Chinese Language Teacher

Preparation:

Experience Gained &

Lesson Learned

Juefei Wang, Freeman Foundation

Mary Curran, Rutgers University

Frank Lixing Tang, New York University

Rutgers Chinese LanguageRutgers Chinese LanguageTeacher ProgramsTeacher Programs

Experiences Gained and Experiences Gained and Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Mary CurranMary Curranmary.curran@gse.rutgers.edumary.curran@gse.rutgers.eduGraduate School of EducationGraduate School of Education

Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyRutgers, The State University of New JerseyNational Chinese Language Conference, 2009National Chinese Language Conference, 2009

Plan for PresentationPlan for Presentation

Rutgers Chinese Language Teacher Rutgers Chinese Language Teacher InitiativesInitiatives

Critical IssuesCritical Issues

Lessons We Are LearningLessons We Are Learning

Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityChinese Language Teacher Chinese Language Teacher

InitiativesInitiativesProgram ModelsProgram Models

Graduate School of EducationGraduate School of Education Traditional Ed.M. Degree and Traditional Ed.M. Degree and

CertificationCertification Chinese Language Teacher Alternate Chinese Language Teacher Alternate

Route ProgramRoute Program

Asian Languages and Cultures DepartmentAsian Languages and Cultures Department Chinese Masters of Arts for TeachersChinese Masters of Arts for Teachers

Traditional Master’s Traditional Master’s DegreeDegree

with Certification with Certification ProgramsPrograms45 Credit Programs45 Credit Programs

Two-years, Full-time StudyTwo-years, Full-time Study

Five-year ProgramFive-year Program

Post-Baccalaureate ProgramPost-Baccalaureate Program

Chinese Language TeacherChinese Language TeacherAlternate Route ProgramAlternate Route Program

19 Credit Program19 Credit Program

Pre-Service Summer ComponentPre-Service Summer Component Methods CourseMethods Course Assessment CourseAssessment Course Practicum Practicum

In-Service Academic-Year ComponentIn-Service Academic-Year Component

Chinese Master of Arts Chinese Master of Arts for Teachersfor Teachers30 Credit Program30 Credit Program

Students select courses in Chinese Students select courses in Chinese language, literature, culture, and language, literature, culture, and

pedagogy.pedagogy.

Generous SupportGenerous Support

Chinese Language Teaching Chinese Language Teaching InitiativesInitiatives

Freeman FoundationFreeman Foundation

Chinese Summer Practicum SettingsChinese Summer Practicum Settings Freeman FoundationFreeman Foundation STARTALKSTARTALK

The Guiding FrameworkThe Guiding Framework

Standards-based Standards-based ACTFL Standards ACTFL Standards Professional StandardsProfessional Standards

Knowing the content matterKnowing the content matter Knowing how to design instruction and assessmentsKnowing how to design instruction and assessments Understanding developmental appropriatenessUnderstanding developmental appropriateness Working with diverse learnersWorking with diverse learners Using technologyUsing technology Knowing how to communicate effectively with Knowing how to communicate effectively with

students, co-workers, parentsstudents, co-workers, parents Connecting learning to the local and global Connecting learning to the local and global

communitiescommunities Managing life-long professional developmentManaging life-long professional development

Experiences Experiences Gained?Gained?

Lessons Learned?Lessons Learned?

Critical IssuesCritical Issues

Collaborative Nature of Developing a Collaborative Nature of Developing a High Quality ProgramHigh Quality Program

Individual Variation in Teacher Individual Variation in Teacher Candidates’ NeedsCandidates’ Needs

Pool of Expert Teachers and Teacher Pool of Expert Teachers and Teacher EducatorsEducators

Critical IssuesCritical Issues

Need for Teacher Candidates to buy into Need for Teacher Candidates to buy into Standards-Based PedagogyStandards-Based Pedagogy

Teacher Candidates’ KnowledgeTeacher Candidates’ Knowledge StudentsStudents Language and Culture for U.S. SchoolsLanguage and Culture for U.S. Schools Target Language and CultureTarget Language and Culture

