120 min.

Weekly

MaximumFull Day

Full Immersion

Intensity and Time

Content Focus

ContentContent

LanguageCulture

Language Focus

LanguageLanguage

Conte

ntCulture

Continuum of Intensity and Focus for Early Language Programs

Leading to ProficiencyImmersion:

50-100%/dayContent in TL

Adapted from Languages and Children: Making the Match, 4th Edition, 2010

Minimum90-120 min.

Weekly

MaximumFull Day

Full Immersion

Intensity and Time

Content Focus

ContentContent

LanguageCulture

Language Focus

LanguageLanguage

Conte

ntCulture

Less thanMinimum

Programs with less intensity:• less than 30-40 minutes daily, and/or • less than three times per week • may not be able to meet the performance goals of the Standards for

Chinese Language Learning and K-12 Performance Guidelines.

Continuum of Intensity and Focus for Early Language Programs

Leading to ProficiencyImmersion:

50-100%/dayContent in TLExploratory

will

Private

From the Center for Applied Linguistics, National K-12 Foreign Language Survey (2009). Draft data.

Immersion 2%

56%

EXPLORATORY42%

Immersion13%

39%

48%

Public

EXPLORATORYLANGUAGEFOCUS

LANGUAGEFOCUS

(FLES)(FLES)

Program Types Offered by Elementary Schools With Language Programs (Private, Public) (2008)

LESS than

minimum LESS than

minimum

What Matters Most?

Time allotted for the program/classes

Intensity of program and instruction

Continuity of the program

Teacher effectiveness

Perspectives from a Chinese Immersion

Program: Yinghua Academy By

Betsy Lueth, DirectorDr. Luyi Lien, Academic Director

April 30, 2009National Chinese Conference, Chicago, IL

History of Yinghua Academy

- Opened in 2006 with 76 students in K to 3rd grade - in 2007-2008 school year, we doubled our student sizes - in 2008-2009 school year, we have 239 students- in 2009-2010 school year, we have waiting list with every grade and will move to a bigger building

Yinghua Academy: Early Total Immersion Program

- 100% of Chinese instructional time in K & Grade 1- 90% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 2 - 80% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 3- 70 % of Chinese instructional time in Grade 4 - 60% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 5

- Provide special classes (PE class, art class, and music class) also in Chinese

Perspectives from a Chinese Immersion Programs:

Challenge 1Community and Parents

FAQ’s1. Why immersion? Why Chinese?

2. Where do you get your teachers?

3. Is it o.k. for any student? What if they are special ed.?

4. How can I help with homework if I don’t speak Chinese?

5. How will they learn English – math-science? How will they do on state tests?


Challenge 2Curriculum and Instruction

FAQ’s1.What text book do you use?

2.Do you use simplified or full-form characters?

3.When do you teach pinyin?

4.How do you teach content?

5.Are students taught in the “Chinese” way or “American” way?


Challenge 3Immersion Teachers (Language and Content

Combined)Recruit, Retain, and Develop

FAQ’s1.Where do you find your teachers?

2.How do you get your teachers licensed?

3.How do you keep your teachers?

4.How do you develop your teachers?

5.How do you evaluate your teachers?


Challenge 4Daily Teaching Challenges

“The full-service administrator perspective”

1.How do we support teacher’s in the classroom?

2.How do we support parent communication?

3.How do we support teacher’s personal life?

4.How do we support school law understanding?

5.How do you open the door to cultural understanding and communication with staff?

Perspectives from a Chinese Immersion Programs:An example of content teaching and the integration of culture

An example of “The Mouse Bride ”


Content Area with Cultures:Chinese Language Arts: Poems/Rhythm/folk stories/drama and play

From writing characters to learn cultures, e.g., marriage ideas in Chinese thoughts

Science: mice and other live animals’ habitats and common behaviors

Social Studies:Comparisons of the traditional wedding and modern weddings in China

The custom of Chinese new year

Perspectives from a Chinese Immersion Program:

Yinghua Academy Questions:

Betsy Lueth, [email protected]

Dr. Luyi Lien, Academic [email protected]

Phone: 651-379-4112

mailto:[email protected]


FOREIGN LANGAUGE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (FLES)

Janna Chiang 蔣芸芳 : NCLC : April / May 2009

• Only one school (2005)

• FLAP grant in 2006

• Program expanded due to funding

• 6 instructors

• 2 Certified teachers

• Model : 3 times a week : 30 mins

• K – 2nd Grade – 40 mins, once a week

• Pre-School– 20 mins, once a week

• 3rd – 5th – Chinese club– 30 mins, twice a week

Connecting Cultures

Real Life Connections

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Classroom activities

Assessment strategies



: Grade 1: Grade 1

• Expand the program

• Higher frequency

• Additional teachers

• Core-content collaboration

Next move ?

Questions?

Janna Chiang蔣芸芳

[email protected]

502-727-8820


“Planning for Success: Pitfalls in the Planning of Early Foreign Language

Programs”

• Scheduling the foreign language too infrequentlytoo infrequently and/or in class sessions that are too shorttoo short.

“…accomplishment of such content standards required students to be enrolled in elementary programs that meet from 3-5 days per week for no less than 30-40 minutes per class.

3-5 days per week30-40 minutes per

class

““Remember, these are samples--not supper!”Remember, these are samples--not supper!”


Programs”

• Planning schedules and workloads that lead to teacher burnout.

Many Additional Responsibilities of a FLES Teacher:

• interacting with numerous classroom teachers

• developing curriculum and materials• communicating with parents and community

• building public relations

Many Additional Responsibilities of an Immersion Teacher:

• responsibility for content areas and language development

• developing curriculum and materials• communicating with parents and community

• building public relations


Programs”

• Launching an early language program without sufficient planning--not enough time

--not enough involvement of the rest of the school community


Programs”

• Treating foreign languages differently from other academic subjects.


Programs”

• Implementing an entire new program in every grade level at the same time.

1K

23

4 56


Programs”

• Leaving critical articulation issues to be dealt with later.


Programs”

• Planning and scheduling the foreign language curriculum in

isolation from the general curriculum.


Programs”

• Relying on English for communication in the foreign language classroom.

What is this in Chinese?


Programs”

• Making a language choice based on popularity, without attention to other important factors.


Programs”

• Ignoring the needs of students who enter the program in later grades.


Programs”

• Hiring teachers for the program who do not have both language and teaching skills.

Building an Action Plan

Defining a Planning Committee and a Timeline

Identifying the Chinese Teacher

Defining/Developing the Curriculum

Defining Instructional Strategies

Selecting Teaching Materials

Assessing Students

Integrating the Program into the Wider School

Context

Evaluating the Program

Sustaining the Quality and Longevity of the Program

What are the first steps in YOUR Action Plan?

Asking the Right Questions:Crafting a Plan for an

Elementary School Chinese Program

Marcia Rosenbusch • Carol Ann Dahlberg

Betsy Lueth • Luyi Lien • Janna Chiang

NCLC Chicago, 2009

Rosenbusch Dahlberg Lueth Lien Chiang Elementary School Chinese Programs

Education

Transcript of Rosenbusch Dahlberg Lueth Lien Chiang Elementary School Chinese Programs