I couldn’t help but laugh while reading this Economist blog post. It pretty much mirrors conversations I’ve had with my 3rd grade Mandarin learner.
Wonder how other parents feel about the pace at which their kids appear to be picking up the language. Is our kids’ time better spent in an immersion program, or in an overseas study abroad program?
The latter option isn’t something everyone could afford or manage, of course. Just food for thought.
You may be familiar with the popular producer of children’s music, Dan Zanes. Well, a member of his band, Elena Moon Park, has produced an album of Chinese folks songs, Rabbit Days and Dumplings.
The Asia Society published this Q&A with the artist, complete with links to the album, which is available for purchase now.
By Kami McMaster, Ridgecrest Elementary Council Representative
Recently, members of the Utah Mandarin Immersion Parent Council (UMIC) board met with officials from Canyons School District, the Utah State Office of Education and the Confucius Institute at the University of Utah. We were educated in detail about the guest teacher program and the state’s vision for language immersion. We will share details about the guest teacher program in a separate post. Meanwhile, here’s why I left thinking: our children are privileged to be part of something great.
What sets Utah’s language immersion program apart:
Training – As most of you know, the program relies heavily on guest teachers from China and Taiwan due, in part, to the shortage of qualified homegrown educators with near-native speaking skills. These teachers enrich classrooms culturally, but also face a steep learning curve and their own cultural adjustment. To better prepare them for the rigors of American classrooms – including classroom management challenges they inevitably face – Utah puts them through two weeks of training. For teachers out of Hanban (a division of the ministry of education in China) this comes on top of two weeks of training provided by the Chinese government prior their stepping foot in the country. Local school districts further supplement this with their own training.
Curriculum development – In America, public school teachers are typically told what to teach, but now how to teach it. In other words, they are given a scripted curriculum, but are generally responsible for developing their own lesson plans. Utah’s immersion guest teachers, however, are given the whole package, lesson plans and all. The state is currently building a curriculum that will carry students from elementary school through junior high and beyond, and publishing supporting classroom materials, including supplemental readers. If a student chooses to stay in the program throughout high school the language proficiency goal for them is in the advanced range on the ACTFL proficiency scale. By comparison, most LDS missionaries return home at intermediate high proficiency.
Sustainability – Working with area universities, Utah education officials created a special endorsement, or certification, for immersion teachers. The goal is to grow and groom a local pool of teaching candidates. This takes time and the state is just now starting to see the fruits of its labor – the first graduates. In addition, Brigham Young University just announced an immersion minor. And state officials host an open house at the University of Utah each year to show bilingual college grads that teaching at an elementary school is a viable alternative to teaching a foreign language in high school or college.
In summary, from training our teachers to developing classroom texts, Utah is making a name for itself as a national leader in language immersion. We are a state to watch and recognized by many educators as “the place” to come and teach.
“These programs are being recognized because they are innovative, they are cost-effective, they are sustainable and they produce incredible results,” said Sandra Talbot, state Chinese immersion program director. “But more important than all of these worthwhile reasons is the impact they have on the individual – the student sitting in an immersion classroom who will change our world.”
What can parents do?
We are pioneers in this effort. For those of us with children “just starting out” and parents of kids among the “first group” of immersion learners at our respective schools, it may sometimes feel that the struggle is too much, the learning curve “too high.” We muddle through, breaking in new teachers each year as the program grows with our kids, with a level of “blind faith” that can make us anxious. But I am personally confident that, in the end, we will be glad and proud to say that our child attended Chinese dual immersion in Utah.
We need to be champions for this program and contribute time and resources to our schools. While the vision at the state level is grand, the implementation at our classroom level is a challenge, but a very exciting one. Our teachers need to be told they are doing a great job. Our principals need to be applauded for maintaining the program at our schools. Difficulties will arise, and we need to face them with positive attitudes and helpful actions. Stay involved with your individual child; look for cultural events to invite their excitement, and your own. Study the broad movement of dual immersion in the country and celebrate the results.
We announced a few weeks back that the University of Utah’s Confucius Institute is organizing a Chinese language summer camp, possibly this year. We will have more details in the next week, or two.