Teacher IdentityTeacher Identity

CollaborationCollaboration University Units: Graduate School of Education, Asian University Units: Graduate School of Education, Asian

Languages and Cultures Department, and World Languages and Cultures Department, and World Language InstituteLanguage Institute

New Jersey Department of EducationNew Jersey Department of Education Local School Districts Local School Districts

Princeton Regional School DistrictPrinceton Regional School District West Windsor-Plainsboro School DistrictWest Windsor-Plainsboro School District Highland Park School DistrictHighland Park School District And many others who regularly take our student And many others who regularly take our student

teachers…teachers… Community GuestsCommunity Guests Expert TeachersExpert Teachers Teacher CandidatesTeacher Candidates Students and ParentsStudents and Parents International PartnersInternational Partners

Making Collaborations Making Collaborations WorkWork

Freeman Foundation and STARTALK FundingFreeman Foundation and STARTALK Funding

Investment of Energy and EnthusiasmInvestment of Energy and Enthusiasm

Time to Develop TrustTime to Develop Trust

Regular CommunicationRegular Communication Planning and evaluation meetings for all Planning and evaluation meetings for all

collaboratorscollaborators Pre-Program advising for teacher candidatesPre-Program advising for teacher candidates One-on-one feedback sessions with teacher One-on-one feedback sessions with teacher

candidatescandidates

Individual Variation Individual Variation in Teacher Candidate Needsin Teacher Candidate Needs

Heritage and non-heritage Heritage and non-heritage backgroundbackground

Chinese dialectal variationChinese dialectal variation Preparation (coursework) in ChinesePreparation (coursework) in Chinese Previous teaching experience Previous teaching experience Citizenship or visa status Citizenship or visa status Life situationLife situation

How We Work to Meet How We Work to Meet Teacher Candidates’ Needs Teacher Candidates’ Needs

Created multiple routes to professional Created multiple routes to professional development and certificationdevelopment and certification

Hired a bilingual, bicultural program coordinatorHired a bilingual, bicultural program coordinator

Have regular one-on-one feedback sessions with Have regular one-on-one feedback sessions with participantsparticipants

Created a Roundtable Networking GroupCreated a Roundtable Networking Group Meets regularlyMeets regularly Uses on-line forum for communication and Uses on-line forum for communication and

sharing of resourcessharing of resources

Expert TeachersExpert Teachers

Previous participantsPrevious participantstake on new roles.take on new roles.

Practicum:Practicum: Program SupportProgram Support Materials DevelopmentMaterials Development TeachingTeaching MentoringMentoring

Traditional Program:Traditional Program: Hosts for Student TeachersHosts for Student Teachers Continue on for a Master’s DegreeContinue on for a Master’s Degree

Roundtable NetworkRoundtable Network

Need to Buy intoNeed to Buy intoStandards-Based Standards-Based

PedagogyPedagogy Target Language InstructionTarget Language Instruction

Focus is on Learning to USE language Focus is on Learning to USE language in authentic, meaningful ways, not in authentic, meaningful ways, not learning ABOUT language learning ABOUT language

Understanding that language teaching Understanding that language teaching is a field of expertise in its own rightis a field of expertise in its own right

SolutionsSolutions

Work with districts where teacher Work with districts where teacher candidates will observe and participate candidates will observe and participate in best practice; in best practice;

Expose them to flexible settings Expose them to flexible settings (summer camps, for example);(summer camps, for example);

Have participants reflect upon their own Have participants reflect upon their own experiences learning languages; andexperiences learning languages; and

Connect the practical experiences to Connect the practical experiences to theory.theory.

Teacher KnowledgeTeacher Knowledgeabout Studentsabout Students

Knowledge about Students in the Knowledge about Students in the U.S.U.S.

