• Jeremy Lin

    There are so few books in Chinese that middle schoolers can read and find interesting that I wanted to highlight a new one which came out recently.

    The Chinese Biographies series by Cheng and Tsui has just published a biography of basketball star Jeremy Lin. More about it here.

    The blurb reads:

    “Discover the story of “Linsanity”. Jeremy Lin knew from childhood that he wanted to play professional basketball and broke significant barriers to become the first Chinese-American NBA player. Readers will learn how this contemporary cultural icon overcame the challenges on his path to fame and developed his inspiring strength of character.”

    The books in the series use between 300 and 750 characters and come with audio files you can get from the website so students and listen and read along. Many times students can understand a much higher level of spoken Chinese than written Chinese, so hearing the words as they read means they can read texts that are at a higher level than they could easily read on their own.

    The blurb about the series:

    “These engaging biographies of Chinese cultural icons were specifically designed for students who have mastered 350-700 characters. Pinyin annotation facilitates the reading process, making Chinese character texts accessible at the earliest stages of learning. Touching on contemporary cultural issues, these biographies and their related online activities encourage students to think, speak and write in Chinese as they learn about Jeremy Lin, Yao Ming, and others. Perfect for classroom instruction or independent reading.”

  • They’ve already got Spanish, Mandarin and French. I’ve seen several German schools go up recently. Interesting. A resurgence in the language?

    Lexington One schools offer language immersion program for kindergartners

    January 2, 2014 By 

    ColaDaily.com is your source for free news and information in Columbia and the Midlands.

    Parents of rising kindergartners in Lexington One School District are invited to learn more about district offerings that give kids a jump-start on learning new languages.

    Lexington One’s Partial-Immersion World Languages Program allows children to learn an foreign language while also being taught subjects like math and science. Students can join partial-immersion in kindergarten and continue through fifth grade.

    During a partial-immersion world language class, teachers spend half of the day instructing in French, German, Mandarin Chinese or Spanish. The district’s new school opening in the fall, Deerfield Elementary, will be the first to offer German.

    Please read more here.

  • photo - Students hold lanterns for St. Martin's eve, or Martinsfeuer, during a performance for German International Day at Global Village Academy Charter School in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Friday, November 22, 2013.  (Kent Nishimura, The Gazette)
    Students hold lanterns for St. Martin’s eve, or Martinsfeuer, during a performance for German International Day at Global Village Academy Charter School in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Friday, November 22, 2013. (Kent Nishimura, The Gazette)

    There’s foreign language class, and then there’s foreign language immersion.

    There’s a big difference.

    At most schools, students learn to speak, read and write in a second language for one class period a few times a week.

    At Global Village Academy, up to 95 percent of a student’s day is spent learning about reading, writing, math, history, science and other subjects in a second language.

    Students comprehend the material quickly, said the assistant principal of the Colorado Springs campus, Alicia Welch, because teachers use demonstrative gestures, facial expressions, intonation, photos and other nontraditional and engaging actions.

    “It is amazing to see how well the kids do with the program,” she said.

    Read more at http://gazette.com/colorado-springs-charter-school-touts-foreign-language-immersion/article/1511971#bbX8JWkoxrRAEJPv.99

  • https://employment.bsd405.org/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=3890

     

    ELEMENTARY MANDARIN DUAL LANGUAGE TEACHER(S) 2014-15
    Opening Date:   12/6/2013
    Closing Date:     Open Until Filled
    Location:   Various Locations

    ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

    Mandarin language instruction in all elementary subjects for a majority of the instructional day.

    Foster an educational environment conducive to the learning and maturation process of assigned students; plan an instructional program designed to meet individual student needs and whole groups which may include “at-risk” or special needs youth; prepare lesson plans.

    Use necessary and appropriate instructional methods and materials, which are suited to the well-being of students and to the nature of their learning activities, program and/or curriculum involved; implement established program or curriculum objectives; attend in-service training and continue to improve professional growth through study and experimentation to remain current in methods and techniques for instruction.

    Establish and implement, in a positive and supportive manner, classroom policies and procedures governing student behavior and conduct; provide guidance, counseling, and discipline to encourage students to meet standards of achievement and conduct; make referrals for assistance where appropriate.

    Confer with students, parents or guardians, and other staff, in an open and positive manner to provide guidance and evaluation and encouragement of student achievement.

    Establish classroom goals and objectives, in conformance with courses of study specified by State and School District statutes, regulations and guidelines; evaluate and record student progress; prepare reports for parents or guardians.

    Collect and interpret a variety of data; provide reports for administrative purposes.

    Direct the activities of assigned non-certificated personnel.

    Attend or participate in all required staff meetings and other activities deemed necessary by the District and/or building principal, in order to accomplish the objectives of the position and for professional development.

    REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

    Reports to building administrator

    PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

    Possess or qualify for immediate issuance of valid Washington state teaching certification with endorsement in Elementary Education. Must meet ESEA standard for Highly Qualified teachers in Elementary curriculum.

    Knowledge of current curriculum and instructional practices such as teacher-directed instruction, literature-based reading, math problem-solving, use of math manipulatives, cooperative learning, and integrated curriculum.

    Bilingual proficiency in English and Mandarin Chinese language required.

    Elementary teaching experience preferred.

    Previous experience in Dual Language program preferred.

    Current knowledge of child development theory and its implications for teaching and learning.

    Ability and skills necessary to individualize instruction.

    Commitment and ability to work with a full range of students including gifted, mainstreamed special education, English language learners, and students from diverse cultural and social backgrounds.

    Ability to work with computers to develop students’ technical literacy and to assist students in learning other subjects.

    Ability to work in a collective or team approach.

    Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, and colleagues, orally and in writing.

    Ability to work with students in multi-aged groups.

    Ability to use varied assessments, including performance tasks, portfolios, and student self-assessment.

    Ongoing professional development activities, such as college course work, professional associations, workshops, and in-service.

    A strong and positive attitude that each student can be taught and has the right and capacity to achieve personal academic excellence.

    Ability to perform all duties in accordance with applicable Board policies and district and legal requirements.

    Ability to meet and maintain punctuality and attendance expectations.

  • The stats on how kids do are interesting, even if they only have them for French and Spanish thus far.

    STL Language Immersion Schools recognized internationally

    • St. Louis Language Immersion

    Photo by Bill Zurheide

    St. Louis Language Immersion

     

    French School students Daphne Bishop and Deangelo Robinson, who are now first graders, play together in kindergarten. The St. Louis Language Immersion school district now has three campuses – the French, Spanish and Chinese schools – and a fourth one is on the way.

    Posted: Thursday, January 9, 2014 12:05 am

    By Rebecca Rivas | 0 comments

    A group of second graders at the French School, a local language-immersion charter school, recently fought for the right to use school lockers – and won.

    Speaking in French, the students presented their arguments to Head of School Conrad Wildsmith.

    Leading an issue-oriented campaign was part of their class curriculum, but the second graders took it a step further to fundraise for the cost to pay for new locker keys – an expense that kept the school from allowing students to use the lockers previously, said Rhonda Broussard, president and founder of the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools.

    The second graders’ campaign is one example of what sets the immersion schools’ curriculum apart from other schools, she said.

    Please read more here.

  • This is a program done by the same folks who put together a yearly Chinese language teaching conference in San Francisco.
    CLERC-PKU Summer Chinese Language Program 2014
    Special Offer for Group Registrations (5 or More)
    Academically intensive while extremely fun! With 20 years’ excellence, our CLERC-PKU Summer Chinese Language Program is growing ever stronger. Since 1994, CLERC-PKU Summer Program has become one of the most popular study abroad summer language programs in the United States, and participants are from all over the world. The six-week (July 7 –August 15, 2014) intensive Mandarin Chinese learning program is tailored to high school seniors and college students who wish to learn and improve Chinese language quickly, and to better understand Chinese culture.
    In our program, your students are not only learning Chinese, they are actually using it all the time. They are not only tasting the Chinese culture, they are understanding it. They don’t need to imagine what current China looks like anymore because finally, they are living in it! This is a serious intensive academic program and qualified participants can earn up to 6 semester or 9 quarter college foreign language credits. For detailed program info and online application, please check our program webpage: http://www.nanhai.com/ep/pku
    In honor of our 20th anniversary, CLECK will provide group applicants Nanhai Book Store gift cards for the very first time: $300/each, 5 or more accepted applicants from one public school/school district. Any questions? Please feel free to contact our program management team. Email: pku@nanhai.com; Phone: (408) 380-8088
  • Lexington One schools offer language immersion program for kindergartners

    January 2, 2014 By 

    ColaDaily.com is your source for free news and information in Columbia and the Midlands.

    Parents of rising kindergartners in Lexington One School District are invited to learn more about district offerings that give kids a jump-start on learning new languages.

    Lexington One’s Partial-Immersion World Languages Program allows children to learn an foreign language while also being taught subjects like math and science. Students can join partial-immersion in kindergarten and continue through fifth grade.

    During a partial-immersion world language class, teachers spend half of the day instructing in French, German, Mandarin Chinese or Spanish. The district’s new school opening in the fall, Deerfield Elementary, will be the first to offer German.

    The goal of the program is to create graduates who are leaders in a global marketplace by giving the chance to become multilingual, according to the district.

    Please read more here.