But here’s another opportunity to keep your kids’ Mandarin skills fresh over the long, hot summer months:
Utah’s Chinese Immersion Program director Sandy Talbot won a STARTALK grant this year that will enable school districts to sponsor a summer reading program for kids currently enrolled in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades.
School districts will announce details soon. But here’s a sneak peek.
The program will kick off sometime in June with a week-long Mandarin storytelling festival. Enrollment will be limited. But…here’s the good part….teachers will record the books and make the recordings, along with the books, available online for everyone for free.
Stay tuned for more.
A recommendation from council member Sasha Wyckoff:
Sarah Erwin will be offering Mandarin 101 through Canyons Continuing Education again this spring. I am taking the class and really enjoying it. Of the nine students in the class, four are parents of children in the DI program. Sarah presents the material in a way that is accessible as well as relevant, and fun. After five weeks I have a much richer understanding of the grammar and structure of the language, a burgeoning vocabulary, and multiple real world examples of things to say. I highly recommend it!
Registration information can be found under the “Community” tab on the Canyons District website: http://www.canyonsdistrict.org
You can also contact Sarah directly at: sarahmalia@gmail.com
I’ve been dreaming of the day I can take my kids to China, hopefully for an extended stay. Curious if people know of any overseas, bilingual summer camps or schools.
I don’t know enough about this particular school to recommend it. But it sounds interesting.
For a brand new Chinese New Year experience, Chinese Society of Utah is hosting its 2013 banquet at the most exquisite Brazilian steak house in Salt Lake City – Texas de Brazil. It’s the traditional Chinese celebration in a not-so-traditional but luxurious setting.
Location: Texas de Brazil at City Creek Center, 50 S. Main St., SLC.
Date: 2/24/13. Registration: 5pm; Dinner: 5:30pm
We apologize for the last minute change. However, we believe this is a great benefit to our members, as the dinner is still $15/person for CSU members and $45/person for non-members (regular price at the restaurant is $43 + tax + tips). There will be plenty of prize drawings as planned.
If you haven’t RSVP, don’t miss this one time only opportunity. Again, seats are limited. Please RSVP with Ling-Ling Chen 801-712-8538, contact@utahchinesesociety.com. Like our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/chinesesocietyofutah
OGDEN, Utah – The Weber State University Chinese Club invites the community to join in its biggest celebration of the year — Chinese New Year, Feb. 15 in the Shepherd Union beginning at 6 p.m.
This is the fourth year the Chinese club has hosted the event and members expect as many as 1,000 people to enjoy the free festivities and food.
“It is a fun event for the community to come and learn about Chinese culture and celebrate the New Year,” said Amanda Truong, WSU Chinese club president. “It started as a celebration to make the Chinese international students feel more at home but has grown to a larger event, which is celebrated by the entire local community.”
Chinese New Year 2013, also known as Spring Festival, begins on Feb. 10 with the celebration continuing through Feb. 15. This is the year of the black snake; so WSU’s celebration will feature a live snake.
The event will also include performances such as a lion dance, a dragon run, traditional Chinese dancing and music, kung fu and a fashion show. Students from both Uintah and Mountain Green elementary schools will also participate.
Starting at 6:45 p.m. a variety of booths will include activities such as crafts, games and exhibits. The event, including food and drinks, is free and open to the public, with donations welcome.
Sponsors include, WSU Continuing Education, WSU International Student and Scholar Center, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Center for Diversity & Unity, Multicultural Student Services Center, and WSU Clubs and Organizations, Swire Coca Cola of Ogden, Pearl Milk Tea Club, Golden Dynasty, Eastern Winds, Dragon Restaurant, Lucky Buffet, Syracuse Junior High Confucius Classroom, Bella’s Fresh Mexican Grill and Sodexo.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
Parents, educators –
I’m compiling a list of tutors in Utah willing and able to provide one-on-one or small group instruction to elementary-age Mandarin learners.
Respond to kirstendstewart@gmail.com.
We’ve posted before about Sesame Street producing shows in Mandarin.
But season 1 of Fun Fun Elmo is now available on Youtube – which is a lot easier to navigate than SinoVision (at least for those of us who don’t read Mandarin).
Utah Mandarin Immersion Parent Council 