Knowledge about Heritage StudentsKnowledge about Heritage Students

Knowledge about K-12 StudentsKnowledge about K-12 Students

Knowledge about Knowledge about StudentsStudents

Developmentally appropriate Developmentally appropriate instructioninstruction

Practicum experiences with elementary Practicum experiences with elementary studentsstudents

Practicum experiences with secondary Practicum experiences with secondary studentsstudents

Heritage Language Heritage Language InstructionInstruction

Teachers need to bridge the gap Teachers need to bridge the gap

between their experiences and between their experiences and

the experiences of the heritage learners the experiences of the heritage learners

in their classrooms.in their classrooms.

Heritage Language Heritage Language InstructionInstruction

Understand the Chinese language learning Understand the Chinese language learning experience from an American Born experience from an American Born Chinese/Taiwanese (ABC/T) perspectiveChinese/Taiwanese (ABC/T) perspective

Understand that ABC/Ts have their unique Understand that ABC/Ts have their unique understanding and need of what it means to be understanding and need of what it means to be ChineseChinese

Design curriculum that appropriately takes Design curriculum that appropriately takes into consideration the language and cultural into consideration the language and cultural needs of ABC/Tsneeds of ABC/Ts

SolutionsSolutions

Open communication about the sensitive Open communication about the sensitive issues of language and identityissues of language and identity

Hiring teachers who reflect the multiple Hiring teachers who reflect the multiple identities of our Chinese learnersidentities of our Chinese learners

Advanced, graduate-level coursework in Advanced, graduate-level coursework in language socialization and identitylanguage socialization and identity

Teacher Knowledge Teacher Knowledge about Language and about Language and

CultureCulture

English in a U.S. contextEnglish in a U.S. context

Chinese in a U.S. contextChinese in a U.S. context

English ProficiencyEnglish Proficiency

Interpersonal, intrapersonal, and Interpersonal, intrapersonal, and presentational competence for presentational competence for academic work and life at school and academic work and life at school and interactions with administrators, interactions with administrators, staff, and parentsstaff, and parents

Intercultural competence Intercultural competence

SolutionsSolutions

Designed and will implement a new Designed and will implement a new course, English for World Language course, English for World Language Teachers. Teachers.

Teacher candidates need to build Teacher candidates need to build relationships with teachers outside relationships with teachers outside the Chinese language teaching the Chinese language teaching community.community.

Chinese ProficiencyChinese Proficiency

Coursework for Native SpeakersCoursework for Native Speakers

AssessmentAssessment

Whose Chinese? Which Chinese?Whose Chinese? Which Chinese?

SolutionsSolutions

Collaborations to create new coursesCollaborations to create new courses

Create new assessmentsCreate new assessments

Help students understand the Help students understand the multiplicity within the Chinese multiplicity within the Chinese language and culture, and the unique language and culture, and the unique Chinese American cultureChinese American culture

These efforts lead to the possibility These efforts lead to the possibility of creating a new kind of Chinese of creating a new kind of Chinese language teacher identity.language teacher identity.

We promote a We promote a teacher identity where teacher identity where

the the Teacher is a facilitator to language USE Teacher is a facilitator to language USE in the classroom as opposed to an in the classroom as opposed to an absolute authority ABOUT language;absolute authority ABOUT language;

Teacher is a bilingual/bicultural bridge Teacher is a bilingual/bicultural bridge between Chinese and American between Chinese and American societies;societies;

Teacher is a model and promoter of a Teacher is a model and promoter of a hybrid and global identity that blends hybrid and global identity that blends Chinese and American experiences; andChinese and American experiences; and

Teacher is a life-long learner.Teacher is a life-long learner.

A Lifelong A Lifelong JourneyJourney

Chinese language teacher preparation program at NYU

M.A. in Foreign language education (Mandarin Chinese—leading to NYS teacher certification)

M.A. in Foreign language education (Mandarin Chinese—not leading to NYS teacher certification)

M.A. in FLE and TESOL (leading to dual certification in ESOL and Chinese)

Department of Teaching and Learning

M.A. Teaching Chinese a Foreign Language 7-12 (44 Credits)

Content Core (3-9 credits):

- Linguistic analysis (3)

- Adv Ch for teachers of Chinese (I-3)

- Adv Ch for teachers of Chinese (II-3)

- Applied linguistics in Chinese (3)

TCFL Curriculum (continued)

General Pedagogy Core (10 credits):

Field work in schools and other educational settings (0)

Inquiries into teaching and learning (4)

Adolescent development (3)

Educating students w/ disabilities (3)

TCFL Curriculum (continued)

Specialization Core (7 credits):

- Teaching foreign languages: Theory and practice (3)

- Second language classroom: Elementary and secondary schools (4)

TCFL Curriculum (continued):Content Pedagogy Core (9-15)

- Intercultural perspectives in multilingual multicultural education (3)

- L2 acquisition and research

- L2 evaluation and assessment

- Teaching L2 across content areas

- Teaching L2 through technology

- Workshop in teaching foreign languages

TCFL Curriculum (continued): Student teaching, research, etc.

- Student teaching (6 credits)

- Social responsibility of teachers/ School violence prevention (0)

- Advanced research project (3)

- Teaching foreign languages to elementary school children (3)

A Mini-Study on teaching & learningof NYU graduates & students

The data is used to reflect on the curriculum and on the quality of learning at NYU

Participants were asked to list:

- Three skills or areas of knowledge that they

have learned in teaching and learning

- Three areas that are most challenging in

teaching and learning

Top Ten Challenges in Learning

1. Engage in class discussions with

American peers in English

2. Writing academic papers

3. Handle academic reading

4. Learning research skills

5. Understand American education

systems

Top Ten Challenges in Learning

6. Adjust to different teaching and

learning style

7. Expressing your own thoughts in class

8. Intensive schedule

9. Time arrangement

10.Interactions with fellow students

Sample response #1:

(1) 对美国文化了解不够，如种族歧视、黑人白人、教育均衡化、特殊教育等问题，以及美国教育史方面不占上风

(2) 对美国的基础教育体系没有亲身经历，对很多现实性的问题，没有过亲身体会

(3) 美国的学术研究和中国有很大不同，从格式到研究方法，都非常严肃、标准很高

(4) 听说读写和 native 毕竟还是有差距，表达思想不及母语学生自如

Top Ten Gains in Learning

1. Foreign language teaching techniques

2. Second language acquisition theories

3. Research skills/methods

4. Academic writing and reading skills

5. English proficiency improved

Top Ten Gains in Learning

6. Grouping methods

7. Lesson planning

8. Differentiated instructions

9. The overview of the education system

in US

10.Special education

Top Ten Challenges in Teaching

1. Classroom management2. Hard to motivate students and know

what topics students are interested in3. Heavy workload4. Communications with students5. Diverse students

Top Ten Challenges in Teaching

6. Communication with parents

7. Lack of curriculum and textbook

8. Short break between classes

9. Not respected as a Chinese teacher

10.Little time to communicate with other teachers

Sample #2:

(1) 课堂管理比在国内难得多(2) 用英语教育学生，跟学生讲道理(3) 和美国学生没有共同语言和兴趣(4) 如何鼓励美国学生学习中文好不容易（ 5 ）没有教学大纲和教学要求

Top Ten Gains in Teaching

1. Foreign language teaching methodology and effective teaching techniques

2. Classroom management techniques

3. Setting class procedures

4. Attending to students’ needs

5. Communications with students

Top Ten Gains in Teaching

6. Lesson planning

7. Technology in teaching

8. Communication with coworkers

9. Curriculum development

10.Differentiated instruction

Experience Gained

Modification needed on the existing curriculum

Emphasis on foundation on education Emphasis on learning about American

school system, students, teachers, and parents

More experience gained

More field experiences Classroom management Emphasis on learning about the

Chinese language Emphasis on teaching Chinese to a

diverse student population and mixed levels

Lessons Learned

Less is better: Do not try to include everything in the curriculum.

Haste makes waste. Setting realistic goals: High enough to

aim at but low enough to achieve. Developing strong communication

skills. Creating a personal tool box.

Thank you!